SOUTHERN PIKE vs northern pike

[aplumma]

Here yaa go let the fight begin.

 

 

 

 

This is a 9lb Snakehead that has taken up residence in the Potomac river. While they are an invasive species they have all of the characteristics of a pike as far as habitat and food goes but they are all fin... boy do they fight. We finished the day with 4 bass (in season here) and 2 snake heads the other was only 4 lb's and was released at the boat side.

[John]

What's their native country Art? Are they considered "welcome" or not in the Potomac?

[walleye_man]

hey is there any difference between bowfin and snakehead?

[Burtess]

What's their native country Art? Are they considered "welcome" or not in the Potomac?

 

They are native to Asia and Africa, and are banned in USA and most of Canada. They are voracious feeders and have a primitive "lung" which they can recirculate water to facilitate breathing on land. The one above is a Northern Snakehead, Channa argus, which can live in cooler waters.

It is unfortunate that the smaller and only tropical species are restricted as well, since they make a very nice single specimen in a large aquarium.

 

Burt

[BillM]

I hope you killed it.

[aplumma]

I hope you killed it.

 

 

Nope swam away just fine.

 

I also fish for the Blue Catfish which was also forcasted to destroy the fisheries both haven't happened. Given my druthers I would rather catch the 50 lb Blue Catfish and the Snakeheads both are alot more fun than bass. Even though the bass were also deemed an invasive species at one point in the Potomacs history and now it is one of the top bass fisheries in the Nation.

 

 

 

Art

Edited June 2, 2010 by aplumma

[canadadude]

Back in the 80's I had a 5 lb snakehead in a 200gal aquarium, while cleaning the tank it jumped out and took me over an hr to find, it flipped under the bed. I thought that was it but I tossed it back in the tank and way it went on it's business. It was a mean freaking fish, I fed it creek chub I got in the creeks couldn't afford to give it feeder gold fish.

 

That one should of been killed, I guess some people respect the enviroment more then others.I wouldn't think the native species in that watershed think the snakeheads are alot of FUN

[Guest gbfisher]

As kids we used to feed one as much as it would eat. It would end up as rounds as it was long. Oscars and Piranha didn't compare... Frigg in gluttons!!! Nasty eating machine.

[MCTFisher9120]

I bet ya a Bowfin would out fight a Snakehead??? lol, I'm the bowfin king...watch me later this season man

[danc]

I hope you killed it.

 

Killing a Snakehead in the Potomac to try to control the population is like killing one smelt in Lake Ontario and hoping that you're actually reducing the population. Do some research Bill.

[Daplumma]

We are working on a skeet launcher that will fling the fish in the ar so we can hit it with some double ought buck.So far only the soft ray fish like minnows,chubs, and trout get a good enough launch to miss the motor on the boat.Small fish rock!

Joe

[danc]

We are working on a skeet launcher that will fling the fish in the ar so we can hit it with some double ought buck.So far only the soft ray fish like minnows,chubs, and trout get a good enough launch to miss the motor on the boat.Small fish rock!

Joe

 

Sharpen up your archery skills Joe. That's how real men catch them.

[BillM]

Killing a Snakehead in the Potomac to try to control the population is like killing one smelt in Lake Ontario and hoping that you're actually reducing the population. Do some research Bill.

 

I was assuming this was a new species similar to the whole asian carp fiasco in Lake Michigan.

[Daplumma]

Like this Dan?

Catch and release..into a steamer.

[danc]

Like this Dan?

Catch and release..into a steamer.

 

That's what I'm talkin' about Joe.

[[email protected]]

That's what I'm talkin' about Joe.

 

 

That's not an asian carp, it's a common carp and it's been in north america longer than you have. People have failed trying to fight it off.....

[Daplumma]

That's not an asian carp, it's a common carp and it's been in north america longer than you have. People have failed trying to fight it off.....

 

My asain buddies steam it up like a sauna at the gym.It has been here longer than my 50 years here for sure.

Joe

[danc]

That's not an asian carp, it's a common carp and it's been in north america longer than you have. People have failed trying to fight it off.....

 

I'm talking about archery. And I'll bet that I've been in North America longer than you have.

[Guest gbfisher]

Like this Dan?

Catch and release..into a steamer.

 

 

Way to much fun if ya ask me and I know, you didnt....

I'm taking my Carpin rig with me tomorrow. Saw way to much boiling last time up.

Should be a blast...

Edited May 30, 2010 by gbfisher

[aplumma]

here is a link to the research that is ongoing and why removing one or two at a time has failed.

 

 

report on snake heads in the potomac

 

Last year there were 6 snakeheads arrowed from the dock were I have the big boat slipped.

 

 

Art

[TC1OZ]

 

That looks like a lot of fun... I don't eat carp so I'd feel bad killing it and not eating it.

 

I'd love to try this with someone who's going to eat the fish afterward lol.

[TJQ]

 

 

 

 

 

EEEWWWWWWWW!!!! WHAT THE HELL IS THAT???

[lhousesoccer]

Killing a Snakehead in the Potomac to try to control the population is like killing one smelt in Lake Ontario and hoping that you're actually reducing the population. Do some research Bill.

That's not entirely true. It's a cumulative thing. One adult northern snakehead with produce 13,000 to 15,000 eggs per spawn at a frequency of 1-5 spawns per year. One dead snakehead relates to ALOT failed reproductive potential. One angler killing one snakehead - maybe no big deal. But if EVERY angler killed every snakehead they caught, cumulatively, it can add up. Several US states with established snakehead populations have imposed fishing regulations that PROHIBT the live release of snakehead, if caught.

 

It's only the right thing to do with such an invasive species.

[lhousesoccer]

The bowfin is the same species different genus. Art

Art - I'm not sure where you're getting your taxonomic classification information on snakehead and bowfin, but you're way off.

 

All organisms on earth can be classified into the following breakdown:

 

Kingdom

Phylum

Class

Order

Family

Genus

Species

 

Genus and species are what most anglers with a basic understanding of fish biology would be familiar with. For example, the Genus and Species of some of the fish we go for would be:

 

Largemouth bass - Genus: Micropterus, Species: salmoides

Smallmouth bass - Genus: Micropterus, Species: dolomieu

Yellow Perch - Genus: Perca, Species: flavescens

Northern pike - Genus: Esox, Species: Lucius

Muskellunge - Genus: Esox, Species: masquinongy

Brook trout - Genus: Salvelinus, Species: fontinalis

Lake trout - Genus: Salvelinus, Species: namaycush

 

The K-P-C-O-F-G-S classification breakdown is how scientists describe the relatedness of species. Clearly, largemouth and smallmouth bass are related Species since they share the same Genus. Same as northern pike and muskie, and brook and lake trout.

 

However, you have to go back a step further to see other relations, like yellow perch, and largemouth and smallmouth bass. All 3 species are in the CENTRARCHIDAE Family, which is the sunfish family.

 

Now look at bowfin and snakehead.

 

Northern Snakehead:

 

Kingdom - Animalia

Phylum - Chordata

Class - Actinopterygii

Order - Perciformes

Family - Channidae

Genus - Channa

Species - Argus

 

Bowfin:

 

Kingdom - Animalia

Phylum - Chordata

Class - Actinopterygii

Order - Amiiformes

Family - Amiidae

Genus - Amia

Species - Calva

 

 

Now look at some bass and trout:

 

Largemouth Bass:

 

Kingdom - Animalia

Phylum - Chordata

Class - Actinopterygii

Order - Perciformes

Family - Centrarchidae

Genus - Micropterus

Species - salmoides

 

Brook Trout:

 

Kingdom - Animalia

Phylum - Chordata

Class - Actinopterygii

Order - Salmoniformes

Family - Salmonidae

Genus - Salvelinus

Species - Fontinalis

 

 

For interest sake, here's tarpon:

 

Tarpon:

 

Kingdom - Animalia

Phylum - Chordata

Class - Actinopterygii

Order - Elopiformes

Family - Megalopidae

Genus - Megalops

Species - atlanticus

 

 

As you can see, just about all known fish species fall into the Class Actinopterygii. That's as much relatedness bowfin and snakehead share, because they diverge significantly after that. Yellow perch and largemouth bass are more related than bownfin and snakehead are.

Edited June 1, 2010 by lhousesoccer

[aplumma]

That's not entirely true. It's a cumulative thing. One adult northern snakehead with produce 13,000 to 15,000 eggs per spawn at a frequency of 1-5 spawns per year. One dead snakehead relates to ALOT failed reproductive potential. One angler killing one snakehead - maybe no big deal. But if EVERY angler killed every snakehead they caught, cumulatively, it can add up. Several US states with established snakehead populations have imposed fishing regulations that PROHIBT the live release of snakehead, if caught.

 

It's only the right thing to do with such an invasive species.

 

1HOUSESOCCER

 

Sorry on this point technically you are right realistically they are already established and no amount of killin is going to reverse the species foothold. This colony covers over 50 miles of waterways and has a very strong shad population to feed on.If you follow the link I posted previously you will see the map and the reported catches as far as DNR has documented. The people who are on the river have caught quite a few more and consider them a challenge to fish and catch.

 

I fish for the other invasive species Blue Catfish that were stocked in 1981 with no ill effects to the rivers health. It was also a kill them as you catch them advisory. The Blue catfish has a large following and accounts for a lot of fishing dollars both in tackle, guided trips and tournaments.

 

 

Thanks though for the biology lesson. What we called a Bowfin in Louisiana was always identified to me as a "shoepic" or "snakehead" by my elders. Back then we worried more about how to cook a fish than how to classify one and it appears it has allowed my ignorance to show in public here.

 

Art

Edited June 1, 2010 by aplumma