Lethargic Fish Can Still Be Caught (including a tagged snakehead)

Type: Tidal
Region: Southern
Location: Potomac River (Various Tributaries)

I haven't been getting out as much as I'd like to, but I have had some great success targeting snakehead and LMB when I have time. Despite the hot weather and recent cold front (if you can call it that) fish are still active if you can find them. I have been mostly targeting snakehead specifically, so my bycatch of bass has been smaller than it was earlier this summer due to the high water temps.

For catching bass I have had good results fishing a 3/8 ounce jig with a craw trailer fished on dropoffs adjacent to submerged vegetation, usually anywhere from 10-20' deep. My friend Edwin and I went out near Roosevelt Island in DC and found large numbers of decent sized largemouths stacked up beside the bridge abutments in 20-25' of water. They were taking the jig setup I mentioned earlier, as well as wacky rigged Senkos in black w/red fleck.

As for the snakeheads, they have been a little easier to target than bass due to their more predictable habitat. I have had great success fishing a Minus 1 type shallow diving crankbait at high tide over grass beds, and a BPS Humpin' Toad at lower tides (similar to a Rage Tail frog.) The areas that I find them are usually dense with Hydrilla/Eurasian Millfoil and adjacent to other dense cover (e.g. spatterdock, logs, etc.) Focus on areas where there are changes in cover/structure and the water is less than 24" deep, sometimes as little as 8-10" deep. These fish will hang extremely close to cover for most of the day, and usually if they are out in more open areas it is because they are actively feeding. Anybody who has caught one before knows that they will strike with great force just about anything that moves near them at these active feeding times. While snakeheads have a reputation as topwater friendly fish, the topwater action has slowed down substantially following the higher temps we've been experiencing. I have had the most success fishing the frogs slowly like a swimbait. Most snakeheads I've caught have been within 10' of shore.

On a side note I have noticed that snakeheads will abandon heavy cover and often lay out in open mud flats after dark. I have tried targetting these fish with almost everything to no avail. They are easy to locate if you throw a buzzbait as they will swirl at the baits occasionally, but most of the time they will only run away. Has anybody here caught a snakehead on rod and reel after dark? Please post here if you have, I'd be interested to see.