It’s not the battle. Be cautious of anybody who tells you {that a} northern snakehead handled him to a drag-searing run as a result of I’ve by no means seen it occur. The moments that flip an angler right into a snakehead addict are the take and the swing. Greater than the rest in recent water, the sport mirrors muskie fishing as a result of it’s not often the battle with a large Esox that you simply discuss later. It’s the cut up second while you see that massive, white mouth open and inhale a lure, then the violent shake and resistance while you ram these hooks dwelling. Snakehead stalks can vary from a refined ripple behind your frog to what seems just like the push of a fireplace extinguisher underwater because it closes the space in a blink, however these fish often give themselves away. Fishing for snakeheads is visible. It quickens the heartbeat, and while you set, the response rivals a mortar spherical hitting the water.
Since these invasive predators first confirmed up on the East Coast greater than 20 years, their fan membership has steadily grown. And as stress on them has elevated—together with the place I fish in New Jersey—success appears extra contingent upon attending to the place fewer anglers enterprise season over season. This has made a kayak a vital a part of my snakeheading program. These fish are, not less than for my part, made for kayak anglers. However, earlier than you shove off into the swamp, listed here are a few of the key classes I’ve realized switching from boots on the bottom to pedal and paddle energy for my snake missions.
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Very important Indicators Secure
It wasn’t till roughly 2012 that I first began listening to a severe buzz about New Jersey snakeheads. There had been rumors and whispers a couple of handful right here and some there, however round that point, it appeared their inhabitants had established nicely sufficient that they grew to become viable targets as a substitute of one thing extra like ghosts. The fish themselves didn’t intrigue me as a lot as the chance to determine a completely new sport. Love or hate them, it’s not usually {that a} brand-new fishery emerges in your native scene. Instantly, as a substitute of fishing the identical lakes and rivers I had since I used to be a child, snakeheads gave me a motive to scour Google Maps for swamps, aspect channels, weed-choked shallow lakes, mucky tidal freshwater tributaries, and different areas that held little fishing enchantment previous to the arrival of those invaders.
The difficulty with these kinds of locations is that stable floor to face on and fish from is commonly briefly provide. Quick-forward to 2023, and I may rattle off not less than a half-dozen spots that traditionally handled me nicely the place I haven’t caught a snakehead in years, and it’s not as a result of they not exist in these places. These fish aren’t dumb, and I imagine as extra people caught the snakehead bug, the fish merely realized the place to not swim—or not less than to not eat something once they’re passing by way of high-traffic areas. For a very long time, I resisted a kayak, however as somebody who’s absolutely obsessive about fishing for snakeheads, it was inevitable that I’d finally make investments. Once I lastly did so, nothing was extra necessary to me than stability when standing.
My vessel of alternative is Outdated City’s Sportsman BigWater PDL 132, and it’s a beast. At 13 toes lengthy, it’s simple to say it’s not excellent for skinny backwater pursuits, however I’ve a special opinion.
Fishing for snakeheads may be very a lot a sight-fishing sport. In the course of the peak of the summer time season, significantly when the fish are guarding their fry balls, I’m steadily casting to fish I spot. Consider that I’m combing by way of fields of lily pads attempting to see into the gaps and see air-gulping or cruising fish in areas thick with milfoil matts, and my eyes turn out to be a vital a part of success. Elevation is a bonus, and with me being a fairly large lad, it was necessary that I may see so far as potential with out worrying that I’d roll my kayak. Sure, it takes a bit extra effort to launch in some snaky areas, but it surely’s price it as a result of the soundness whereas standing not solely helps me see extra fish, it additionally helps me land extra fish.
Swing State
It doesn’t matter what lure you’re casting, or the place you’re casting from when fishing for snakeheads, you have to be spooled with not less than 30-pound braided line. The rod must be quick, stout, and able to taking some warmth. Your drag must be locked down so it might probably’t slip. There’s no want for chief on this sport, simply tie on to the braid. My go-to snakehead outfit is a 6-foot, 8-inch heavy-action St. Croix Mojo Bass rod matched with a 13 Fishing Idea C reel. When you choose spinning gear, any outfit you’d use for schoolie striped bass is ideal. This sort out “beefing” isn’t essential to fight the preventing capability of the fish, however extra so their anatomy and setting.
A snakehead’s jaw is rock-hard, and also you’re additionally attempting to penetrate by way of rows of sharp enamel. Whatever the lure, when it will get smacked, put all the things you will have into the hookset. When you’re snug standing in your kayak and belief its stability whereas fishing for snakeheads, you’ll plant the hooks extra firmly should you swing from an upright place. Even after the stick and the fish’s preliminary thrashing, leaping response, muscle it in as shortly as potential, giving it zero slack so these hooks don’t come unfastened.
When you pin an enormous snakehead in the course of a lily cluster or over a heavy weed mat, it might probably take some oomph to get it out, and positive footing in your kayak makes the method safer and simpler. On a lesser word, if I rolled my kayak in many of the locations I goal snakes, I’d be digging duckweed out of my ears and sludge from below my nails for days. It’s not like falling into the Caribbean, so, whatever the kayak you select, ensure you’re assured in its stability. Past a kayak and a rod and reel outfit that may deal with these fish, there are a couple of different vital accoutrements vital for fulfillment.
Management Freak
What I really like most about kayak fishing for snakeheads is that it permits me to be minimalistic. I’m often in such shallow water that electronics provide no profit. Lure genres for these fish are few in comparison with striped bass or largemouth, and since I’m tying on to heavy braid, I don’t lose very many baits. Once I hit the swamp, I take two rods and one field of lures. My most important stick has a hollow-body frog tied on, and the second is prepared with a Zoom Tremendous Fluke rigged weedless on a sturdy wide-gap hook. I can simply swap between floor and subsurface shows or shortly toss a sinking possibility at a fish that tracked the topwater however didn’t commit.
Serpentine Slayers
The creator’s must-have baits for kayak snakehead missions.
Being freed from electronics additionally leaves extra room for a web, which I discover vital whether or not I plan to launch or harvest a fish for the desk (one thing I extremely advocate attempting as a result of they’re scrumptious). A snakehead goes to go ballistic 3 times: as soon as while you set the hook, once more when it’s proper subsequent to the boat, and once more while you drop it in your lap. Oh, they could look like they’re out of fuel, however do not forget that these fish can breathe air. Poke round on social media and also you’ll discover loads of movies of anglers fumbling to arrange a photograph or searching for their pliers when what was a docile fish mendacity within the boat thrashes the inside and goes proper again within the drink.
Being able to manage these extremely sturdy fish is essential, not solely so that you don’t lose your meal or photograph op, however as a result of a snakehead with hooks nonetheless in its mouth going berserk in shut quarters will be harmful. Likewise, their sudden actions may pressure you to make involuntary sudden actions that throw you off stability. Yak Assault’s Leverage Touchdown Internet is my weapon of alternative for boatside management as a result of it folds up neatly for storage however deploys in a flash with just one hand. It additionally has a pleasant, deep bag, so a hooked fish can get a number of its vitality out subsequent to my kayak.
Earlier than I deliver the fish in to the boat to take away the hooks, I exploit a fish gripper to seize it by the decrease jaw. In my view, this instrument is much more vital than the web. It’s not costly, however clamps on tight and options an elastic lanyard that secures to your wrist. In case your landed snakehead decides to violently twist—and imagine me, it’s going to—a gripper supplies one of the best management. If, like me, nonetheless, you don’t dig the best way a gripper-held fish seems in a photograph, between the web and the grippers controlling the catch, I can take the time to safe unfastened hooks, rods, pointless gear on deck, and arrange my digital camera.
As a result of snakeheads are so robust and able to respiratory out of the water, you possibly can afford a minute or two to let one simmer down sufficient to get a shot with out the plastic insurance coverage coverage in its mouth. Simply do not forget that they’re very slimy, wily, crafty fish. One arduous flip in your naked, moist arms, and it is going to be gone, so should you actually need to seize the reminiscence, depart the grippers locked in place.
Keep Energy
Snakeheading in New Jersey usually fires up in mid-April when the water temperate ticks above 60 levels. This time of 12 months, it’s predominantly a subsurface chew till the Could solar warms the water and the aquatic vegetation absolutely returns. Flukes, Chatterbaits, and soft-plastic swimbaits are all nice early-season selections till the topwater eruptions begin and hold going by way of September. No matter time of 12 months, although, you’ll catch extra fish should you can maintain your kayak firmly in place—which will be simpler mentioned than executed.
Masking water is a large a part of successful within the swamps and backwaters, however the place you discover one snakehead, you’ll usually discover extra. Within the early a part of the 12 months, this will occur as a result of an space with darkish backside is a couple of levels hotter than the principle physique of water. As spring progresses, snakeheads pair as much as spawn and breeding fish will stick with their fry till they’re large enough to fend for themselves in mid- to late summer time.
After rising pissed off with wind and present sweeping me out of place whereas attempting to get a frog into a selected pad pocket or whereas attempting to cowl a cove of matted weeds in water too shallow to depend on my pedal drive, I started utilizing a backyard stake as an anchor. These plastic-coated rods can be found at any ironmongery shop, and I merely lower one down to three toes lengthy, drilled a gap by way of one finish, connected a loop of paracord, and completed with an affordable carabiner. Given the shallow, soft-bottom environments the place snakeheads thrive, it does a high-quality job of preserving me rooted with minimal swing when staked off within the heart of the kayak. Consider, although, that it’s by no means sensible to anchor a kayak at midships in sturdy present, however within the skinny, placid backwaters that snakes love, this isn’t a lot of a security concern.
If there’s one fixed in snakeheading—not less than based mostly alone experiences—it’s that the farther you’re prepared to go, the higher your probabilities of success, particularly with massive fish. Distance, after all, is relative. Even in smaller lakes and ponds, utilizing a kayak to achieve the far financial institution that lacks foot entry will improve the chances of a payout.
In lots of areas, significantly should you determine to road-trip south to Virginia or Maryland, backwater techniques chockful of snakeheads are huge. On this regard, snakeheading affords a bit extra of an “journey” than different native fisheries as a result of it takes you to areas nicely off the crushed path. However, don’t overlook that in lots of of those swamp networks, should you get in bother, it might not be possible for a ship to get there and enable you out.
When fishing for snakeheads in tidal water, particularly, timing is all the things. If I’m ranging lengthy and don’t have a buddy to roll with, I all the time let somebody know the place I’m going and what time I plan to be again. Conquering these fish is extremely enjoyable and rewarding, however getting caught out in a snake den till the water comes again just isn’t.
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