# Southern snakeheads 101



## gnappi (Nov 27, 2018)

There's one area that we fish we fish hard for snakeheads (SH), and we keep the pressure on them. Some guys go out at night with bow rigs. 

So now LMB are once again being found there in small numbers after a full spring and summer of taking the SH out. I teach every angler I can what I know of how to fish for them. Just the other day a young guy complained to me how he's had some 20 on the line this summer and not one out of the water, they'd always spit the hook. After the tips below (from my experiences, others may work well also) he caught his first one within 30 minutes of my field lesson 

1. Cast in skinny water up or down shore, keeping the frog in 1'-2' of water. Alternately cast directly onto the grassy, rocky, or sandy opposite bank. Let the frog plop into the shallow water and wait a bit. I've never had a SH take a lure in water deeper than ~3'.

2. Pull your frog with the rod tip up high, or if casting along the shore leave the rod tip away (not toward) from the cast (see #3). Retrieve speed medium to fast, alternate till you get one to take it.

3. When they take the frog, drop the tip down (or push it forward to slacken the line if casting along the shore) and let them have the frog for 2 to 5 seconds. This is VERY counter intuitive for a bass fisherman, it took me more than a few lost fish to get the hang of it. 

4. After waiting, set the hook as if you were caught on a log... REALLY HARD.

5. SH spook easily fishing from shore, it's uncanny. Unless they're in a hole, under some weeds or facing away from you they will be gone as soon as they see you. Coincidentally in an all electric tin boat, we have caught them in a ~15' wide canal directly abeam of our boat not 6 foot from us, go figure. 

6. Casting back to a bank area you recently walked past can yield some big fish. Just the other day I got a 5 pounder this way. 

7. A Boga grip from shore, or a net in a boat are absolutely necessary tools to have. When SH Are out of the water they go completely insaneo, and leaving them in the water for a net, or in 2" of water for a lip grip is going to get you more fish. Oh, I've used aluminum lip grips, SH tear them up doing their freak out dance once out of the water. The Boga will not be destroyed by a SH and they have a scale built into the handle, a big plus. I don't know about other stainless lip grips ability to hold a SH, but I'm sure some others do just as well.

8. All this is not effective at all with a light rod, A medium or medium heavy rod isn't much better. A heavy rod with decent braided line (I use black 20 pound, but I may move up to 30 soon) preferably with a heavy 40+ pound braid leader. See #3 above about rods for SH.

9. PS, I left one thing out, never EVER let even a hint of slack in the line. In the water or on shore they can and will find a way to spit the hook if you do. On shore without a hook or lip grip they thrash about violently trying to get back into the water when they do they're like trying to catch a running chicken, if you remember that scene from the movie Rocky  

Snakeheads will take wiggle baits, I've had them take one while fishing for LMB or Peacocks but for me it's rare. Any color frog (I use Ribbit types) will work but if something doesn't work, change colors. I'm finding that there's no "right" color for a SH frog, 

The reward for catching them are several: 

Thinning them to help out the local bass populations, and they are a fighting machine much like a saltwater game fish well worthy of targeting them, and they are delicious table fare if caught in clean water. The added bonus is if a larger bass is in the area, they will take your frog also.


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## LDUBS (Nov 28, 2018)

Thanks for putting this together and sharing. Even though I don't fish for snakeheads I enjoy these kinds of nuts & bolts discussions for just about any type of fishing. Now, if I find myself in snakehead territory, I'll have a decent idea what to do.


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## handyandy (Nov 29, 2018)

thanks a bunch my dad is just retiring this week actually will be living in florida full time pretty soon near fort meyers. When I go to visit him I will definitely be dragging my boat down there and may have to go in land to more fresh water to try my luck at them. All the videos I see of people catching them they look like a blast. The table fair is an added bonus, plus like you said never know when a nice LMB may decide to gulp your frog.


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## gnappi (Nov 30, 2018)

I'm not sure if SH have invaded that far west, I think not, but I almost never fish with anything but frogs. Summer, winter, clean or murky water EVERYTHING that swims will take a frog, even big peacocks!


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## handyandy (Dec 12, 2018)

gnappi said:


> I'm not sure if SH have invaded that far west, I think not, but I almost never fish with anything but frogs. Summer, winter, clean or murky water EVERYTHING that swims will take a frog, even big peacocks!



Don't know either, but figure the techniques could land me some nice bass, or whatever else is lurking there. I'll definitely be fishing the saltwater inter-coastal waters as well.


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## gnappi (Dec 12, 2018)

If there are Peacocks or cichlids out there they inhabit the shallowest warmest water typically less than two feet deep and only hit *after* the water warms up. If they're nesting cast past it a way and try pulling a wiggle lure past them, if that fails pull it right through the nest. They're protective of their territory and may take the lure out of being plumb ornery. 

Snakeheads also prefer warmer water so later in the day is also best for them, but I've gotten them at dawn targeting for bass too. 

I like to sleep in late so SH, cichlids and Peacocks fill the day up nicely.


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