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snakeheads spotted

17K views 98 replies 35 participants last post by  Dirtypenny725 
#1 ·
In the past 3 weeks I have seen 4 snakeheads in various parts of woodbury creek. All fish were between (est.) 15-24", and were were curious enough to get so close I could definately tell they were snakeheads. after speaking with a few other anglers and a landowner by the creek, I have heard that at least 3 were caught and killed prior to my sightings. I spent a lot of time carp fishing there last year and didn't see or hear of one...all of a sudden they are everywhere.. Its just amazing that in one season there are that many adults showing up..
 
#3 ·
the ones i saw were in the water, i did try to take a pic, but you really cant see anything. i did however try putting my camera up to my polarized sunglasses later when i saw a carp, and the pic did come out..so next time ill try that.I know what you are thinking, and they are def not bowfin, i have caught enough of them to tell the difference. they dont even look a like
 
#4 ·
I had my first snakehead outing a few dayys ago and came up empty over at FDR, where they've been for at least a few years now. Snakeheads over in Woodbury is a scary propostion...

Incidentally, is Woodbury Creek associated with Stewards Lake? The two might be one in the same, but I'm not too familiar with the area.
 
#6 ·
I had my first snakehead outing a few dayys ago and came up empty over at FDR, where they've been for at least a few years now. Snakeheads over in Woodbury is a scary propostion...

Incidentally, is Woodbury Creek associated with Stewards Lake? The two might be one in the same, but I'm not too familiar with the area.

how are the weed at fdr. i heard that they electro shock the snakeheads this year and took out alot of snakeheads.
 
#5 ·
Yes, woodbury creek flows past a dam at rt 45 by the hospital and then into broadstreet lake, then goes under a railroad bridge and becomes stewart lake. All the same water.....

I actually got a report from another guy who chunks for junkfish in the woodbury creek towards the west deptford side. He told me that he catches small bowfill pretty regularly (which kind of surprised me because I thought they were possible but rare in the area). He further told me that he has pulled in a few snakeheads and understands the difference in the anal fins.

I can't confirm his story but I'm going to head down there next weekend and find out whats going on. I will bring my camera and get some pics. To be honest I have fished the woodbury creek my whole life up to about 8 years ago and never saw a bowfin.
 
#7 ·
So then, is steward lake tidal water? Im having some trouble picturing where all of those landmarks are.

Also, weeds at FDR are not too bad as of the middle of last week. Havent been there since this heat wave hit, so it could be different now.

Yes, they have been removing some snakes via electro-fishing, but plenty of people are still throwing topwater frogs and rats down there...
 
#9 ·
So then, is steward lake tidal water? Im having some trouble picturing where all of those landmarks are.

Also, weeds at FDR are not too bad as of the middle of last week. Havent been there since this heat wave hit, so it could be different now.

Yes, they have been removing some snakes via electro-fishing, but plenty of people are still throwing topwater frogs and rats down there...
Stewarts Lake has a fish ladder down to the tidal Woodbury Creek but it's usually blocked up by trash until I go clean it out. :huh:
 
#8 ·
It really doesn't matter if the water is in the same tidal flow the SOB's can use fins to "WALK" and it can live out of the water...hence Fish and Game's want to bleed them not just let them alone out of the water and contact them.
In a few more season's SnakeHead will be a common fish in our waterways like it or not. Thats what happen's when you put something in our waterways that doesn't belong there.
Ask ANY Brit how the Gray Squrrell is working out for them in England just be ready to duck!:fighting:
 
#17 ·
I think what ryan was getting at is that all you're doing by killing them is just delaying the inevitable. They'll be a good fishery eventually, and I don't think they'll wipe out the bass. Maybe in small ponds but in a healthy lake they'll just find their niche and the ecosystem will adapt to them.

Just like it did when bass were introduced.
 
#18 ·
I think what ryan was getting at is that all you're doing by killing them is just delaying the inevitable. They'll be a good fishery eventually, and I don't think they'll wipe out the bass. Maybe in small ponds but in a healthy lake they'll just find their niche and the ecosystem will adapt to them.

Just like it did when bass were introduced.
Thank you, Clamboni. Not trying to start a debate just saying that I would like to catch a few. Everyone is very quick to judge on this forum. :thumbsdown: If they're in there, why not fish for them?? :nuts:
 
#19 ·
Yeah, I understand that but when you catch them KILL THEM!!! I'm pretty sure the people at fish and wildlife know what they are talking about. These fish are not Bass and will not coexist with the other populations of fish or find their "niche". They will multiply like gremlins and devour the food sources that our proper game fish need to survive. :naughty:
 
#20 ·
With no natural enemies in U.S. waters, the snakehead’s prolific breeding habits and hardy constitutions create a real potential for snakehead fish to multiply and destroy entire populations of fish and amphibians in the waters in which they are released. Many of these fish and amphibians are already on the endangered species list, and the snakeheads can only make things worse.
Consider this: At all stages of life, the northern snakehead competes with native fish and other aquatic wildlife for food. Native fish and wildlife populations, which already rely upon smaller fish, crustaceans, frogs, snakes, lizards and young waterfowl, will have to compete with these top-predators, and this could put them in great danger.
If snakeheads become established in a specific body of water, they can disrupt the ecosystem’s predator-prey balance. This can be catastrophic for native species.
Additionally, when a new species is introduced to an already established body of water, there is always the potential of the species bringing new diseases and parasites along with it. And, it does not appear that only large populations of snakeheads create environmental problems for American waterways. Even just one snakehead poses a threat because of its voracious feeding behavior.-------------CASE CLOSED!!!:naughty:
 
#21 · (Edited)
They had snakeheads on River monsters. The snakeheads in Florida were profiled. The game commission guy that was being interviewed said if you catch them keep them don't put them back in the water. Whether that is killing them or eating them don't put them back in.

also from http://www.fish.state.pa.us/water/fish/snakehead/000index.htm

IF YOU CATCH ONEAnglers catching snakeheads should dispose of them properly. Anglers suspecting they have caught a snakehead are encouraged to NOT release it, and report it to the Commission at 610-847-2442 or via email
 
#25 ·
Devils Advocate... Everyone here knows that FDR is connected to the Schuylkill, right? News flash: snakeheads are not going away!! What if Fish & Game cleaned up the lake and made FDR a "snakehead-friendly" destination fishery, not unlike what Lake Audrey has become with the smallies. I've never seen anything but dink bass in FDR anyway.
 
#28 ·
Have you ever seen a snakehead on land before? I don't know if I would call it "traveling." They "travel" in asia overland because they have monsoons and the whole continent is a big mud puddle for a couple months every year. They're not gonna walk across broad street dude.
 
#31 ·
I find the fact that people are arguing IN FAVOR of snakehead conservation really laughable.:huh: These things have the potential to really screw up the fisheries in our area. Is the risk to every fish that we catch in our local waters worth it just to catch a novelty? I for one would rather keep our striper, smallmouth, largemouth populations they way they are.
 
#32 ·
Thanks Big T, laughable is an understatement though! This guy is prob a bait fisherman and doesn't catch Bass therefore doesn't respect the fact that it's a game fish or the sporting quality of fishing for one. Really sounds like a clown and everyone knows what happens to clowns around here...................:razz::cool:
 
#33 ·
didn't mean to start the next debate, but i was just shocked to see multiple adult snakeheads in my local fishing spot. guess i knew it was only a matter of time, but it seems like in just one season i went from seeing none or even thinking they made it there yet, to actually knowing they are def in there. one of the larger ones i saw was doing some relentless crashing on schooled up sunnies along the bank. he must have came in on them about 5-6 times per hour while i was carp fishing.
 
#36 ·
I've heard they're a delicacy in some places. Good luck with that.


The Potomac has a crazy population of snakeheads yet it's still one of the premier fisheries on the east coast. There's tons and tons of food for them to eat out there and plenty of places for bass to hide.

I'd still like to see some pics. :yahooo:It's not an impossibility but it is a major speculation to say "I saw snakeheads! I didn't catch it or take a picture." Get some pics so we know what we're facing. :huh:
 
#38 ·
I think they're established already where they are and aren't going away though. I wouldn't like to see them move to new waters, and I don't think the walking thing has any merit. I think that video looked like the fish was on a sloped surface. And it was BARELY making any headway even then. They tell you the results of all the studies, but they don't give you the details of the studies. There ARE predators that will eat them. Plenty of them. All of the birds that eat fish, as well as other fish won't hesitate to take one. Kill them if you want, release them if you want IMO. I just really have the OPINION that you're not going to put a dent in the populations. Plus, do you honestly believe that if any fish was capable of eating everything in a pond, that largemouth wouldn't have already done so? There's no factual evidence that snakeheads are any more voracious than bass. It's well-known that they're well established in the Potomac, and it's still a phenominal bass fishery.

You guys all do know that most of the freshwater fish we fish for aren't native right?

Some questions for you.

How do you know they have no predators?

How do you know they will destroy any fishery they enter?

How do you know they won't fit into a niche?

How do you know they can travel any legitimate distance over land?

It's all from a couple biased videos, and from info that's been on different states' websites from years ago, when they were panicking and didn't know how bad it was at the time, so they put out the word to kill them all.......which is just not going to have an effect.

If you really want to form an educated opinion, stop buying into the proaganda and do some research on your own.

Here's some stuff just to show you that.......ready for this?...........you might just be wrong about the fish, and wrong about calling someone an idiot for choosing to release them.

http://fishing.about.com/od/fishfacts/a/aasnakeheadpr.htm

Here's one from a guy that's actually out there studying them.......imagine that.
http://www.fishwild.vt.edu/snakeheads/Facts.html
 
#39 · (Edited)
:thumbsup::thumbsup: Good stuff right here. And billy I appreciate your enthusiasm on this subject but please think twice about calling me out for not being aware of what a game fish is or what it means to be sporting. If you choose to throw senkos at 12 inch bass all day that is your choice. I personally like to catch big fish, whether that means using bait, plugs, jigs whatever. :wave:
 
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