Fly Fishing

chefboyardee · Posted: Tue 12/21/10 10:28 pm Post subject: Snakehead On The Fly?

ok this is a bit of of weird subjec,t but recently watched a show on these foriegn invaders and highly aggressive fish. I'm off to florida in febuary and know that there is a resident population that are growing. here is my questions?

Has ne one ever caught one on the fly?

Can you give me some direction to areas in florida?

and fly reccomandations ...im thinking poppers seemingly they like live moving prey?

the show i watched on them showed evertything ion the water shed in there stomachs

just thought it would be an interesting quarr and a new life list fish

thanks in advance

reeladdicted · Location: Port Charlotte, FL

I have never caught one on fly but almost any fresh water spots have them in Florida now(unfortunately). Ask around am I'm sure you can find a spot But they are very aggressive, they will attack almost anything that comes within strike zone. I don't know what flies would be best, I would assume poppers would be nice also but who knows. Throw some thing random an see what ya get. Good luck! Oh an makes sure to take pliers, they will bite fingers.

chefboyardee · Posted: Tue 12/28/10 7:37 pm Post subject:

thansk for the info, i know the reality of the snake head is really evasive and destructive species but thought well its there to stay may aswell check them out on the fly rod .....

reeladdicted · Location: Port Charlotte, FL

Oh yea don't get me wrong, living in Florida we all see them as a nuisance, but they are fun to catch their vicious on fly I'd assume, some of them can fight hard like reds but with out the real long runs. An they don't give up easy. They're a ball on spinning so fly will probably be double the fun. Have a great time, best of luck to ya, an stay safe.

Pete · Location: New York, NY

I used to try for them on trips down to Florida because they are in the peacock bass and largemouth waters I like to fish.

They can be pretty tough to get on fly at times because they live in cover right up against the banks and can feel your footsteps on shore and don't like it.

I had luck with some flies that push water like dahlberg divers or some sort of rabbit strip streamer, and also bendbacks and weedless flies you can fish right up against the shoreline. Clousers and half and halfs, too. Guys better than me at it said they get them on foam bass poppers but I never did.

Making long casts along both sides of the canal banks worked best for me.

I'm pretty sure once you catch one you're not supposed to release it back into the wild. A lot of people just throw them on the banks. So if you walk walk along a canal and see a couple of dead snakeheads, that's a good place to start.

Jayhawknavy02 · Posted: Sat 01/01/11 3:46 am Post subject:

Probably not a good idea, Snakehead under the right conditions (lots of rain/moisture) can survive longer out of water than normal fish; because they can use atmospheric oxygen and they tend to move like eels over land, assuming all the conditions are right. This may be an opportunity to actually spread an invasive species in some cases.

If it was me, and I was going to throw it on the bank, I'd make sure it's missing a head I did it.

chefboyardee · Posted: Sat 01/01/11 6:57 am Post subject:

i find it funny in this discussion that killing theese fish is a must in florida and i understand that. as in the great lakes the goby and another small species that eludes my mind right now . as you can see by the name there is a culinary side to this fly fisherman and from asian freinds i have talked to and the reason i started this post from watching a tv programme on the snake head i hear theese fish are very good eating. this would be my other option than banking the fish. and i would make sure its missing its head in the car wouldnt want it to be like the deer in planes trains and automobiles and have it pop up live in the back seat lol .

Pete · Location: New York, NY

Some more FL snakehead information:

http://www.myfwc.com/docs/WildlifeHabitats/Nonnative_FW_Snakehead.pdf

chefboyardee · Posted: Sat 01/08/11 10:13 pm Post subject:

thanks pete awsome paper and looking forward to hooking one if the gods are with me