Winter/Spring fishing for snakeheads

[tufnik]

sounds like a place for bow fishing

...or pole spearing.

[J.A. Veil]

talked with capt mike from indian head charters and he told me the best time to catch snakes is june through sept. the warmer months on the potomac for best results

I'm thinking about chartering Capt Mike next summer to target snakeheads.

[ictalurus]

Here is some insight from my experiences with snakeheads last year on the Occuqaun.

They are active starting in April.. They tend to concregate at locations with a strong current with an adjacent eddie that holds baitfish.

My brother and i used this stratigy to catch over 30 snakeheads in april and may last year.
Meadeo

Hey! I probably met you or your brother on the Occoquan last year in April when I was shad fishing with my father. I was in the yellow Revo with the white PVC contraption for my fish finder. I was probably wearing either a brown or red cowboy hat. I'm glad you made it to the forum.

[Meadeo]

Hey! I probably met you or your brother on the Occoquan last year in April when I was shad fishing with my father. I was in the yellow Revo with the white PVC contraption for my fish finder. I was probably wearing either a brown or red cowboy hat. I'm glad you made it to the forum.

Ictalurus,

I am certain i saw you last season.. I will be sure to introduce myself next time.

Meadeo

[ronaultmtd]

Thanks for all the replies- still haven't figured out a winter strategy for fishing for snakies- they have to breathe, they have to have some sort of metabolism, so they must feed sometime- probably need more research, more studies of the life cycle of this newly introduced fish into our waters to figure out what happens in colder waters- there is no disagreement they are thriving in the Maryland rivers systems and spreading- so winters are not harmful to them- it isn't like other species of fish that migrate south and aren't here in the winter- these are now "native" fish- 12 months a year residents- Largemouth bass have winter patterns and are less active but still catchable- same with perch and crappie...just got to figure out what turns them on-

[gliebig]

So reading through this thread. I'm trying to figure out the pattern to these things as I've only been able to fish for them a half dozen times or so.
I hit some well known spots in the past two weeks. I landed six, one being a very nice one. We noticed a TON of fish in the shallows, but getting them to bite has been quite tedious. Is it because they may be in a pre-spawn mode? Do I need to change up my tactics? (I've just been doing the usual..chuck a topwater back in the nasty stuff where I see them)
I can't imagine what it would be like to catch them on a feed day.

[ronaultmtd]

A big popping cork and a bucket of xtra large bull minnows...only problem is finding the really big minnows and keeping catfish off them...I put out a Minnow trap at my Sister’s place on Neal Sound in Mitchell Creek to catch mine, but the minnows are still fairly small to medium size...the catfish don’t care what size they are, but the snakeheads want bigger more active minnows..l catch mine (when I rarely fish for snakeheads) by using a wire Minnow trap with cut alewife in it in the shallows at my Sister’s place on Cobb Island (Neal Sound)...and I mostly fish for snakeheads in the Potomac around small creeks and sounds...

[gliebig]

My preference is to use artificials, but may have to give that a shot some time.
Question for using the bull minnow...i assume that you fish deeper water since it would be very hard fishing under a bobber in 6" of water.
I assumed the fish I see way up in the shallows were the majority, but are there a good amount also on the outside of the pads in the deeper water? I've tossed some artificials out there, but haven't had success.

[YakMan1731]

My preference is to use artificials, but may have to give that a shot some time.
Question for using the bull minnow...i assume that you fish deeper water since it would be very hard fishing under a bobber in 6" of water.
I assumed the fish I see way up in the shallows were the majority, but are there a good amount also on the outside of the pads in the deeper water? I've tossed some artificials out there, but haven't had success.

One thing to keep in mind about snakeheads is that the common belief is they spawn 2 to 4 times per year, at least according to Caz and others who spend almost the entire year catching and observing them. I believe, from reading online, texting with fishing buddies, and from what I saw when I was there, that the first spawn of the year was likely sometime in the last week to week and a half. I was first tipped off to this because when I was at Blackwater I only saw or caught fish above 24". Having fished Blackwater from kayak close to 2 dozen times, my experience has been that the average size there is 19"-24". There are some donkeys in there, don't get me wrong, but when only large, full-bellied fish were feeding I shared that info with some guys and they believe it was pre-spawn/pre-fry guarding behavior by the females. Your experience seeing them but not being able to get them to bite is common behavior around the spawn. It can be incredibly frustrating but is temporary. I'd say to stay the course and keep casting. Eventually you'll land the more aggressive ones (as you did) or give it a few days to a week and their behavior will likely change. On the best days, which are flat calm and hot as far as snakeheads go, you can almost call your shot and know you're about to get blown up.

TL,DR- It's likely spawn-related behavior and should change soon, so keep going for it!

[ronaultmtd]

And the guarding the fry maybe why the big bull minnows get slammed when nothing else works...they are seen as a danger to eat the fry and eggs...

[YakMan1731]

And the guarding the fry maybe why the big bull minnows get slammed when nothing else works...they are seen as a danger to eat the fry and eggs...

Absolutely, good point Ron! It's also extra exhilarating casting to a fry ball because you know that the fish guarding it, if there is one, is likely a large female and she's gonna be some kinda ticked off when you bother her babies.

[ronaultmtd]

Winter/Spring fishing for snakeheads

I was fishing the upper portion of Mattawoman Creek yesterday morning...cold, breezy morning, with heavy overcast...some top water action was going on...thought maybe it was carp jumping or maybe snakeheads...tied on a Zara Spook and worked it around the edges of the lily pads..

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[nhunter344]

Do carp mainly jump in open water, or do they prefer it back in the thick stuff. Last time I was at Blackwater, there was constant noise coming from way back in the reeds. I couldn't get a look at what was making the noise and I didn't bring anything weedless so I was out of luck as far as casting to them went.

[YakMan1731]

Do carp mainly jump in open water, or do they prefer it back in the thick stuff. Last time I was at Blackwater, there was constant noise coming from way back in the reeds. I couldn't get a look at what was making the noise and I didn't bring anything weedless so I was out of luck as far as casting to them went.

When the carp spawn at Blackwater it sounds like a giant, unathletic wrestling match is happening back in the thick stuff. At first when I experienced it last year I spent two whole days chucking lures back in there thinking it was aggressive snakeheads, but once I spent some time keeping an eye on them and getting back there with them, I realized it was carp. When I was at Blackwater two weeks ago it was carp spawn mayhem. I paddled until I found shorelines that were at least somewhat devoid of the noise, then concentrated on those as well as big shallow flats and ended up finding the snakeheads.