90 replies to this topic

[don212]

the raccoons and other critters gotta eat

[butch]

I has yet see any studies that suggested snakeheads pose a threat to the "ecosystems". Potomac Rivers were full of non native fish species already before the snakeheads showed up. I'd rather put fish back in water if I don't want to take them home, snakehead or not since I don't want have my fishing spots smelled so bad. It will makes us bowfishermen/anglers look bad when you left a pile of rotten dead fish.

[butch]

the raccoons and other critters gotta eat

kinda hard to eat the entire pile of huge carps and other undesirable fishes...I know for a fact, most piles were untouched other than flies and maggots.

[don212]

i thought you were talking about a single accidentally caught fish, not a whole pile of carp, that's gross

[Chasmodes]

I'm not going to tell people what to do, it's their business.  That said, I'm not a fan of tossing dead fish on the bank.  But, the biggest difference between carp and snakehead is that snakehead are such an outstanding fish to eat, while carp, not so much.  I understand that not everyone eats fish, but, even if anglers don't eat fish, there are plenty of people that would appreciate a gift package of tasty snakehead filets.  They are an easy fish to filet.

[butch]

Yes but there are plenty of complaints of pile of dead snakeheads being rotting. Sometimes its best thing if you release them back if you don't want to eat fish. Its that simple instead of looking desperately for someone to take fish off your hands.

[truecrimson]

I know this is an old thread, and there are several newer ones on snakeheads, so I apologize for resurrecting it.  I just really wanted to say thank you very much to the participants for the deep and informative discussion, not only of snakeheads, but of ecology and the relationships between species in an ecosystem.  Honestly it's way over my head, and I will need to reread it several times and may never fully understand it. But that's what I really like about it.

 

I have an interest in economics, and a lot of this discussion reminded me a great deal of discussions among various schools of economic thought about the division of labor and productivity, and division of and constitution of profits among various factors of production.

 

Related to the topic, as an angler I have read a number of anecdotal reports on various forums over the years of snakeheads in the lower (Maryland portion) of the Susquehanna.  A few cursory web searches have not yielded any confirmation of that.  I was just wondering if anyone here knew if they had indeed reached the lower Susquehanna?

 

Thank you.

 

Also, if you have any snakehead fillets you don't want please send them to me.  I would like to try them, but I make it  personal policy not to eat anything from the Susquehanna below Harrisburg.

[Chasmodes]

TC, I don't have evidence, but the MD DNR stated that they've been found in many tributaries throughout the Bay on both sides, so my hunch is that their up to the flats and further upriver by now.  They can tolerate pretty salty brackish water to travel through.  I wouldn't be surprised if they could live in it.  Anyone know of any studies on that?

 

Since this thread has been revived, it's also true that MD encourages people to keep them, but it is no longer illegal to release them.  If you keep one, you must kill it.  Possession of live snakeheads are still illegal.

[Matt DeLaVega]

Since this thread has been revived, it's also true that MD encourages people to keep them, but it is no longer illegal to release them.  If you keep one, you must kill it.  Possession of live snakeheads are still illegal.

Guess they gave up and accepted that they are hear to stay? I would have an awful hard time releasing one, and I don't mind cleaning fish, so I would give them a shot in the frying pan. If they are that commonly caught, I imagine the no release law could really make a stinking mess of a popular easy access fishing spot. The smell of leftover bait fish spiced up with a gar, a tub of ripe nightcrawlers, and a sprinkle of wax worms is usually enough to send me packing to the next bridge, which will inevitably have a dead dog obviously heaved into the water by Irate or one of his followers. Thanks people!

[truecrimson]

TC, I don't have evidence, but the MD DNR stated that they've been found in many tributaries throughout the Bay on both sides, so my hunch is that their up to the flats and further upriver by now.  They can tolerate pretty salty brackish water to travel through.  I wouldn't be surprised if they could live in it.  Anyone know of any studies on that?

 

Since this thread has been revived, it's also true that MD encourages people to keep them, but it is no longer illegal to release them.  If you keep one, you must kill it.  Possession of live snakeheads are still illegal.

I didn't see an studies on their survival in salty water.  However one article I read partially attributed the spread to an usually high influx of freshwater into the bay lowering it's salinity enough to allow them to travel through it.  I'll try to find that article, but there were a lot of them so I can't guarantee I'll be able to.

[Chasmodes]

This USGS map shows some of the distribution throughout the Bay.  Looks like the latest sample was in 2016, so pretty current.  It appears that you might be able to catch some in PA now, (Philly area) perhaps.

 

https://nas.er.usgs....?SpeciesID=2265