We at Snakehead Fishing Club love fishing and our primary target is (quite obviously) the infamous Snakehead. Regarded as the villian of freshwater fish for their scary appearance, bad press and aggressive personalities, these fish make for a formidable fishing target.
Since Fishing for Snakeheads is at the core of our very existence we thought we’d make an attempt at the ultimate Snakehead guide to help newbies or experienced anglers out there either get their first Snakehead or make an attempt at a new PB.
We hope you find this resource useful and if you think we should add something to it be sure to add to the comments and we’ll ensure this post is continually updated.
*Click the contents below to automatically visit the section of the blog you'd like to read*
Species
For the purpose of this article we’re going to refer to Snakeheads as a species and not it’s individual varieties. The 4 main Snakehead species targeted by fishermen are the following: Northern Snakehead, Giant Snakehead, Bullseye Snakehead and Striped Snakehead.
Giant Snakehead Fish (Toman)
The Giant Snakehead is the primary lure targeted freshwater fish of South East Asia. They are a popular catch in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and the Philippines. Giant Snakehead (the biggest of the species) have been known to reach sizes exceeding 10kg (22lbs) and are a challenging catch for any angler.
They are voracious predators with aggressive personalities and have been known to leave their prey in half if they were unlucky enough to cross the path of a parent snakehead in a bad mood. They are incredibly exciting to target on topwater lures and will do whatever it takes to shake a lure lodged in their mouth even when they’ve been landed.
There have been isolated reports of Giant Snakeheads caught in the U.S. and other countries which are most likely the result of the exotic aquarium trade, however they will not survive in cold weather and have not established any known breeding populations outside of their native waters.
Northern Snakehead Fish
Northern Snakehead are native to Russia and China but since 2002 they can now be caught in several Eastern states of the U.S.A that stem from the Potomac River system. Although viewed as highly invasive, fishing for them is growing in popularity and we at Snakehead Fishing Club believe they will steadily establish breeding populations in more waterways across the U.S. increasing their viability as a recreationally targeted species.
They are popular among lure anglers in the States of Maryland, Virginia and Delaware. States like Arkansas and Mississippi are steadily seeing numbers of Northern Snakeheads steadily rise too.
Northern Snakehead are aggressive ambush predators and from the moment they’ve been hooked until they’re either dispatched or released will do whatever they can to avoid an angler's grasp.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CLAjevireel/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Striped Snakehead Fish (Haruan)
Striped Snakehead are a heavily farmed fish species in South East Asia where they are a favored table fish, they are also a hardy species capable of surviving in polluted water conditions. You’ll often see people along the sides of the road in cities like Bangkok fishing for Striped Snakehead in the canals which is testament to their ability to survive the harshest of water conditions.
Bullseye Snakehead Fish
Bullseye Snakehead, also native to SouthEast Asia but now a popular catch in the Florida canals of the U.S., are probably the second largest Snakehead within the species but possibly the most elusive. Also a likely result of a released aquarium fish establishing outside of their home range, this variety can only survive in warm tropical climates which accounts for it’s isolated presence in Florida.
General Characteristics of Snakehead Fish
Snakeheads are a predatory species that feed predominantly on small animals such as fish, frogs, crabs, snails and the like. They tend to prefer heavily structured areas where they sit and wait for prey to come into close proximity from where they can launch an attack.
Snakeheads have adapted to survive some harsh environments from the coldest Winters, the hottest of Summers and some very uninhabitable waterways. These adaptations have made them the subject of several fictional accounts which have painted them as the “Frankenfish”: a fish capable of crawling on land that, breathes oxygen and eats children.
While there is a tiny ounce of truth to these, their reputation has been heavily overdramatized. Below are some of the common myths associated with Snakehead Fish:
Snakehead Myths
Can Snakehead Fish Walk on Land?
They most certainly cannot walk on land and survive extended periods exceeding 3 days out of water. They have however been known to use their pectoral fins to crawl very short distances.
Can Snakehead Fish Breathe Air?
Snakeheads possess a primitive lung called the suprabranchial chamber (cr. https://bio.biologists.org/content/7/2/bio029223) by which the fish breathes air at the water's surface using a cough-like mechanism, making possible short-term survival out of water. They use this along with their gills to survive in less oxygenated waters and the possible survival through periods of drought.
Will a Snakehead Fish Eat a Human?
Most certainly not. While they are known as an aggressive species that protect their young for a period after they have hatched which would account for some aggressive encounters with people, they do not eat kids. Snakeheads are a predatory fish but do not possess the size or power to eat you or me.
Snakehead Fishing Seasons
Northern Snakehead months: Spring, Summer and Autumn with Spring and Summer being the best.
Giant Snakehead: All year round.
Striped Snakehead: All year round.
Bullseye Snakehead: All year round.
General Fishing for Snakeheads
The most popular way to target Snakeheads is with topwater lures, this is predominantly due to their weedless nature and the exciting aerial attacks Snakehead fish are renowned for producing when attempting to eat from the surface.
Due to the nature that Snakeheads often require to breathe air they are compelled to travel to the surface for a “gulp” of air every so often. This quality ensures that they are usually located between the middle and top water columns. Lures and techniques that specifically get into these areas will see the highest rate of hookups.
Since Snakeheads also prefer heavily structured areas, fishing methods that are able to get into these areas the easiest without getting snagged will catch fish.
Lures that generally work the best for all Snakeheads are Topwater Frogs, Jump Frogs, Buzz Baits, Spinner Baits, Swim Baits, Chatter Baits, Crank Baits and a variety of soft baits fished either on the surface or subsurface.
They are also known opportunistic feeders that will consider a live or dead bait.
Breeding/Fry Season (October-December in SEA and Summer for Northern Snakehead)
Snakeheads become their most aggressive during this season. They protect their nest and guard their hatched fry aggressively in order to ensure their survival. At this stage, parent Snakeheads become extremely aggressive to anything that comes into close proximity of their brood.
Lures that get the most hookups during this period include Topwater Frogs, Buzz Baits, Spinner Baits, Swim Baits and Crank Baits, anything that could be misconstrued as something of a threat to their young.
Hatched fry balls are highly visible in the water (Giant Snakehead fry are bright red) and they regularly come to the surface for air which resembles vigorously boiling water. Guardian parents are usually never far away and lures should be cast within a 1.5-2m radius of the fry ball for the best chances of hooking a parent. Patience is key and following the fryball with repeated casts is necessary to coax an attack.
Fishing from a boat or kayak is ideal during this time as accessing heavily structured areas presents a challenge for the bank angler and following a fryball with repetitive casts is necessary to get a bite. Vigilance is key should you lose the sight of one shoal, there could be another one nearby.
Dry Season Sight Fishing for Snakeheads (Mainly applicable for Giant Snakehead)
During hotter months in South East Asia and periods when water becomes less oxygenated Giant Snakeheads rely on supplementing their oxygen intake by rising to the surface and taking a gulp of air which they can process with their suprabranchial chamber.
Quite often during this period, fish become lethargic and are less likely to strike a lure. Success can be found if you find an area of open water where it appears that fish are rising to the surface. The telltale sign will be a sound which resembles a hiccup. By casting a lure this rise in the hopes of crossing a Snakeheads path on the retrieve can result in landing some big fish. Lures that sink and can meet a fish on it’s path back down to its resting depth work best.
Anglers see success using this technique with Crank Baits, Spinner Baits, Vibration Styled Spinners, Chatter Baits and Swim baits.
Snakehead Fishing Tackle
Since Snakeheads prefer thick cover and will do whatever they can to get off the end of your line it’s essential to have strong tackle that can withstand their dirty habits. Here we’ll look at the different tackle and what should be considered when setting out to target Snakehead.
Snakehead Fishing Rods
We recommend using a minimum of a Medium Heavy rod with a solid backbone. Since Snakeheads like to hide out in heavily overgrown areas it’s important to have a rod that can aggressively set a hook and immediately get to work giving very little opportunity for the fish to swim into cover. A rod with too much flex will result in soft strikes unable to penetrate a Snakeheads boney mouth and not enough leverage to wrench fish out of their hiding place.
Rod length is also important to consider when pursuing Snakehead, we recommend nothing shorter than a 6”8” rod as it will aid with casting distance, leverage for hook sets and the torque needed to get a fish out of the weeds and into your net.
Our preferred rods: Daiwa, Tatula Casting Rod, 6'10" Length, Medium/Heavy Power
Snakehead Fishing Reels
Any durable spinning or baitcasting reel will do the job. We prefer using established brands as they’re reliable and less likely to fail on big fish. As with anything in fishing, you get what you pay for and a decent reel might in fact be cheaper than replacing a cheaper reel each season.
Depending on the lures you’re using will determine the reel ratio best suited to get the job done. Since topwater is the most successful method to target Snakehead we recommend using a reel with a faster gear ratio for 3 reasons:
- Faster reel ratios help get surface lures working their magic a little quicker. This is especially true for lures like the Ribbit Frog which needs speed in order for the legs to start kicking. You can always slow down your retrieve for other lures.
- You want to get hooked up Snakeheads out of cover fast, reels with faster gear ratios will help and give the fish very little chance of wrapping you up.
- We prefer a faster reel as it’s always easier to slow down a faster retrieve than it is to speed up a slower one, it’ll be a lot less tiring too.
Our preferred Spinning reel: Shimano Vanford Spinning Reel
Our preferred Baitcasting reel: Shimano SLX XT 150 HG Baitcasting Reel
Line
When it’s time to spool a reel we suggest a minimum of 30lb braid with the addition of at least a 40lb leader. Many an angler has opted to go lighter (which works) but can be frustrating if you get into a bigger fish. The option to use a leader or not is largely personal and many anglers opt against it (below we’ll discuss the different options regarding this).
Hooks, Swivels, Clips and the rest
Don’t skimp on this often overlooked yet very important aspect of Snakehead Fishing. They won’t give you a chance so why should you? Any terminal tackle should be the sharpest and strongest you can get, thin worm hooks will get bent.
A very common part used in South East Asia is a Snap Swivel in order to quickly switch lures instead of retying each time. A good way to know these are strong is if you struggle opening them yourself.
Anglers are often weary to use extra strong tackle because of the associated size and potential to chase away fish but Snakeheads are renowned to not be shy of knots and thicker lines and won’t be put off by the sight of stronger tackle.
We also highly recommend switching out any of the factory supplied treble hooks and split rings on lures like crankbaits.
Other Essential Gear for Snakeheads
We absolutely recommend the use of a net and or Boga-grips to land your fish. These are especially important for kayak anglers that can escape the aggressive flapping about of a landed Snakehead.
A good set of pliers is also important for you to quickly latch on to and remove hooks from a fish's mouth without risking your fingers in the process.
If you’re releasing your fish then a camera is essential. Who is going to believe your stories about the Dragon you caught without any documented proof?
Nowaday more and more anglers are using GoPro’s to document their fishing adventures. When using these it’s important you have a decent mounting setup that’s getting the best angles of you catching fish.
Knots and Leader
When it comes to setting up for Snakeheads, the simplest is the best. Whether or not you use a leader below are our recommended ways to set up for these fish:
Leader
If you decide to use a leader then the FG knot attaching the braid to your Mono or Floro leader is our choice. The leader's breaking strength should exceed 40lbs. Leader length is up to the angler but we use something around the 50cm mark for easier casting. A Palomor knot attaching the leader line to a snap is our preferred method of connecting to a lure as it makes for convenient switching of lures if you’re limited to one rod.
No Leader
Some anglers opt to go without a leader and Snakehead Fishing Club's suggested method to do this is by using the Bangkok Hooker Twist which effectively doubles, triples or even quadruples your braid at the connection point to the hook or snap. Since this knot loops the line at the end there is no need for a knot to tie on a lure.
Lure Colors and Other Considerations
Ahh, the age old color debate when making your lure choice, can fish even see in color? We’re not biologists and whether or not they see in color or not, something we’re pretty sure Snakaheads do pickup is contrast and we have seen great success with brightly coloured lures. Don’t be afraid of picking out a lure that stands out from the rest.
Many Snakehead Anglers do not consider colour as important as the movement and vibration of a lure. Snakeheads do not hunt purely from sight and have evolved to detect vibrations in the water from their prey, thus lures which make significant movement in the water will see the best results.
Topwater Lure Fishing for Snakeheads
The most exciting and often the method that produces the best results for Snakehead is by using topwater lures. Lures like hollow bodied frogs, buzzbaits and the like are weedless and their topwater action is renowned for getting Snakeheads to bite.
While specific lure choice goes down to personal preference we thought we’d mention a few of our personal favorite topwater lures for Snakeheads.
Hollow Bodied Frogs
These lures have amassed a large following of dedicated anglers because they’re an exciting way to target Snakeheads and are effective at hooking big fish. Although not the most durable of lures they come in a variety of shapes and designs which feature things like cupped mouths for popping, rattles and various leg designs.
They can be fished slowly or quickly along the surface. Since they (mostly) float, they can be kept in an area where there are fish for longer, increasing your chances of a hook-up.
Our Choice: Googan Filthy Frog
Tip: A very common tweak on Soft Bodied frogs is to slightly bend the hooks upward and outward to ensure they are in the best position when you get a bite.
Buzz Baits
If there’s one lure that Snakeheads attack out of pure rage, it’s a buzz bait. Great for covering lots of water and harassing fish guarding their fry, these lures get big bites! Snakeheads will often launch aerial assaults going after these lures.
There are huge varieties of buzzbaits available but we generally say the louder the better. We also recommend the inline variety where the propellor is directly in front of the hook as opposed to the V-Shape where the propellor is beside the hook. They fish pretty weedless and are great for covering large areas of water.
Our Choice: Molix Lover Buzz Bait
Soft Plastic Frog Lures
Almost a mix between a buzz bait and hollow bodied frog, these are soft plastic moulded lures with two paddle-like feet at the back resembling a frog. When reeled in their feet catch the water and produce a kicking action that Snakehead love! If you let them sink the kicking action still works below the surface.
These lures are not very durable as their soft bodies get damaged with repeated casts, snags and bites. Checkout our unique frog rigging which prevents damage to the lure while ensuring maximum topwater action. The rigging is interchangeable and can be used with most soft frogs on the market.
Of all lures, we’ve seen the most action on these. They’re versatile too, and can be fished on the surface or subsurface similar to a swim bait.
Our Choice: SNKHD Kickr Frog available on our website
Jump Frogs
A lure originating from South East Asia and specifically designed for targeting Snakeheads is the Jump Frog. It’s typically a wooden bodied lure with a rubber skirt and weighted double frog hook fitted at the back. It is designed to float and will gently pop up and down on the water's surface when reeled in that resembles prey scurrying for safety.
It is very easy to fish and a great lure to throw if you’re unsure what to use or exploring a new piece of water. It’s design ensures it always fishes upright with the hooks upright and is usually fitted with a weedguard.
Our Choice: SNKHD x Keng Jump Frog available on our website.
Special Mention: Skipping Styled Lures
Although not a specific type of lure is required for this technique as any larger bodied soft rubber lure can be used, this technique is growing in popularity for targeting Snakehead.
It involves a lure that is cast out and skipped along the water's surface like a pebble, under any overhanging structure and as deep into the thick cover where Snakehead reside. Lures can be dead sticked, slowly reeled in or rapidly brought in along the surface to get bites.
Recently lures have been developed specifically for this technique and are a hybrid soft bait which feature one kicking leg and fat body profiles for extra skipping ability and great topwater action, check them out here.
Our Choice: SNKHD Skippy available on our website
Sub-Surface Lure Fishing for Snakeheads
A multitude of lures exist in this category but only a few are favored for targeting Snakeheads. Below are our choices as the most effective for Snakeheads:
Chatter Baits
We’ve mentioned that Snakeheads prefer a lure's movement to its colour. A chatterbait moves like something tripping on Acid and their erratic vibrations in the water get great results. Combined with a rubber skirt and trailer such as a fluke or paddle tail, these lures are hard to beat.
Our Choice: Z-Man CBD14-08 Diezel Chatter Bait
Spinner Baits
The age old spinner bait is a deadly lure for Snakeheads. Their big profiles in the water and their weedless design contribute in making them a good choice for Snakeheads. These lures can also be fished at a variety of depths with different retrieval speeds perfect for fish keeping deeper down. Baits with larger spinners seem to be a favorite with Snakeheads.
Our Choice: Strike King Burner
Crank Baits
An especially effective lure to target Snakeheads that are guarding their fry and are in open water are crank baits. These lures don’t fare as well in weeded areas but when conditions are right they can put big fish on your line. Considering that Snakeheads have teeth, lures made of thicker plastic or wood will last longer. We also prefer lures with larger profiles
Our Choice: Rapala Shad Rap 05
Swim Baits
Almost the closest thing you’ll get to live bait, a swim bait works very well on Snakehead provided you can fish them without getting their hooks stuck. They’re great since you can vary your retrieve to ensure the lure fishes at a specific depth and improve your chances of getting bit. Paddle tail type lures also fall into this category and work well to catch these fish
Our Choice: Googan Baits Saucy Swimmer
Soft Plastic Baits
These types of lures come in several styles and varieties and can be rigged up in a multitude of different ways for different fish and conditions. They definitely work for Snakehead too. Paddle tails, Flukes, Crawdads, Senkos, Creature baits all work. Combined with different jigs and hooks make these very versatile baits depending on the conditions and what fish are doing.
Because of their abundant varieties, trying to decide what soft plastic lures to throw can be a tricky decision to make. We tend to keep it simple and prefer Flukes rigged weightless or Texas style specifically for Snakehead.
Our Choice: Googan Baits Trench Hawg, Green Pumpkin
Bait Fishing for Snakehead
Snakeheads are aggressive predators, sometimes you’ll come across a halved fish that fell victim to a hangry Snakehead. With that being said, they can be caught on bait, especially live bait. Since they prefer the topwater column you’ll need to use a float/bobber for the best results.
Should you be using dead bait, opt for something with a strong odour and definitely a bait that came from something that used to be alive at some point, the innards of chicken work well.
Below is a recommended rig for Snakeheads that was found on the FB group: Snakehead Outlawz:
Handling Snakeheads
Now that you’ve got the basics of what Snakeheads like and how to set out and catch them, what the heck do you do if you eventually hook into one?
A Snakehead bite is nothing short of exhilarating so you’re going to have fun! They explode on topwater lures like a grenade and fight aggressively from the start using their muscular torpedo shaped bodies to haul your line away from you.
You’ll also need to be aggressive but patient too. After a Snakehead takes a lure, resist the urge to strike immediately. Give them a second to swim off with it. Do this by dropping your rod tip to slack the line. This will ensure your hook is in the best place when you do hit it and that you’ve got a good range of motion to strike.
When it’s time to strike, strike hard and more than once so your hooks barb gets into their mouth. Use your rod as leverage and make sure that your reel's drag is set pretty tight so the fish doesn’t have much of a chance to get away from you.
Once the fish is close and it’s time to land it, is when things get the most tricky. Snakeheads will thrash and shake their heads as much as possible to avoid coming out of the water. Use a net to scoop them up and get a boga grip on their lip as soon as possible.
Your fingers should never go near a Snakeheads mouth. Long pliers are essential to remove hooks. Hooks, sharp teeth and a fish with a notoriously bad attitude could easily end up with a trip to the ER.
Don't try and remove hooks with your bare
hands unless hooks in your finger sounds like fun.
Release or not to Release?
We’re definitely in favour of catch and release, especially in areas native to Snakeheads. You know the deal, catch them, enjoy the fight and put them back after a few photos to ensure their survival and future catches.
Many areas in the U.S. ask anglers to catch and immediately destroy Snakeheads. Since they’re an invasive species, we understand they’re a threat to the ecosystem although, releasing them has become more widely accepted as the initial threat Snakeheads were thought to bring seems to have been overestimated. We like to think that Snakehead will be around for a long time so Anglers might as well get used to them in their waters.
Snakeheads in Asia are considered a delicacy and their flesh makes for great eating. If you’re harvesting your catch, we’d hope that you’re making use of their meat with a good meal.
Snakehead Recipes
Snakehead flesh is white, firm and does not have the typical earthy taste that is typical of many freshwater fish. In China it is believed to possess healing qualities and is prepared for patients after surgery to speed up their recovery.
Since we’re based in Thailand we can’t help but recommend our favorite Thai styled recipe for this fish. It’s known in Thai as Kaeng Som Pla Chon and is a dish which sees a crispy fried Striped Snakehead soaked up in the center of a delicious hot and sour soup with water mimosa leaves and other vegetables.
See the recipe here: https://en.petitchef.com/recipes/snake-head-fish-hot-and-sour-soup-fid-621787
For a more Western Styled preparation, check out this crispy fried Snakehead recipe.
There you have it. All the essentials you’ll need to go Snakehead Fishing and get a fish from the water, onto your hook, into the boat and onto your plate (if that’s your thing).
A snakehead's appearance and bad press has given them a horrible reputation and has led anglers and bow-fishermen to decimate them in some waters. Sure, they’re an alien species in America but if you’re taking them out we hope that their flesh isn’t going to waste. Give their meat a try and hopefully you’ll be surprised at how delicious they taste.
We hope that this article along with the rest of our site is a useful resource for budding Snakehead anglers that are just getting in on the Snakehead action. Our aim of the site is to provide any tips, lures and gear that’s useful for anglers and gives them an advantage on the water.
Whether you like ‘em or hate ‘em. Just go catch ‘em!
The Snakehead Fishing Club