Snakehead

[Cluelessandfly]

Howdy, I've set my mind to targeting snakehead this year. I said the same about pickerel last fall, but never did enough due to ice and laziness. BUT, i made it out last weekend and got two massive takes on an ugly weedless frog slider thing i tied up. https://www.instagram.com/p/BiMWxYMH...egreggoutdoors

Unfortunately, I barely set the hook and was rather late due to the surprise of the savage takes. Of course, due to their hard mouths, I suppose I needed a much more assertive set. Oh well, I also missed a few more topwater blowups that could either be bass or snakehead, but never saw the fish. I was 0 for 4 with this fly. Im using an articulate shank, extended over a texas hook with knotless titanium wire as a hinge. In theory, when bit down upon, the hook should be revealed. Sooooo, two things:

1: Wondering if the shank is too long and preventing the fish from taking the hook. I'm not sold on this due to the ease of pushing the shank down (see linked video)

2: Wondering if the hook is too large and maybe a smaller Texas style hook would be better.


Bonus! 3: Maybe i just need to work on my hook setting

[Mark]

Gregg,

I commend you for trying to catch snakeheads on the fly.

They're typically in areas hard to reach with a fly. The thick vegetation where they reside makes it difficult to lift fly lines for a subsequent cast. Also, they are aggressive topwater feeders and well tuned into looking up. I've read that they readily spot and are spooked by fly lines traveling above them.

Perhaps the best snakehead angler in our parts is Joe Bruce. He's an excellent fly fisherman, but even he puts aside the fly rod when targeting snakeheads. He has caught them on the fly but he prefers spinning tackle with soft plastic frogs hooked weedless with hooks as large as 3/0. (I don't think your hook is too large.) Note the same method with paddletails works great for pickerel in deep vegetation. It's lots of fun to see the lily pads and spatterdock move in the bow wave created by a hungry pickerel as it chases down your weedless lure.

I have little snakehead experience. I've caught only one in my life. That was at Mattawoman with the help of Indian Head Charters on a weedless plastic frog that I heaved deep into the vegetation. In fact, I saw no water in the direction where the guide told me to toss the lure. There's no way I could have casted a fly into that tangle of weeds. That was my snakehead fix. I'm in no hurry to catch another.

Mattawoman A.jpg

Joe uses 40 pound mono in lieu of wire leaders for both picks and snakeheads. He has written a number of books about his fishing style including one specifically on catching snakeheads. Additionally, he's a frequent guest speaker at many fishing clubs in MD and the surrounding states where he describes his techniques and reveals his snakehead catching methods. He's also a kayak angler.

I encourage folks who want to learn more about catching snakeheads to visit his website and blog.

http://joebruce.net/

https://joebruceflyfishing.wordpress.com/

In the meantime, I wish you luck Gregg. You're definitely on the right track if you casted your fly close enough to them for strikes. I hope you get one to stay buttoned up.

[Cluelessandfly]

Thanks Mark! I was sharing the canoe with one other fly angler who has caught two on foam flies, but has tried for them with little success on many other occasions. He told me not to expect two takes in one day again haha. I hear they slime you really well, but i'd like to experience that at least once!

Right now the pads are space enough to lay a cast in there and pull it out no problem. That being said, not sure i'd get the fish our of the pads if it were hooked. I missed a massive strike in open water weirdly enough, but the other was on the weed edge. That fish surfaced and stared me down afterwards. Very intimidating but super cool. I'll be sure to let you know if I get one! In the meantime, I'm looking forward to reading Joe's stuff!

Cheers!

[Mark]

Gregg,

I hear you. It's enticing to launch casts into seams in the pads.

P1010582.jpg

To me, making a good cast that threads a narrow path or hugs the edge of the pads is almost as fun as hooking up. But those pesky fish usually head to cover when stuck and invariably they wrap my line around one of those tough lily pad stems. Still, it's hard to resist fishing such cover with a fly. I'll even drop a popper into a hole deep within the pads knowing full well I'll never get the fish out should it strike. In fly fishing an accurate cast into a tight target is definitely half he joy of the catch.

[silasvirus82]

That's a hell of a nice looking fly Gregg. I see no reason why that wouldn't work, but like Mark said you may not get a lot of opportunities. I brought my fly rod on my last snakehead trip, and tried briefly to pull one in, but did not get a single take to test my skill. Had I not let the first three fish I landed go, I was planning to spend the remaining hour on the fly rod, but instead I got desperate to bring something back home and managed another three with my chatterbait. My next snakehead trip I plan to try again and will report my findings if successful. I was using a popper, but I was in completely open water too. Trying to catch one in the weeds with a fly rod sounds very challenging. I do not believe you need anything more than 20lb leader though, and I'm pretty sure you could find success down to 10lb. They have a lot of teeth, but they do not interlock, so not much chance of them biting through your leader.

[Cluelessandfly]

Couldn't agree more! That's why I like the fly so much. Getting skunked is not so bad since you are practicing the casting. A good cast is such a great feeling.

[Cluelessandfly]

John, that's good to hear. I was a bit worried about the line size. i thik ill take the 9 wt next time to give a little more backbone in the pads. I feel as though I may only have a few more weeks to fish deep in them before they fill in too much. Then onto some river docks.

[silasvirus82]

Couldn't agree more! That's why I like the fly so much. Getting skunked is not so bad since you are practicing the casting. A good cast is such a great feeling.

I’m not sure I agree with you about getting skunked, lol. I much prefer to catch something than to say I did it on a fly rod, haha. I used to fly fish a lot, but now it’s more of a golden opportunity than a regular tactic. I like tying my own flies, and really enjoy casting dry flies in particular, but beyond that it’s just a handicap for me. Trout fishing on the east coast is particularly disappointing in my opinion, which is why a lot of people go after smallies and shad here in MD.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mchottie]

While I do not use fly tackle, I personally love to target SH specifically with spinning.

My success has been at vegetation edges, and in shallow creeks with significant debris/structure/obstruction.

I can't see fly casting being successful in the niche locations where i've landed fish, altho along vegetation edges and at the mount of the creek should both be easy to cast into/along. I think if you put the time in, you will easily land one.

I've never seen an SH in open water, which is why John's post had me intrigued.

Best of luck, and be sure to report back with your fishing log. Excited to see another SH'er amongst the SnaggedLine gang!

[Mark]

...Trout fishing on the east coast is particularly disappointing in my opinion, which is why a lot of people go after smallies and shad here in MD.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

...and stripers, white perch, LM bass, bluegills, crappies, and pickerel, to name a few more.

[Cluelessandfly]

It's certainly not the same as out west, but brookies sure have my love. Not for the fight, but for the places they take me and their beauty. I don't do too much brown or bow fishing as it's a bot of a drive for wilds and then there is a low probability of any size. I certainly find myself fishing the striper and bass more than anything else.

[Cluelessandfly]

I've been tying up a bunch of sunny and bluegill flatwings to work the edges of the pads. Some dace and killfish with a mono weed gaurd to work back in the pads, and then a bunch of weedless sliders to work the surface all over. I'm investing in this pursuitScreen Shot 2018-06-07 at 9.33.26 AM.jpgScreen Shot 2018-06-07 at 9.33.26 AM.jpg, but the potomac needs to hurry up and lower!Screen Shot 2018-06-07 at 9.33.26 AM.jpg

[silasvirus82]

I've been tying up a bunch of sunny and bluegill flatwings to work the edges of the pads. Some dace and killfish with a mono weed gaurd to work back in the pads, and then a bunch of weedless sliders to work the surface all over. I'm investing in this pursuit[ATTACH=CONFIG]23451[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]23451[/ATTACH], but the potomac needs to hurry up and lower![ATTACH=CONFIG]23451[/ATTACH]

Those really look awesome! If you can find the sneks they will destroy those beautiful flys you’re making I’m on the hunt this weekend, shoot me a pm if you want to join.

I’ve been thinking these will work and hopefully hold up pretty well:




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk