Questions answered

My snakehead trips are beginning and anyone interested should read this prior to booking a trip because I’m going to share my reality of targeting snakeheads with artificial baits on the Potomac. As Jack Nicholson once said in the “The Departed” - “This ain’t no YouTube video”. Also this is my experience and others may have a different experience and if they can promise you a different experience then what I’m describing then I certainly would go with them. Last year was not the greatest Potomac snakehead fishing that I’ve experienced - in fact it was the worse. The truth is that my numbers of fish and strikes have been declining for several years and that experience was validated by US Fish and Game surveys showing a pretty dramatic decline in the snakehead population. However, there are still snakeheads to be caught by the dedicated angler that is prepared to work. There will still be days when it’s relatively easy but there will be far more days when it won’t be easy. Social media has certainly distorted anglers expectations and there are probably places where snakeheads are still relatively easy to catch. That doesn’t mean these people have a snakehead secret or secret bait or snakehead technique - it just means that there are more, undisturbed snakeheads that are generally easier to catch in some places. I fish the Potomac from Washington DC to south of nanjemoy and every tributary has proven pretty consistent with the Potomac snakehead experience. I’m saying that targeting and catching a snakehead can be work. It requires a lot of efficient casting and mental discipline. It requires the outdoor skills of observation, patience, and persistence. The opportunities may be limited but they are further limited if you don’t notice a small disturbance on the water, or a snakehead cruising on the bank or if you don’t cast immediately and accurately if you do see a snakehead. I mostly guide with topwater baits in shallow water - many snakeheads are caught with chatterbaits and assorted other baits - on outside weed lines but to me - this isn’t the snakehead fishing experience. You may work very hard to get a strike and then miss the opportunity. I’ve heard a lot of excuses but sometimes they just miss the bait. However sometimes it’s completely your fault. It’s not that you didn’t wait to set the hook - it’s mostly because you didn’t set the hook at all. If they missed it - and you jerked - then immediately cast again. If you waited and they missed it - let it sit - most will still be under the frog ready to hit again. If you choose to use the wrong equipment then you are choosing to miss your opportunity. I’ve caught a lot of snakeheads and I’m only trying to help you with reality. If you choose to validate your vicarious YouTube learning of catching a snakehead - then I would call them and see them in action but I’m not interested. The reason snakehead fishing is popular among some is that the fish is really not susceptible to a lot a varied techniques. Nobody is fishing deep rock piles or deep contour lines for a snakehead. They are fishing shallow with frogs, flukes, buzzbaits, etc.. It’s visual, relatively “easy” techniques but require a hunters mentality. In the end - it’s usually work to target a snakehead. It’s a challenge at times. You must keep casting. I say this because I’m preparing myself for the “I watched a YouTube video” comments. They drive me insane -.especially when the angler can’t cast, isn’t being observant, lacks persistence, and generally believes there is a shortcut or secret to success. That’s life now - work is outdated and everybody has a shortcut to success. I get it but if I interrupt your YouTube fishing knowledge comments by saying “just keep casting” - well at least I warned you ! ?. If you do have a real tangible measurable secret that isn’t you fish where there are a lot of unpressured snakeheads - then I’m ready to learn and I’ll pay you my rate to teach me that secret. I love to learn.

The 2025 guiding season is coming to an end and im grateful to fishing booker all all my fishing guests. The season had highs and lows just like the tides of the potomac river. The lows usually revolve around trips that didnt live up to fish “catching” expectations of the client. There is nobody as disappointed as me when for whatever reason the fish do not bite. Some factors of poor fishing are controllable but most are not. I would like to privide a few examples of what can be controlled and what can not be cintrolled when it comes to probability of catching fish. Controllable: 1. Captain preparedness - i spend countless hours on the tidal Potomac river from washington dc to aquia, virginia. I keep the boat maintained and fully equipped. I show up on time and demonstrate a friendky demeanor. I come from a family that have soent over 50 years of fishing and guiding on the Potomac. 2. I communicate with clients and provide ramp location and meeting times. I try to get a level of fishing experience from them so i can evalute if my fishing experience is best for them. 3. I look at predicted weather conditions to assure saftey. After this - nany things are out of my control - 1. Angling ability - the biggest factor of catching fish will rest with the guests fishing expeience. If you have minimum cating ability or presenting an artificial bait properly - tben the probability of catching a fish goes way down. I will spend tbe day teaching you but if you also believe that catching fish should go hand in hand with instruction - that may happen - but the odds are decreased. 2. Tides and enviornmental factors - a fisb is an organism that responds to environmental conditions- tides, barometric presure, etc - these factors control mich of a fishes activity. These factors can lead to the saying “they call it fishing - not catching”. There are many examples of unrealistic expectations. A guest using his equioment the wrong way and still complaining of catching small fish when be was lucky to even get a bite. A guest who insisted on fishing for snakeheads when not only was their fishing ability up to the task but i told them that catching a snakehead was unlikely. Its your trip but im not always the best guide to suite your expectations. I always go where there are fish but one must catch them on their own. I fish with artificial baits thst require casting and presentation. Sometimes its best to start slow and fish with guides that use live bait for more abundant fish species. I love to teach everyone to beca better fisherman but its a process that doesnt always include or deserve catching a fish.

The top ten northern snakehead fishing mistakes I’ve observed of clients : 1. Wrong rod - you don’t need a special snakehead rod but you do need a 7’ medium heavy rod (or longer) with a bit of a soft tip. 2. Wrong line - I like 30 lb braid and I’ll go up but never down. No mono, floro.. 3. Bad knot - braid will slip so I use a double Palomar knot. 4. Bad casting - the further away I can keep the boat from intended targets - the better. Casts must be relatively long and very accurate especially to sighted fish in shallow water. 5. No polarized sunglasses - essential to spot snakeheads. 6. Not observant - many snakeheads give away their position by a movement in water or vegetation. 7. Lazy - this is a game of how many good casts can I make to keep my bait for the longest period of time in snakehead habitat and strike zones. You cast - work in strike zone - reel in as fast as you can through non productive water and cast again. 8. Bad hook sets - I’ll tell u a secret. There’s three different snake head strikes that dictate how I set the hook. However I don’t care when you set the hook but I do need u to set the hook hard. 9. Missing opportunities - you may only get 1 to 3 great opportunities in a day. If you don’t observe a wake following ur bait as u reel in or you take a long time to cast at an observed fish or if you miss a strike and don’t immediately and repeatably throw to same spot- then a lot of hard work is lost. 10. Not controlling what is controllable. No leaders. Don’t use a med rod and make a mile cast that overextends your equipments ability to hook and land a snakehead. I’ll break the rules every now and then. Yes I’ll use heavy floro if I’m casting a chatterbait. Yes I’ll throw a long way and take my chances. It’s heartbreaking to see a missed fish that was catchable because I know that these opportunities are limited in a day. Control the controllable and cast a lot. I’ll worry about the rest. Book a June trip. Do it - do it now. ?. You won’t regret it.