Mattawoman Snakehead

Type: Tidal
Region: Southern
Location: Mattawoman Creek

Saturday July 30th 2011 was a beautiful yet extremely hot day for fishing. Our Maryland Bass Federation Club, the Run-n-Gun Bassmasters in the Southern Region held its 7th tournament of the season launching from Smallwood State Park on Mattawoman Creek. The snakehead in the pictures was caught in Mattawoman Creek directly across from the ramps at Smallwood. She weighed an impressive 10 pounds 11 ounces and measured well over 30 inches. She bit a Zoom Baby Brush Hog and took some time to get to the boat. Her tail was bloody which I�m assuming meant she was in the process of spawning. The water temps that day ranged from 89 to 91 degrees and there was a very large algae bloom in the entire river system from the Woodrow Wilson Bridge all the way down to Aquia Creek and further. Fishing was pretty good considering the conditions, but slower than a month ago when the water was 8 to 10 degrees cooler. This snakehead is no longer with us, but I�m here to tell you, the snakehead species is alive and well and here with us permanently.