Species
Northern Snakehead
Channa argus · family Channidae
Live · updated
Invasive ambush predator, now established throughout the tidal Potomac and much of the Eastern Shore. Also marketed as "Chesapeake Channa" to encourage harvest. Explosive topwater strikes in lily pads and grass flats; hits frogs, Chatterbaits, and swimbaits.
Preferred conditions
- Water temp
- 55–85°F (ideal 75°F)
- Tide
- either
- Moon
- either
- Depth
- 2–10 ft
- Active months
- Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
Best northern snakehead conditions today
Blackwater NWR — Fishing Area
Occoquan Regional Park
Choptank River — Cambridge
Jug Bay — Patuxent River
Mason Neck State Park
Pohick Bay Regional Park
Leesylvania State Park
Chapman State Park
Friendship Farm Park
Chapel Point State Park
No locations match that filter.
Regulations by jurisdiction
Maryland (tidal)
Stale: last verified 51 days ago.
tidal bay
- Creel
- 0
Invasive species. No minimum size, no daily limit, open year-round. Illegal to possess, transport, or introduce alive in Maryland. Branded as "Chesapeake Channa" by MDDNR to encourage harvest and consumption.
Source · verified 2026-04-22
Potomac main stem (PRFC)
Stale: last verified 51 days ago.
tidal potomac
- Creel
- no daily limit
Potomac River main stem (PRFC): invasive, no size limit, no daily creel, open year-round. It is illegal to possess a live snakehead or to release any living snakehead — anglers must kill the fish immediately. The tidal Potomac is the epicenter of the mid-Atlantic snakehead fishery; Mattawoman, Pomonkey, and the Anacostia are the best-known hotspots.
Source · verified 2026-04-22
Virginia (non-tidal — VDWR)
Stale: last verified 51 days ago.
non tidal
- Creel
- no daily limit
Non-tidal VA: invasive, no size limit, no daily creel. Anglers must immediately kill any snakehead caught and notify VDWR headquarters or the regional office — unlike MD, VA treats snakehead as a "report" species.
Source · verified 2026-04-22