Snakehead Fishing in New Jersey
- Thread starter joe jaskot
- Start date
Not really....muskellunge, giant catfish and alligator gars have no effect on carp populations.
They will feeding on native populations but I would be expect the same results with the alligator gars eating their natural prey items.
I was out at the of the spots with snakeheads today. They are all over the area with lily pads. They are in open water to buy when you cast into the pads they lunge at your lure. I did see 2 animals out there today that would eat em. As soon as I got there a massive snapping turtle crawled up onto land and sat there for a while. Also I was happy to see a bald eagle flying around. I'll also say I don't think I've ever seen so many garter snakes in my life as I did today. They were all over the railroad tracks soaking in some sun. I'm gonna bring a nice camera next time and see if I can get some shots of that eagle.
Interesting that gars are being brought up as I can't speak on other areas but I wasn't aware that there were any in the mid Atlantic waters which was what I was referring to as far as pimas being introduced.It would seem that there is so much diversity and competion down in Florida freshwaters that there is plenty of all sorts of prey for piscivorous fish to feed upon,with natives and non native fish.
Alligator gars do existed in mid Atlantic waters but they are very uncommon or already extinct....thanks to the mankind. The reason? Being "dangerous" to the humans, and eating the gamefish just like the snakehead.....turns out that Alligator gars prefer roughfish such as small gars, suckers, buffaloes etc.
Yeah I know that much about them,that they have never been popular with local anglers where ever they are known to live....sad.Back to the muskies,gars and other predacious fish of our waters,I think there is a balance as they have always been a part of our ecosystems.Now if someone drops in a couple hundred arapiama in the southern waters they may lay waste to everything much like the Nile perch has nearly done in Lake Victoria in Africa,but then,the snakeheads hasn't done it so maybe not.
I agree. A tasty and great fighting one at that. And the best part is if you can find them there's no bag limits or size limits too worry about. What else could a fishermen ask for.
