posted on: June 26, 2012

Type: Nontidal
Region: Southern
Location: Cedarville State Forest

On June 22, 6 year old Kristopher Bates and his dad Paul decided to go fishing for some bluegill in Cedarville State Forestk. Kristopher put a white spinner on his line and cast it into the pond. Within about a minute a fish had hit the spinner and was giving Kristopher such a fight that his dad had to take over. When Paul reeled the fish close to shore he first thought it was a pike on the hook, but once he reeled it all the way in he realized he had just caught a snakehead.

Paul and Kristopher then took the 22 inch fish to the park DNR office for identification. The park officials said it was a northern snakehead and will do some genetic testing on it.