>>683381>>683387Beat me to it
>>683397If it's anything like the Northerns they fight like champs. One thing I've noticed when hooking into snakeheads up here is that there is no mistaking you've done so. When they strike it looks like somebody squeezed a sponge underwater. A lot of bubbles immediately rise up to the surface. I'm not sure if it has something to do with their "labyrinth organ", which can store air for extended periods of time, but you know when a snakehead strikes because of the bubbles.
When they're hooked they'll do one of two things:
1) They'll immediately dig down into the silt/grass/mud and hold tight. Trying to pull them up is like trying to pry a big flounder, skate or ray off the bottom. They won't budge until you make them. But once they're moving or if they don't get a chance for option 1...
2) They take off like a river smallmouth. Long charges with lots of direction changes. They'll bow their bodies left-and-right, swinging their head much like how pike or pickerel will "chug" to try and shake a lure.
They also bite and, without getting hooked, often simply refuse to let go. We've pulled Northerns into the boat that were just latched onto the jig spinners without even having the hook. Had to use pliers to open their mouths and get the wire out. It's hard not to appreciate how remarkable, and streamlined a predator they are. Luckily they're tasty so it isn't too hard convincing myself to keep them.
