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Snakehead Fishing in New Jersey

Are any of you familiar with what happened when the nile perch was introduced into Lake Victoria? It took a while, but hundreds of native fish species became extinct because of it. Same thing could happen with the introduction of snakeheads in American waterways.
 
marconi said:
Exactly! Snakeheads wont consume any fish larger then it can basically swallow. Thats the same rule that applies to almost all predatory fish. If anything the snakeheads will probably benefit the bass population.
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I've definitely seen videos of snakeheads taking big bites out of fish too large to swallow whole....
 
THEcreep said:
In THEIR ecosystem they coexist perfectly and NATURALLY. This is an invasive species in our ecosystems, therefore the north american ecosystem is neither equipped nor prepared to deal with such a voracious predator. With nothing that can take down mature snakeheads they will, like joe jaskot said, destroy our native fish populations. These fish are apex predators, basic ecology man. I would do research and refine my opinion before making assumptions like that. THAT is part of the reason why we're having problems with invasive species in the first place. And in response tp the idea that if they've been here for 20 years and there are still other fish left, well give it some time. This is an issue that will develop over time and by the time we realize the damage, it's too late. Without a doubt i will be flamed for this but any educated opinion, ie fish and wildlife, ecologists, etc will support this.


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Have you read up all recently studies on non-native snakeheads and its impacts lately? Snakeheads are not invasive species but just a non-native predator. Also...largemouth bass, bluegill, goldfish and blue catfish are not native to Potomac River. There are LOT of altered waterways with non-native gamefish that we stocked along with non-native forage fish...there is no such as perfectly and naturally ecosystem these days. Oh by way I forget to mentioned that snakeheads have existed in Hawaii for 100 years along with non-native bass and sunfish...and the Hawaiian native fishes (and bass/bluegill as well) are still here. Research is your friend, my little creep.

Northern Pike and largemouth bass are pretty voracious predators...no different from northern snakehead.
 
MN_Rebel said:
Have you read up all recently studies on non-native snakeheads and its impacts lately? Snakeheads are not invasive species but just a non-native predator. Also...largemouth bass, bluegill, goldfish and blue catfish are not native to Potomac River. There are LOT of altered waterways with non-native gamefish that we stocked along with non-native forage fish...there is no such as perfectly and naturally ecosystem these days. Oh by way I forget to mentioned that snakeheads have existed in Hawaii for 100 years along with non-native bass and sunfish...and the Hawaiian native fishes (and bass/bluegill as well) are still here. Research is your friend, my little creep.

Northern Pike and largemouth bass are pretty voracious predators...no different from northern snakehead.
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I would bet money on a full grown Tiger Muskee taking down a mature snakehead
 
fisher12889 said:
I've definitely seen videos of snakeheads taking big bites out of fish too large to swallow whole....
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Well there's no proof that snakeheads will taking big bites out of big fish in natural settings.
 
joe jaskot said:
Are any of you familiar with what happened when the nile perch was introduced into Lake Victoria? It took a while, but hundreds of native fish species became extinct because of it. Same thing could happen with the introduction of snakeheads in American waterways.
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You are comparing apples to oranges.

Lake Victoria are different from our waterways due to highest numbers of species that can only found in Lake Victoria and nowhere on the Earth. The native cichlids has never dealt with much larger predators before (really what native apex predator of Lake Victoria reaches the size of Nile Perch?). Snakeheads in Potomac River have different diets opposed to the "native" predators which prefer crayfish and minnows over topminnows and small sunfish. So far no native species become extinct or being threatened from non-native snakeheads.
 
kevinfleming21 said:
I would bet money on a full grown Tiger Muskee taking down a mature snakehead
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With snakehead being slender, lack of spines and swallowable, I'd believe that one.
 
MN_Rebel said:
You are comparing apples to oranges.

Lake Victoria are different from our waterways due to highest numbers of species that can only found in Lake Victoria and nowhere on the Earth. The native cichlids has never dealt with much larger predators before (really what native apex predator of Lake Victoria reaches the size of Nile Perch?). Snakeheads in Potomac River have different diets opposed to the "native" predators which prefer crayfish and minnows over topminnows and small sunfish. So far no native species become extinct or being threatened from non-native snakeheads.
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I guess you must be an expert on invasive species in US waters. No sense discussing this matter with you. Enjoy fishing for snakeheads.
 
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