snakehead fish?

[09zkrankin]

anybody live or boat in an area where these are a problem? ive been told they are in my state and am a little worried. they see very aggresive from what I read. do they attack swimmers and such or as long as you stay away from the nest your fine? anybody who has any exp please let me know

[rbh]

Were do you live??


We have found them in BC Canada because some one that owned an aquarium throw them out and they ended up in the Fraser River.



IDJITS!!!

[jigngrub]

They are aggressive, but not to the point of attacking people... unless you're dangling your toes in the water from a dock or something like that where they think it's something to eat.

They are fun to catch with explosive strikes like Bass fishing.

They're good to eat with snow white flesh.

They're not the monsters the media makes them out to be.

[09zkrankin]

I live in eastern ky. the reason I ask is because we do a lot of tubing and swimming while we are out boating in the summer and I would hate to have one grab ahold of me while I was swimming

[jigngrub]

They're no more dangerous than a Northern Pike or a Musky.

[coolbri70]

they are in the potomac where i boat, i havn't seen one, i read somewhere, they are good to eat and are to be added to the menu at resturaunts, and open season with no limits, to let us fish them to extinction here

[09zkrankin]

ok, thats good to know.

id like ti know why my thread was moved to the freshwater fishing section when it doesnt have a damn thing to do with freshwater fishing? its a matter of safety while boating in general and nothing to do with fishing. mods?

[jigngrub]

ok, thats good to know.

id like ti know why my thread was moved to the freshwater fishing section when it doesnt have a damn thing to do with freshwater fishing? its a matter of safety while boating in general and nothing to do with fishing. mods?

Your post was moved here because humans are at the top of the food chain and the fish need to be scared of us and not the other way around.

You should PM a moderator if you have a question about what they do instead of posting it in public as per forum rule #9:

9. If you have questions, concerns, suggestions or complaints about the rules, moderation, or management of this site please contact a moderator via PM or iboats management for discussion. It is forbidden to debate these rules or their enforcement in the forum.

[dingbat]

Your post was moved here because humans are at the top of the food chain and the fish need to be scared of us and not the other way around.

I can tell you're a fish water guy. A human isn't anywhere close to the top of the food chain in the salt. Anyone in saltwater is bait.

[jigngrub]

I can tell you're a fish water guy. A human isn't anywhere close to the top of the food chain in the salt. Anyone in saltwater is bait.

So I'm going to be mauled by a Stripe-ah if I fall in the ocean???

In case you haven't realized it, man is at the top of the food chain because he has the intelligence and ability to create and use weapons. In the ocean is no different than on dry land.

FreediveList FAQ

Sharks are crab bait when you have a bang stick.

[dingbat]

So I'm going to be mauled by a Stripe-ah if I fall in the ocean???

In case you haven't realized it, man is at the top of the food chain because he has the intelligence and ability to create and use weapons. In the ocean is no different than on dry land.

Ask Steve Irwin and the 500+ men of the USS Indiana that where killed by sharks how that bang stick worked for him.

[jigngrub]

The men on the USS Indianapolis didn't have bang sticks because they weren't even invented until the 1950's and the US government didn't even start using them until 1958 (read the article I posted a link to in post #10) and Steve wasn't killed by a shark... he was flirting with disaster seeing how close he could swim up to giant sting rays. If a ray can puncture your heart with it's tail spine, you're too close. Had Irwin had a bang stick and was pooping those rays instead of seeing how close he could swim up to them he'd be here today.

[NYBo]

Crikey!

[gpfishingdude]

I guess some states have bounties on the snakeheads because they destroy all of the other fish and aquatic life. They have teeth and are vicious predators and can crawl across land so they will probably be in most of the fresh water in the U.S. if not destroyed quickly and efficiently. Kind of odd how the most destructive things available from all of the foreign countries seem to find their way over here.

[mpsyamaha]

Im pretty sure there is no actual proof of anyone ever being attacked by a snakehead in the USA. They are much more of a danger to our native fish species than anything else. Like stated before you are just as likely to be bitten by a native pike species, or maybe even a mudfish (bowfin), but even that is a stretch. Being hit by lightning would be a better bet. Not to mention, from what I know about them, the snakeheads are only locally common in various spots around the eastern part of the country. Just because they are in your state dont assume every pond is overflowing with them.

[jigngrub]

I guess some states have bounties on the snakeheads because they destroy all of the other fish and aquatic life. They have teeth and are vicious predators and can crawl across land so they will probably be in most of the fresh water in the U.S. if not destroyed quickly and efficiently.

I remember reading about the walking albino catfish back in the 60's when they escaped down in Florida and how they were going to devastate the freshwater fisheries and take over down there and put an end to all other aquatic species because they could move across dry land by themselves... but it never happened.

Nature has a way of taking care of these things and invasives always seem to just carve out a little niche for themselves in the eco system and their own spot somewhere in the food chain.

Let's not forget that the common carp is an invasive species and has been in North America for over 150 yrs..

The worst invasive species I know of is the Sea Lamprey in the great lakes, they have no value as a food fish and are parasitic to game fish such as salmon and lake trout. Even the jumping asian carp that people are screaming nowadays have value as a food fish... but not the Sea Lamprey.

[coolbri70]

i hear they are good eating soon as i catch one guess i will find out. anyone know the prefered way of cooking/serving?

[MACH1SCJ]

I cought around 50 lbs of snakehead last spring. I dont care for fried foods, I like my fish grilled or slab the butter & spices on wrap in aluminum foil & sit it on the grill for 15 to 30 min (depending on the size). Very white chicken like meat, I look foward to more as soon as the weather warms up some.
The biggest I've cought so far was 12lbs. According to the VDGIF guy there electo sampling last year indicuated that the population looked like it had stablized & that there was no decline of other native fish.

They do look something like a zombie with them mangled teeth they have.

[kfa4303]

They're all over the place in S.FL too. We've been mostly spared up here in N.FL as far as I know. I believe there is an unlimited season and limit here in FL and people specifically target them with top water plugs and/or bow fishing in the canals. As Mach said, they're apparently great eating (I'm veggie these days myself), but they do compete with native wildlife. Thankfully, there are lots of water and other critters that can bite back here in FL, but other states aren't as lucky :/

[LongLine]

The worst invasive species I know of is the Sea Lamprey in the great lakes, they have no value as a food fish

The queen likes Lamprey Pie! Actually the mussles are much worse as to water impact.

BTW nature is doing a fantastic job on the asian carp.

Tom B.
(LongLine)

[greenbush future]

I wouldn't be skinny dipping (male) in these waters knowing snake-heads are around. And I musky fish every year, pike too. The Great Lakes have over 30 invasive species in them, and they are forever changed, and none of it's good. It's cost millions and millions of tax payer $$ every year. Mother nature is strong, but being the top of the food chain should teach us a lesson too.

[Fishin Magician]

[QUOTE=greenbush future;4124846]I wouldn't be skinny dipping (male) in these waters knowing snake-heads are around. And I musky fish every year, pike too. The Great Lakes have over 30 invasive species in them, and they are forever changed, and none of it's good. It's cost millions and millions of tax payer $$ every year. Mother nature is strong, but being the top of the food chain should teach us a lesson too.[/QUOTE

New York has a snakehead alert. Northern snakehead and other snakehead species are listed as a species dangerous to native fish populations in New York and their Possession or sale is strictly prohibited.. They do not want you to release it or eat it they want you to kill it freeze it and report it....

[IraRat]

ok, thats good to know.

id like ti know why my thread was moved to the freshwater fishing section when it doesnt have a damn thing to do with freshwater fishing? its a matter of safety while boating in general and nothing to do with fishing. mods?

Snakeheads are all over the place here in South Florida--in fresh water.

[91 Sprint]

Snakeheads are very aggressive when they have young, and have been known to attack anything that comes close to the wee ones! Nasty fish. they can live out of water for days long enough to move from hole to hole killem if ya catch them and contact your Game and fishery. They will wipe out a fish population.

[ryanskeeter]

okay i live in south carolina and yes they are here and before anyone says they arent that bad go onto youtube and search for snakehead feeding they kill fish even when they arent hungry. i caught one about 6 or 7 years ago and didnt know that the DNR here was giving people 500$ if you caught one here to find out if they were here but yes very aggresive and very strong fighting fish and yes i did kill it cut its head off to get my spinnerbait back and keep all my fingers