Tony Tank

Type: Nontidal
Region: Eastern
Location: Tony Tank Lake

About an hour before sunset this evening, my 14 year old son caught a 25" northern snakehead, estimated at 6 pounds (old spring scale), on a soft plastic swimming bait. We were at a friend's property on Tony Tank Lake, south of Salisbury between the Riverside Drive and Camden Avenue bridges, just off Wicomico River. The fish was full of roe.

My son reports he could see numerous snakeheads from the bank and dock, and that this was not the largest snakehead he saw. Now that he is confident of the identification, he says he has seen many along this stretch of bank going back perhaps 2 years. He intends to target these fish and understands the 'kill and dispose' instructions. We are hesitant to eat anything out of this body of water, due probable heavy lawn fertilization on the surrounding properties. Please let us know if there is anything further we should do per this report, and if we should report future snakehead catches there.

DNR Response: We appreciate any information given regarding snakehead and where they can be caught. Since this is an invasive species, you are more than welcome to catch as many as you like as long as they aren't released. We have an award for invasive species. If you are concerned about possible chemical contamination in the fish, please contact MDE at 410-537-3906, or see the MDE website at http://mde.maryland.gov/programs/marylander/citizensinfocenterhome/pages/citizensinfocenter/fishandshellfish/index.aspx