It’s time to take the lemons and make…fish sticks! Could the same river yielding a bumper crop of bass tournaments and commercial cat fishing be the next Snakehead Stockyard?
Growing at a rapid rate, about 2 pounds a year with larger fish growing faster, there are reports of fish in the 20-pound class. While river officials maintain a search and destroy mission on the Asian invader, one member of the fishing community wants to take the fight out of the fire into the frying pan. Executive Chef Chad Wells from Alewife restaurant in Baltimore, also an angler, has tasted success and it’s Snakehead.
Sure Alewife is a tavern and, after a few, some patrons will eat anything…even the slimy, toothy Franken fish? They will when Chef Wells spices it up into main courses and bar food. Ethically, this Chef refuses to serve to over-harvested fish, as they become the new fish fad, like Chilean Sea Bass. Instead he chooses to serve invasive fish like Blue Catfish. No mad media attention for the whiskered bottom dweller. But sautéed Snakehead was served up with a side of major media coverage. DC’s WTOP radio put Wells’ dishes on the news menu, further driving up dinner appetite. “I like to serve them as the best way to control the population, creating demand…start in the restaurant and the media will help to get the commercial fishermen involved with another revenue stream.”
Casting his culinary hook, after sending out a snakehead menu to his patrons he received 400 responses for 25 portions. His customers were fired up to eat Snakehead without reservation, so Wells held a snakehead lottery to fill Snakehead seats! Checking on-line for recipe ideas, the Chef also thinly sliced the fish to eat RAW! From there, his taste buds called for frying and now he has selected specific cuts for a variety of dishes. Snakehead varies greatly in texture, thicker around the head, thinner toward the tail, changing preparation. Fast cooking is his preference for thin slices, using thicker cuts for grilling and blackening. So far, Snakehead favorites served up at Alewife are Frankenfish Tacos, Chimmi Churri Grilled Snakehead, and South American Ceveche. For true bar food, a simple New Orleans style Snakehead Po Boy sandwich…battered fried Cajun style on toasted French bread and Remolaude sauce. Alewife has teamed up with Baltimore brewer Stillwater Beer, to suggest beers for each dish.
The good news is Chef Wells is creating demand. The bad news…he can’t get enough to feature as a regular menu item. That could improve however as Maryland Department of Natural Resources is allowing commercial fishermen on the Potomac River to harvest the invasive, conditionally. They must be killed and iced down as soon as they are captured, leaving Wells only hours away from fresh fish. Seafood distributors are paying prices higher than other local water delicacies for Snakehead. It won’t be long before commercial fishermen put Snakeheads on the top of their harvest list, doing their part to control the population!
But in Virginia, there is no current mechanism for commercial anglers to sell their catch. One of the first to bite into Snakeheads is Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries biologist, John Odenkirk, who finds the fish tasty, personally dining on them 2-3 times a month! But he warns Virginia’s Snakehead policy remains they must be killed and if they are transported (dead only), Virginia must be notified on the Snakehead Hotline…(804-367-2925). “We are not going to legitimize the commercial aspect of the Snakehead, once legitimized, it becomes a commercial fish and there will be incentive for people to move them and we don’t want to condone that.” For now, Wells is relying on Maryland commercial fishermen for his table.
Why snakeheads? Why not? “Snakehead has been an idea I’ve had for a longtime. I'm into sustainable and natural food…even serving an invasive food chain dinner with what it is displacing.” Wells has been a Chef half of his 30 years and feels he is doing his part as an avid angler to reduce the Snakehead population and to encourage others in restaurants and at home to fry, broil and grill this delicious invasive. Expect Wells to feature Snakeheads on his menus, while supplies last…and from the look of the out-of-control population they just might end up being the “Catch of the Day” for a very long time!
Potomac River Bassing in October
Cooler temperature mean more active fish and the grass is dying fast. Find Hydrilla beds and work top waters like Lucky Craft G-Splash and walkers like the Gunfish. Keep the Gunfish moving even after misses. The topwater bite might last all day. Good evening bite.
Otherwise, try moving lures. Mann’s Baby 1-Minus in craw pattern under most conditions and shad patterns in clearer water. Work grass edges and shoreline cover like tree lay downs. Quantum’s KVD rod is built for long casts with Mann’s Baby1-Minus crankbaits, allowing fish to inhale baits with hook-setting backbone…aided by low-stretch fluorocarbon line! Hooks make a difference…new KVD Mustad Ultra Point short shank triple grips grab more fish and are angled to hold on! They also allow upsizing hooks one size. Bump cover for aggressive strikes.
Dock fishing is also good. Use Mizmo Swamp Monster creature baits and Mizmo tubes. For colors, junebug and black with red or blue flakes. Texas rig on 3/0 Mustad Ultra Point tube hooks. A good soaking in garlic flavor Jack’s Juice helps encourage fish to hold on longer. Finding scattered grass and submerged wood is key. Maui Jim polarized plus HCL lens sunglasses are best this time of the year.
For chatterbaits, attach a Mann’s HardNose jerkbait, use a stiffer rod…contacting grass is key! I make mine with Jann’s Netcraft components!
Capt. Steve Chaconas, Potomac bass fishing guide, BoatUS “Ask the Expert” ( HYPERLINK "http://my.boatus.com/askexperts/bassfishing/" http://my.boatus.com/askexperts/bassfishing/)
Potomac River reports: nationalbass.com. Book trips/purchase gift certificates: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
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