![]() ![]() Catching snakeheads on topwater lures is particularly popular, since the angler gets to see spectacular explosions. In warming conditions and especially during the summer, most snakehead anglers use lures. Photo courtesy of Caz Kenny Best Snakehead Fishing Lures Topwater frogs are a common lure pick for snakehead anglers. Conversely, a cold snap can weaken the bite on lures while live bait anglers suddenly do better. But this can vary quite a bit with weather patterns, and a sudden warm-up in the spring or fall can create great conditions for lure fishing when live bait worked best just days before. As a general rule of thumb lures tend to be more effective during the warmer months of the year and bait works best during the cooler months of the year. Snakeheads can be caught on both lures and live bait. Think of fishing for them like fishing for bass, but bigger, meaner, and more likely to swim into snags when hooked up. Snakeheads are big, ugly, and vicious, and often are hooked near heavy cover, so heavy line on a heavy rod with a stiff tip is in order. If you're looking to hunt snakeheads in Maryland, check out our article Destination: Snakeheads. In fact, in some places they can be caught from roadside ditches and canals. They thrive in shallow waters, especially those with extremely thick vegetation and in low-oxygen areas where other predator fish usually don’t do well. Today, they’re found in various waterways throughout the area including both fresh and brackish water. Northern snakeheads can now be found in 14 states, including Maryland, Virginia, and Delaware. ![]() But in 2004 they were found in the Potomac River near Washington, DC. In 2002, snakeheads were first identified in a pond in Crofton, MD, where they were soon dealt with by poisoning the water to prevent their spread. It beats Cox’s larger fish as the world record because the IGFA does not recognize records for fish shot with a bow and arrow. In May of 2018 Emanuel Tankersley caught a 19 pound, five ounce snakehead in Potomac Creek. Interestingly, however, the IGFA world record all tackle snakehead was caught in Virginia waters. Virginia doesn’t keep records for the northern snakehead. In Mattawoman creek off the Potomac River, his fish hit 19.9 pounds and was over 35 inches in length. On May 24, 2018, the Maryland record for snakehead was broken by bow fisherman Andy Cox. ![]() It tipped the scales at 12 pound, 12 ounces. The Delaware record snakehead was caught by Bobby Smith in 2017 in the Nanticoke River. Fish & Wildlife Service Record Northern Snakeheads This species of fish looks somewhat similar. Snakeheads are distinctive and easily identified, except for in areas where native bowfin are present. More Information on identifying Snakeheads can be found here in Snakehead Identification.
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