Snakehead fishing

Where can I fish Snakehead?

There are 28 different Snakehead species and they all originate from South East Asia , where they are still fished and consumed as a delicacy. Thailand is of the more popular countries for Snakehead fishing trips, since it features several different Snakehead species and has a well developed tourism sector. You can catch at least three different types of Snakehead while fishing in the Thailand waters; Striped Snakehead, Great Snakehead and Giant Snakehead.

Striped Snakehead – Channa striata

The Striped Snakehead is also called Common Snakehead or just Snakehead. It has a cylindrical body with brown sides and a white belly covered in tiny dark spots. The head is depressed and the upper body of the Striped Snakehead feature dark green to olive colour.

One of the best places in Thailand to fish Common Snakehead is the island of Phuket .

You will typically catch Striped Snakeheads around snags and areas filled with weed, such as swamps or weedy channels and lakes where the water is still or just slowly moving. Unlike most other fishes, the Striped Snakehead is capable of breathing moist air, just like many other species in the Snakehead family.

Preferred bate is live frogs or fish. The fighting characteristics of the Striped Snakehead include a quick strike and a following strong pull. The Striped Snakehead will usually head directly for underwater obstacles.

Great Snakehead – Channa marulius

This Snakehead species is also called Gajar, Gozar and Ara. The fish is cylindrical, with an upper body showing dark brown to olive colours while the belly and sides are light brown. The head is depressed and the caudal fin rounded.

Among the best places in Thailand to catch Great Snakeheads are Phuket and Bangkok . You will find the Great Snakehead in still or slowly flowing waters, such as lakes, swamps and weedy channels. The fish likes to stay close to snags and weed congregations. Like most other Snakeheads it can survive much longer out of water than common fishes, since it has the ability to breathe moist air.

Live frogs or fish is the best type of bait if you want to catch a Great Snakehead. The Great Snakehead's fighting pattern is characterised by a quick strike before a strong pull. Just like its cousin the Striped Snakehead, the Great Snakehead will generally head directly for submerged obstacles.

Giant Snakehead – Channa micropeltes

The Giant Snakehead is also known as the Toman. The body is shaped like a cylinder, with a depressed head. The side pattern consists of black spots on a purple background, while the upper body of the fish is dark with green and brownish colouring. The belly is silver-white. Just like the Striped and Great Snakehead, the Giant Snakehead has developed the ability to breathe moist air.

Phuket, Kanchanaburi and Sangklaburi are all considered good spots for Giant Snakehead fishing in Thailand . The Giant Snakehead likes still or slowly running waters, such as can be found in swamps, densely grown lakes or channels. You can typically find it around weeds and snags.

Chicken liver serves well as bait and you can also successfully use Common Snakeheads or live frogs. Since the Giant Snakehead is exceptionally territorial, you can also try fishing with minnows, spinners or fly. The fighting pattern of this big fish is starts with a quick strike followed by a very hard pull in the direction of the nearest underwater hideout, such as a snag.

What should I do if I catch a snakehead in the United States ?

Snakeheads are sometimes caught in the wild in the U.S. They are not native to the American continents, and pose a threat to the American eco-systems. Snakeheads are released into the American waters by neglecting aquarium owners who don't wish to keep the Snakehead as a pet anymore. Today, there are also breeding populations of Northern Snakehead in several U.S. states, despite industrious efforts to eradicate the species from the U.S. environment.

If you catch a suspected Snakehead you should NOT re-release it into the wild again. You should instead kill the fish with a quick blow to the head and if possible put it on ice. Contact the responsible authorities, for example the Department of Game and Fisheries in that particular state. Many states with a known wild population of Northern Snakehead will have put up posters in popular fishing areas featuring toll-free hotline numbers that you can call 24 hours a day if you think you may have found a Snakehead fish.

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