On a Monster Mission: Fishing for Great Snakehead (continued)
 

Corey talked about how it took years for him to not only figure out what triggers the fish to bite but where to find them in the region. It wasn’t just about trial and error, it was about studying patterns and pouring over Google maps. Over the years as he targeted the fish more and more he started to really appreciate what these fish have to offer from an angling perspective, and began guiding other anglers interested in catching their first snakehead. Which still included yours truly by the way.

Snakehead.... check! It may not be a lunker but it was my first

As we neared the end of the fishable canal due to the thick shoreline cover I would get my forth chance. I made the very best cast I could through the trees and parallel to shore and worked the Fruck down the shoreline. I didn’t get any takers so I cast one more time down the opposite bank, working the bait over some submerged branches. Suddenly I saw that signature wake and as I prepared for the strike it disappeared. Like with bass fishing I let the Fruck sit for a second, twitched the bait, then proceeded to work it again and before I could pause it a second time the Fruck was railed. The battle was short and violent and one of the biggest challenges was getting the fish out of the water before it hung up. Corey helped me land the fish and while it was no lunker it was my first snakehead.

Corey lands a big snakehead out of a deep pond using a Texas rigged plastic

After this fish we changed locations which required a short drive to a small pond with a steep shoreline, all tucked in between a few homes. The water here was much more stained and much deeper. Corey showed us how to target the Snakeheads using a large Texas rigged plastic bait by pitching it right into pockets between structure and vegetation. It wasn’t long before he was pulling out what looked like huge fish (at least to me). Though these snakeheads looked very large to us they were only a little more than half the size of his record 15lb Snakehead caught in May 2015 in the Deerfield Beach region.

In a wider deeper canal Chris casts with Yozuri Super Braid

In this deeper pond there were edges where the water was a little clearer and Brad spotted some lily pads all the way on the other end. It took some brake adjustments and some seriously impressive casting in between trees and through bushes but he finally reached the lily pads. Brad’s excellent casting effort was rewarded with an explosive strike and even more impressive was the successful landing of a nice six pound snakehead over ten feet up from the edge of the steep bank.

Chris makes a perfect cast through and under structure

As we started to run out of time Corey led us to one more spot about twenty minutes away. This time we were fishing in canals in an industrial area. As we walked the bank Corey caught another big fish flipping his plastics right next to shore almost right off the bat.

Corey hooks up a fish only a few feet in front of him

As we walked the shore we spotted a large tree hanging over the water. “If there is a big snake in here it is going to be under that tree,” Corey stated. He asked if I was able to make a cast under the branches which were just a few feet over the water. I certainly was willing to give it a shot, and got into position twenty feet up from the tree, leaned as far as I could through the brush and made a skipping cast with the Fruck. Right as the Fruck landed it was engulfed and I immediately knew I had a much bigger fish on the line. I fought the fish aggressively, dragging it away from the tree while trying to keep myself from falling into the canal.

My last fish of the day was the snakehead that I was looking for

My Yozuri Super Braid line made contact with branches and brush on the shoreline but it held as I finally pulled the fish close enough to shore, but there was absolutely no room for Corey to land it. He motioned for me to lift and much like in a bass boat I tried to smoothly flip the fish, trying not to high stick it too much in the process. Success! I had my second snake and it was a good one. My second fish weighed in at 7.5lbs was in full on spawn mode, with a bright orange belly, and was a beautiful example of what these Great Snakeheads are all about.

From an angling perspective these fish offer a very different experience for anglers, especially if you enjoy topwater fishing

As we drove back to Pirates Cove we talked about what a different and unexpected experience pursuing these Snakeheads was. Brad and I both had our own expectations of what snakehead fishing and these fish would be like, and we couldn’t have been more wrong. While I won’t get into all the politics of invasive and noninvasive species what I can say is that from an angling perspective fishing for snakeheads was an amazingly fun experience.

There is no way that I would have been successful trying to catch these fish on my own, and that is probably the forth lesson I learned that day. Lesson four, learn all you can from a stealthy guide that is also patient. It took years for Corey to become such an effective snake charmer, and it is no coincidence that he has broken his own IFGA record multiple times. Like any other fish snakeheads exhibit a unique behavior and finding and catching these fish on a consistent basis poses a distinct challenge, and takes knowledge and skill, both of which Corey possesses.

Corey is the Current IFGA All-Tackle Great Snakehead Record Holder for a reason, he has made it his mission to pursue these elusive fish

Only by studying, respecting, and focusing on these fish did he finally crack the code on how to regularly catch these Great Snakeheads. Of all the fishing that I did on this trip one of the most exciting and memorable turned out to be the pursuit of these snakeheads, and if you are a topwater fan all it takes is one strike to get you hooked on these ugly-beautiful snakes. I look forward to the next time I’m in South Florida, and you can be sure that I’ll come packing my boots and practicing my best ninja imitation for another round with the Snakehead Professor.

Looking to catch your own South Florida Great Snakehead? Contact Corey for guided trips at (954) 732-3566 and check out his collection of Great Snakehead catches on Instagram @corey_nowakowski