Since discovered the existence of the species in Florida twenty years ago, it’s safe to say anglers across the state are getting an itch to target snakeheads. For anyone planning a fishing trip for these invaders, there is no better time than now to target them. Being a tropical species, snakeheads naturally prefer the hot spring and summer months in Florida, and with their spawn entering full swing in May and early June, snakehead anglers should be ready for the best bite of the year. Here I’ll share a few of my more successful tactics for catching snakeheads and observations I’ve made from fishing this time of year which I hope will provide you with as much action as it has for me.
When snakeheads begin their spawn, they’ll cruise the shallowest parts of the canal or lake that they inhabit, so a lot of your fishing will be sight fishing. Early in the spawn, when I am looking for snakeheads that are paired up, the surest way to get them to bite is to reel a buzz frog up over their heads. These prespawn pairs will unleash a vicious strike on any topwater bait you throw at them. If you are able to land the first fish fast enough, the second fish will hang around long enough to throw another lure at it. Prespawn snakeheads can be a little harder to sneak up on once you have spotted them, though, since you are now dealing with trying to hide from two sets of eyes rather than one. Being able to make long, pinpoint-accurate casts can be a game changer for anglers trying to land a prespawn snake.
Once the snakehead fry hatch, I have witnessed snakehead parents strike lures around their fry just as hard as prespawn fish, but I have also seen snakeheads guarding their fry be frustratingly picky. When you find yourself in a situation with a pair of snakeheads that have a bad case of locked jaw, you have to use lures that would attack their fry. Snakehead parents’ only interest is defending their fry, so trying to get the fish to chase down lures like they would if they were hunting, is not necessarily the best card to play. I have found that when a jig or crawfish-imitating bait quietly drops into the middle of the fry, the fish’s parental instincts kick in and it will almost always attack the lure.
There are so many creative ways to land snakeheads, so don’t just try my tactics. Get creative and experiment! These are a fun fish to target, which can provide one of the best fish battles in freshwater. Good luck and tight lines!