Snake Head Fish

[Wallmaster]

Did anybody see or hear about the new demon fish that has been introduced to one of our southern rivers now? It looks like a snake with lots of teeth, almost like a Vicious Eelpout. I can't remember the name for sure but I saw a segment on it on one of the T.V. channels the other day. They said some guy said he was responsible for introducing them because he was doing an asian ritual, something having to do with his girlfriend and by letting two of them go alive in a pond that had a creek and they got out into the river. I hope these fish do not get into any of our lakes or rivers up here, oh the jumping Carp they are heading are way too. I think we are in for some real big changes if we cannot get a handle on these fish. I can't remember how much damage this snake fish can do, can anybody enlighten a little bit?

[Carp-fisher]

I think the fish you are refering to is known as the snakehead fish. Fortunately for us, this species requires a very warm climate to survive. I've read that they are somewhat of a problem in the southern states...

[Wallmaster]

"Yes" that's the name, I couldn't remember it. Man those things were nasty looking and they got incredibly large, I never seen so many teeth.

Thanks!

[icefishing21#2]

i just looked at a picture of one on google those things are ugly looking. hopfully they dont survive in the river

[Wallmaster]

Carp-fisher I think they could still make it into our river system up here and survive. They could migrate during the summer and stay at one of the many power plant locations during the winter where their is always an abundance of warm water to be had.

[walleyefisher0990]

We had someone do a report on them for our college NR class. He was saying that they can survive under ice just like other fish, also how they are a super predator and wipe out existing fish populations.

[CrappieFshr651]

Those asian carp are bad news. Check out this video from the illinois river which isnt too far south

[Will]

i saw a special about the northern snakehead on nat geo. scientists did several experiments on them. they can escape almost any enclosure, travel across land, breath out of water and survive cold temps. they are an extremely tough and adaptable fish. they have insatiable appetites and are prolific breeders. there is a large population that has made it up in to the potomac river. there is a large 'black market' for live ones to be smuggled into the u.s. from asia, apparently as pets and a food source for certain ethnic groups.

[slipperybob]

The question is, does a snakehead eat another snakehead? Maybe this fish is more tasty than a chicken? LOL's

maybe they'll eat all of the potatoe chips and then we'll get nothing but slabs...

I once believed that gobies would destroy all the fishes in the great lakes. Now it's part of the ecosystem.

I once believed that muskies would eat all of the fishes in a lake. Now it's part of the ecosystem.

What about those pet fishes dumped in the Mississippi? Pacu's?

[Wallmaster]

"Oh" and what about a Piranha once in a while from a neighborhood fish tank.! Don't those Pacu's get pretty big too?

[slipperybob]

Who knows if Pacu's are food fish.

The snakehead, while an invasive exotic, is a food fish. Maybe it'll eventually be pursued in the same likeness of a other non-native food fish, like trout. If the fish is as aggressive as media hyped, then it would be the easiest fish to catch on artificial lures, bonus for catching the fish on land with no tackle. LOL's

On another note: Asain ring-neck pheasants are now just pheasants and Eastern wild turkeys are now just wild turkeys. Totally different, but at one time the pheasants were going to destroy one farming town, until somebody decided to change view and profited that town into pheasant hunting business. I think that was in South Dakota.

[Will]

are you suggesting that it's ok for exotics to enter our eco - system as long as some of them become beneficial? don't forget spiny water fleas, lampreys, grass and jumping carp etc. these un-welcomed guests compete for habitat with native species.

[JBMasterAngler]

Anyone ever wonder why it's always "nuisance" exotic species that escape into our water systems? You never hear of an accidental dumping of salmon or striped bass into our systems...it's zebra mussels, or bighead carp, or now snakehead fish!

[Wallmaster]

I'v been waiting to catch one of those Alligator-gar fish up by the powerplant on the Mississippi-not! You would think some of those fish from the Gulf would adapt and swim up stream and freak us out!

[znistler]

[JBMasterAngler]

Looks like a tropical dogfish!

[FishinJegs]

One of these fish was caught on by the Wisconsin DNR in 2003 while doing a fisheries survey on the Rock River (Southern Wis) next to the power plant in the warm water discharge. The crew let the fish go because they thought it was a dogfish (bowfin) but later had it identified as a snakehead. So yes they could survive up here but they probably would not flourish like they do in warmer waters

[joeyquicksand*]

I've read reports that there are sport fishermen in china that fish snakehead like people here fish bass. I have also heard they put up a good fight. I doubt they will be as annoying as those videos of the jumping carp, but man are they some mean lookin' fish.

I took this from http://freshaquarium.about.com/od/fishqa/f/snakeheads.htm

About Snakeheads

There are roughly two dozen species in the snakehead family. With the exception of a few African species, all of them originate in Asia, primarily in China and southern Korea. Snakeheads are obligate air-breathers, meaning they must get at least a portion of their oxygen directly from the air. When in water, they will go to the surface periodically and gulp air. On land their ability to breath air allows them to stay alive for days at a time, provided they stay moist.

Their preferred habit is shallow ponds and streams where the water is still, and the bottoms muddy with dense vegetation. Their diet is predominantly fish, however they will eat insects, crustaceans, worms, tadpoles, frogs, and even snakes. They reach adulthood in two to three years, at which time they range in size from one foot to nearly three feet in length. Females will produce anywhere from one to fifteen thousand eggs per spawn, and can spawn up to five times per year. That might sound like a lot of offspring however it's not unusual for the parents to eat their own young. By virtue of sheer numbers, at least a few will survive to adulthood.

Food Fish

Snakeheads have long been relished as a food fish due to their pleasing flavor, lack of bones, and the fact that they can be shipped live. They are the primary fish food in Thailand, Indochina and Malaysia. Snakeheads also make a particularly savory soup. In addition to their food value, a small contingent of freshwater fish enthusiasts have kept them in aquariums. Most have been quite responsible owners. However, due to the recent events in Maryland, a ban will very likely be placed on the trade and import of snakeheads.

[PikeTipper]

Introducing exotics is never a good idea, I think others are just pointing out the bright side to a bad situation.

Anyone ever see that Simpsons episode where people were getting eaten by Lions all around town? The idea was the same as introducing those Asian Beetles to help control aphids. Now we have too many Asian beetles so in the episode they kept introducing larger predators to deal with the problem until they ended up with Lions running around.

[fishcast]

From what I have heard about snakeheads, they are one of the last fish we want in our waters. If I remember correctly they are such a problem down south that BPS was giving out gift certificates to there store if you brought dead ones in. I think it has to do with them out competing native fish. I also have heard about the snakehead caught on Rock River in Wi too, but I think that has been the only one.

[tisosy11]

man o man that would be an interesting catch.

[Wallmaster]

That is some great feed back people! I hope I and or we never have a run in with any of these fish, although I wouldn't mind having business using a couple of boats with a cage around the front and sides of it and a bench seat in the back with a couple guys with shotguns shooting jumping carp using steel shot of course, now that could be a new sport and you could get rid of them at the same time. It would be an awful lot of chum in the rivers. It sounds kind of crazy but did cross my mind.

[joeyquicksand*]

so, then if rumor is correct, we might be in for a hard-fighting, mean, yet colorful, good tasting, large growing, strong, and built to survive, easy reviving for the picture, predatory, invasive fish? Horrible for the ecosystem, but great for my fishing addiction, eh?!

[Will]

i know guys in iowa/illinois that do just that! the difference is that they use bows and arrows. two guys sit in the front of the boat, one guy drives the boat slowly. as the fish jump out in front they take a shot at 'em. no cages though, they get nailed by them often. what a blast and good practice too.

[CrappieFshr651]

Here's a link to a video of carp archery, haha redneck i love it

[slipperybob]

I'm not suggesting anyone to go change the ecosystem on their own. All the bad rep of the snakehead is made by people who choose to point out only the negative impact what we label media hype.

I'm merely pointing out that it would make more dollars and sense that if a food fish has escaped into the wild, it may have a lot of potential for business. Instead of looking at it like an exotic invasive nuisance it could be a thriving business game fish. Most people don't complain about stocking of non-native game fish - that's business.

The ability of the fish to survive in low oxygen water has potential of making such waters into a fishery rather than just dead water. It could simply be a farmfish like trout or catfish. There are genetically breed trout and bass that can pose more threat by causing sterility or short life because they're were bred for sterility or for the purpose of trophy size production.

[walleyefisher0990]

slipperybob, the problem with the snakehead is that it being a top predator it can wipe out native fish populations. also it has the ability to survive for days at a time out of water, it is even believed to be a walking fish. so it would be very hard to keep this fish confined to a farm pond or other "dead" water.

[tisosy11]

That video is something else...my buddy shoots carp around here off the top of the water...we don't have jumpers...

[CrappieFshr651]

That would be crazy, gotta watch out for some of the jumpers a couple of the guys got hit by flying fish hahah

[slipperybob]

 Originally Posted By: walleyefisher0990

slipperybob, the problem with the snakehead is that it being a top predator it can wipe out native fish populations. also it has the ability to survive for days at a time out of water, it is even believed to be a walking fish. so it would be very hard to keep this fish confined to a farm pond or other "dead" water.

That can be said of a musky, laker, or pike too as problem predators. In Cali some pike or musky were introduced into a trout fishery resevior and now they're are an abundance of trophy size. It is percieved as a problem because it's a trout market/business.

If the perception of how proliferic this snakehead fish is, then it should've overrun and rule all waters and probably eat itself to extinction. Maybe we need something to eat all those roughfish/sportfish carp free roaming and destroying vegetation and mucking up our fishery lakes. Maybe we need something to eat all those potatoe chip pannies. Maybe we need a top predator that's easy to catch, puts up a great fight, and has excellent table fare.

Maybe I just want to catch one of them and try it battered deep fried? LOL's