# Invasive species in River systems



## Ronaulmtd (Feb 8, 2011)

Everyone knows the Northern Snakehead was introduced into Crofton Pond Maryland by a man who had purchased snakeheads to make a soup for his sick Sister, who got well before he killed the fish. Being from the Orient, he released the fish alive into a small pond near his home and had a ceremony to give his Sister good luck- bad luck for the River system- we now have a breeding and expanding population of snakeheads as far south as St. Jerome's Creek in Maryland and nearing the Tidewater region in Virginia. What is less known is that Blue and Flathead catfish are considered "invasive species" as well...in some bodies of water locally, these catfish makeup 75% of the fish populations. Some are giving these catfish credit with slowing the snakehead invasion due to catfish eating millions of baby snakehead fry each year.

Snakeheads are good eating and hit pretty much the same lures as largemouth bass- they grow up to 20 pounds in weight and are prolific breeders, breeding many times each year. They are very protective of their fry and that is a good way to catch them- when small schools of the babies are at the surface, cast a top water frog or buzzbait past the school and drag it through them- Mama will smash the lure protecting the babies- Blue Catfish seem to eat anything- lures, jigs, cut bait, live bait- you catch them on just about anything. Flatheads are mostly bottom feeders and you get them on cut bait and stinkbaits.

My point here is that if the DNR folks want to kill out these "invasive species" why have catch limits of five fish for catfish? Why not have no limits and install a reward bounty system like they do for the snakeheads where you are entered into a contest with prizes awarded by sponsors just for killing the fish?


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

Ronaulmtd said:


> Why not have no limits and install a reward bounty system like they do for the snakeheads where you are entered into a contest with prizes awarded by sponsors just for killing the fish?


Why bother with "just killing" for the sake of killing? Why not learn to actually enjoy your new ecosystem?

Or, is there some science and/or precedent which would actually prove that wholescale decimation of any target (invasive) species has EVER worked, when it has been attempted?

You are stuck with those bad boys. You can either cry about it, or take the horse by the reins. Write a snakehead cookbook, sell a line of snakehead tackle, etc. Get on the bus before school is in session... Somebody is going to get rich off the invasives. I'd rather see it be a fisherman than some pseudoscientist hired by a state or federal agency.


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## Ronaulmtd (Feb 8, 2011)

Hey, I am there- I fished for snakes a lot last year- not to "just kill" them but I targeted them and learned a lot about them by doing so- they get "lockjaw" at times and cannot be enticed to strike no matter what you do- I watched big ones swim up to my frog and then turn away without hitting- they also just blew up the frog without taking it- knocking it several feet in the air- when they are "turned on" you can't take a bait away from them- they literally will come in the yak to get it. When they are protecting their fry they are very aggressive about anything that gets close to the ball of swimming fry- spinner baits, buzz baits, Rapalas, Baby Minus 1, Chatterbaits- all get eaten-

And DNR regs say you have to kill Snakeheads- cannot possess a live one- and they want you to report your catches so they can track them- that is why when you report catching a snakehead MD DNR enters your name in a contest for drawing of prizes donated by sponsors-


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## shadyfisher85 (Mar 17, 2010)

Dont forget that Largemouth Bass are not native to the area either and look how revered they are everywhere. Just sayin...


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

Ronaulmtd said:


> And DNR regs say you have to kill Snakeheads- cannot possess a live one- and they want you to report your catches so they can track them- that is why when you report catching a snakehead MD DNR enters your name in a contest for drawing of prizes donated by sponsors-


You can't possess one live, because it implies transportation, thus a possible transplantation. You don't have to kill it, you can simply release it where you caught it. Seriously, who believes that fishermen can wipe them out? My opinion is that they get treated like any other species. It won't be long before the state stops throwing good money after bad, anyway...



shadyfisher85 said:


> Dont forget that Largemouth Bass are not native to the area either and look how revered they are everywhere. Just sayin...


And there you go... Give it 50 years, and folks won't be able to think about life without their snakeheads. (or whatever name the PC culture of the time changes it to)


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## Ronaulmtd (Feb 8, 2011)

I think we all are in violent agreement-


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## dena (Jun 20, 2010)

Smallmouth Bass are another invasive species of fish.
They were spread by the early railroad workers that enjoyed catching and eating them. 
Many early railroads followed the rivers, and the RR boys would throw a bucket full over the bridges. and now you wouldn't know they weren't native.


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## ProfessorCoCo (Sep 20, 2011)

Yeah, we need to get rid of all these invasives pronto and go back to catching 4-inch brook trout like the good lord intended.


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## landlocked (Jun 10, 2001)

Dont forget carp.


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