Chesapeake Invasives

If you enjoy Chesapeake Bay fishing on a regular basis there's no doubt you've run across an invasive species or two, like blue catfish, flathead catfish, or snakeheads. Want to catch more of those uninvited invaders? We sure hope so!

Be sure to log your catch in the Great Chesapeake Invasives Count for a chance to win cool monthly prizes while helping fishery managers collect vital data. Register for FREE at ccamd.org/count

Want to see yourself on the cover of FishTalk Magazine? Submit your photo for the Invasive Catfish Cover Contest presented by Fish and Hunt Maryland. fishtalkmag.com/covercontest

June 17, 2024
Few things set off a chain-reaction of mental imagery like the thought of catching a blue catfish of 40 pounds, 50 pounds, or more — even a new PB. And when it comes to blue catfish, we can add…
May 17, 2024
If you live anywhere near Chesapeake Bay and you like fast angling action that results in tasty fish on the plate, there’s a good chance you’ll find yourself fishing for blue catfish in the near…
April 22, 2024
It’s that time of year again—time to send in your submissions for the FishTalk Invasive Catfish Cover Contest presented by Fish and Hunt Maryland Here’s How it Works: Submit your favorite fishing…
April 17, 2024
There’s no such thing as a sure thing in fishing, but in recent years targeting blue catfish has become about as close as it gets in many Maryland waterways. Channel cats have been around for…
April 15, 2024
Snakeheads may like it hot, but if you choose the right spot and make the right moves April can be a great month for targeting them. These three spring snakehead fishing tips will help light a fire…
February 10, 2024
Captain Marcus gets the anchor set and his mate Tommy starts tossing out lines one after the next, but before the fourth one flies over the side a rod starts bending and the reel starts singing. As…
May 14, 2023
In this first installment of our "Gone Fishin'" A Maryland Road Trip" we head to the eastern shore with the guys from Fish & Hunt Maryland in search of snakeheads. Part 2, took us to Western…
September 29, 2022
I’m at Mattingly Avenue Park on Mattawoman Creek off the Potomac River in the early morning, slipping my kayak into the water as fog rises off it all around me. Today I’ll be hunting blue catfish —…
June 11, 2022
Like many species, snakeheads love attacking small spinnerbaits. And the best thing about using these lures is that just about everything will hit them — perch, bass, crappie, you name it. So when…
September 26, 2021
As the summer sun starts to hang lower in the sky and autumn begins to move in, our tactics for targeting snakeheads need to change. Keeping in mind that the optimum water temperature range for…
July 18, 2021
It’s early July and I’m snakehead fishing the Blackwater in Dorchester County, MD, with my friend Julian. We set out to catch a few snakeheads to take home for dinner and launch our kayaks a little…
July 9, 2021
Although many different species of snakehead exist, the Northern snakehead are the ones to look out for when fishing in Chesapeake country—and as you surely know, fishing for snakeheads has become…
May 20, 2021
Everyone loves the wake generated by a snakehead attacking a topwater bait, but weather can shut off the topwater bite like flipping a light switch. That’s when many anglers might turn to suspending…
April 20, 2021
Though the striped bass is the king of the Chesapeake, the growing popularity of fishing for northern snakehead has exploded in recent years. And with this notoriety as a hard-fighting and delicious…
March 12, 2021
Most anglers know that freshwater fish like to eat small rodents and snakeheads in particular will eat just about anything, but we’re not about to suggest that anyone swing by the pet shop to grab…
January 28, 2021
Winter is trophy season for blue catfish, and fish over 40-inches can easily be targeted from the shore as well as from boats. While most of my personal experience is on the Potomac River, the…
June 3, 2020
What’s the biggest recent development in the world of fishing on the entire eastern seaboard? Quite possibly, the advent of the snakeheads. No, we aren’t happy that this invasive invader took root in…
March 23, 2020
Presented by Fish & Hunt Maryland Pop quiz: what single species represents the most reliable angling target in the entire state of Maryland, day after day after day, regardless of the season? It…