Reel Repair by Alan Tani

Welcome! => Beginner's Board => Topic started by: quang tran on November 12, 2024, 12:56:58 AM

Title: Snake head fishing
Post by: quang tran on November 12, 2024, 12:56:58 AM
Any member here fishing for snakehead in Florida ?Any caught in Tampa area and what month is best for them ?
Title: Re: Snake head fishing
Post by: nelz on November 12, 2024, 04:35:36 PM
I'm in SE FL but I've read that snakeheads can be found around Tampa too.

Take a look at my post here:

https://alantani.com/index.php/topic,36709.0.html
Title: Re: Snake head fishing
Post by: JasonGotaProblem on November 12, 2024, 04:45:13 PM
Talked to a buddy who is a lot more active in fresh water than myself. Says they're around, he's seen a few, but hasn't landed any.

I'm sure that's super helpful.
Title: Re: Snake head fishing
Post by: quang tran on November 12, 2024, 05:28:39 PM
I only catch a few small fish when I was very young in my country .Often go with some big guy just to see they are catching these huge snake head . The snakehead in Florida from Nelz's picture is different than Northern snakehead found in Maryland they prefer deeper water ,fight harder and normal take big bait .
Back in 2004=2005 when all the news that snakehead invaded US water and these fish will eat all US natural  fish and they can travel on land ....that are not true .To me they are good fish ,willing to take lures ,take good care of there young and good taste .Compare the damage that snakehead do to the carp I think carp do much more damage and 1 of our president bring them here .
I will be in Tampa area for Christmas hope to catch one but seem not much change .
When you see young snakehead swim around, a bunch of small red minnow then big snake head surely there
Title: Re: Snake head fishing
Post by: nelz on November 13, 2024, 01:30:29 AM
Yes, I've seen them nursing a big ball of babies.

Btw, I had a very knowlegeable fisherman tell me that snakeheads do not normally prey on small fish, but prefer frogs and other small critters in the shallows.
Title: Re: Snake head fishing
Post by: quang tran on November 13, 2024, 01:46:58 AM
Yes, in my country they use baby duck for bait .They hook it up some how I don't remember but no ham for the duck
Title: Re: Snake head fishing
Post by: nelz on November 13, 2024, 01:54:31 AM
Quote from: quang tran on November 13, 2024, 01:46:58 AMThey hook it up some how I don't remember but no ham for the duck

Umm... until a big nasty fish eats him! :o
Title: Re: Snake head fishing
Post by: nelz on November 13, 2024, 01:56:16 AM
Btw, what country are you from?
Title: Re: Snake head fishing
Post by: quang tran on November 13, 2024, 02:34:38 AM
I'm from Vietnam ,that time I was a little boy and about 55 years ago so I don't remember but no ham to the duck and can use it to fish several time
Title: Re: Snake head fishing
Post by: nelz on November 13, 2024, 03:18:54 AM
Ok, I asked because they have some monsters in Thailand and Malaysia.
Title: Re: Snake head fishing
Post by: quang tran on November 13, 2024, 03:28:49 AM
We soon have better fish here and I'm not going back there
Title: Re: Snake head fishing
Post by: oc1 on November 13, 2024, 04:25:37 AM
A friend of mine used to raise snakehead in ponds in Hawaii.  He said they are easy to grow, but he could never get the authorities approve of it so the project died.

I agree strongly with the comparison to carp.  Common carp have been doing their damage for over a century now.  It's been so long that nobody remembers what things were like in the pre-carp days.
Title: Re: Snake head fishing
Post by: MarkT on November 13, 2024, 04:55:14 AM
Carp are crap by those who can't spell!
Title: Re: Snake head fishing
Post by: Patudo on November 13, 2024, 03:59:49 PM
Large snakehead, like the giant snakehead prized as an angling fish in South East Asia (NB. that one pictured in the link above looks like a different species, but is pretty decently sized!) often prey on carp.  They have sharp cutting teeth and can kill quite large prey with a cutting bite similar to a (small) shark or bluefish. Carp don't have many natural predators in many areas they've been introduced to, but snakeheads definitely are one. 

They are very cool game fish IMO - very oriented to surface disturbance (not really a surprise as they take a lot of frogs in the wild), good fighters, and as the link above notes, can require real watercraft to hook.  And they're tasty.    Not saying they should be introduced, in the US or elsewhere (though Florida is so full of exotics already that one more probably doesn't matter) - but they are interesting critters, both as fish and as gamefish. 
Title: Re: Snake head fishing
Post by: quang tran on November 13, 2024, 07:17:16 PM
I totally agree with you Patudo
Title: Re: Snake head fishing
Post by: seegran on November 29, 2024, 01:58:59 PM
Quote from: nelz on November 13, 2024, 03:18:54 AMOk, I asked because they have some monsters in Thailand and Malaysia.
I am from Malaysia. The giant snakehead are different from snakehead.
Quote from: Patudo on November 13, 2024, 03:59:49 PMLarge snakehead, like the giant snakehead prized as an angling fish in South East Asia (NB. that one pictured in the link above looks like a different species, but is pretty decently sized!) often prey on carp.  They have sharp cutting teeth and can kill quite large prey with a cutting bite similar to a (small) shark or bluefish. Carp don't have many natural predators in many areas they've been introduced to, but snakeheads definitely are one. 

They are very cool game fish IMO - very oriented to surface disturbance (not really a surprise as they take a lot of frogs in the wild), good fighters, and as the link above notes, can require real watercraft to hook.  And they're tasty.    Not saying they should be introduced, in the US or elsewhere (though Florida is so full of exotics already that one more probably doesn't matter) - but they are interesting critters, both as fish and as gamefish. 
Good game fish. 20191103_111744.jpg
Title: Re: Snake head fishing
Post by: Keta on November 29, 2024, 02:26:57 PM
Nice!
Title: Re: Snake head fishing
Post by: nelz on November 30, 2024, 12:54:23 AM
Quote from: seegran on November 29, 2024, 01:58:59 PMI am from Malaysia. The giant snakehead are different from snakehead.

Wow, nice fish.  :d  Those giant snakeheads are beautiful, the iridescent rainbow colors are amazing.
Title: Re: Snake head fishing
Post by: oc1 on November 30, 2024, 05:21:04 AM
Good one, and that looks like an interesting place to fish too.
Title: Re: Snake head fishing
Post by: seegran on December 13, 2024, 04:14:06 PM
Quote from: nelz on November 30, 2024, 12:54:23 AM
Quote from: seegran on November 29, 2024, 01:58:59 PMI am from Malaysia. The giant snakehead are different from snakehead.

Wow, nice fish.  :d  Those giant snakeheads are beautiful, the iridescent rainbow colors are amazing.
:d Thanks