Snakehead surprises

[BarefootPetr]

Yesterday I went out fly fishing for snakehead and got a couple of firsts on the fly. The first was a pair of channel catfish. I've never had a catfish hit a fly before, so it was quite surprising. Later on in the day I thought I was sight-casting to a snakehead and found out it was a gar when its long nose came out of the water as it thrashed. That's probably a little more common, but it's my first ever gar and I did not expect it to stay hooked, as I have lost previous fish because of that bony mouth. I also got 2 nice snakehead, so overall a good day!

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[DanMarino]

Now that is super cool. I presume you were fishing a tidal creek someplace? Were you using a clouser minnow fly? One day I need to take my fly rod down to Mattawoman or Mallows Bay.

[BarefootPetr]

Chicamacomico and it was a weightless rabbit zonker with a Fishmask head. The water is so shallow and snaggy you can't have any weight. Plus the slow sink seems to get the fish going. To be honest, I've never had great luck with Clousers. I've caught fish on them, but I think my style of fly fishing isn't conducive to the Clouser presentation

[Mark]

Peter,

Congratulations on the snakeheads on the fly! That is quite an accomplishment.

I agree with you on weightless presentations in shallow waters. Clousers have their place but not in skinny water. To get an upturned hookpoint in such areas, I use Bendback Minnows. Looks like a Clouser, acts like a Clouser, but without the weight.