Found answer to where all (or most) of the bowfished Snakeheads end up...

[VuDism]

So if a snakehead at 14 lbs is 10 lbs worth of edible meat... At $14/lbs that is a $140 fish...

Just saying lol

[Turtle135]

You may not be seeing dead snakehead around the ramps as much anymore but there is not a large enough market for consuming snakeheads. I just do not believe that most of those snakeheads are winding up on the table. I'm sure many get left in the woods for racoons and other scavengers or straight into dumpsters away from the parks. Bowhunters are smart enough to "self police" and remind others not to leave dead fish in plain sight. That would be just asking for Park Managers to step in and ban bowfishing in state and regional parks.

and of course another Snagged Line member posted recently about seeing numbers of gar shot by bowhunters and left to rot in the sun

[Snakehead Hunter]

You may not be seeing dead snakehead around the ramps as much anymore but there is not a large enough market for consuming snakeheads. I just do not believe that most of those snakeheads are winding up on the table. I'm sure many get left in the woods for racoons and other scavengers or straight into dumpsters away from the parks. Bowhunters are smart enough to "self police" and remind others not to leave dead fish in plain sight. That would be just asking for Park Managers to step in and ban bowfishing in state and regional parks.

and of course another Snagged Line member posted recently about seeing numbers of gar shot by bowhunters and left to rot in the sun

Most bowfisherman that I talked to love SH. They even ask me how to fillet to get the most meat out of it. I think that's why they are not rotting at the ramp

[mepps3]

All I'm saying is, it's great that you enjoy catching them and they are tasty. But look outside your own personal gain for a while and try to see what the long term damage might be. Then make a decision for yourself. It's hard to be unselfish when your doing something you love. Ask the 1990s blue crab population. Or the 1980s striped bass population. Fisheries damn near wiped them out. DNR to the rescue.

WHat do you think is "long term"?? They have been here for like 15 years now. In the same timeframe, the number and popularity of bass tournaments on the Mattawoman have gotten out of control. I don't think anyone can say the reported decline in bass numbers can be blamed on just one thing. Of course bass tournaments will never be limited!!! Lets just blame the snakeheads.

[buzz]

...I used to catch many SH at Pohick bay. After several trips with no result I move on to a different location. When I went to Pohick, I saw at least 5 bowfishing boats whenever I was leaving the park.

Might be time to change techniques. I have a friend at work who fishes Pohick often and regularly catches SH. And he always catches them on a fire-tiger square-lipped Bomber crankbait.... Oh... and you'll like this... he releases them all.

You may not be seeing dead snakehead around the ramps as much anymore but there is not a large enough market for consuming snakeheads. I just do not believe that most of those snakeheads are winding up on the table. I'm sure many get left in the woods for racoons and other scavengers or straight into dumpsters away from the parks.

Although a little late in the year now, some might end up as fertilizer. As I was getting my garden ready this year, I took an afternoon to hit Marshall Hall for some blue cat. Caught three big ones... ground them up and tilled them into my garden.

[Snakehead Hunter]

I know a Vietnamese guy that release all his catch. I meant all, fresh & salt species. I share all my honey holes with him haha. He's very into buddism, like no killing and stuff but for some reason he has no problem getting meat at the market lol. Make no sense to me

[jhoss]

I struggle to understand why you would want more of an invasive species instead of less. They do damage to the existing fish populations and other ecosystems where they invade. I'm glad to see it overfished, I hope it gets over-fished right out of the east coast. But that will never happen.

If you've ever experienced the thrill of catching a snakehead, especially catching a big angry one on topwater lures you might understand why people are lamenting their decline. No one on this forum would ever want to see a fish that is invasive and harmful to local fish populations come in and do harm to local fish stock, but as anyone that has fished the area where SH are prevalent can attest, this just isn't the case here.