Best Live Bait for Snakehead

Fishing for snakehead has exploded in popularity since their first introduction to the United States in 2002. The exotic species have gone from something anglers feared to a highly sought after sport fish. That’s right, due to their aggressive nature and large size snakehead fishing has surged in popularity. In addition to all of that they also taste great!  Snakehead are predatory fish that you can catch on a wide variety of lures and baits. If you want to learn more about the best lures for catching snakehead then check out our post here. However, sometimes the best way to entice a monster snakehead is to use the most realistic lure possible AKA actual live bait. So we decided we should compile a list of the best live bait for snakehead fishing.

Snakehead are voracious predators that will strike at nearly anything that moves. Even though they aren’t picky eaters, some live bait is notably better for getting that once in a lifetime snakehead. We’ve been catching snakehead pretty much since they first appeared in the Potomac River system and from our experience, these are the best live baits to use for trophy snakehead.

1. Banded Killifish: A few years ago the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries conducted a survey of northern snakehead to learn more about their diet and behaviors. They found that the most common prey for snakehead was the Banded Killifish. Banded killifish are often hard to find in bait shops so you’ll need a cast net if you want to use them. Using a cast net to get bait is great because the minnows you catch are the exact same species the larger fish in your area are feeding on. It also avoids introducing any non-native minnows to the ecosystem. If you live close to a body of water you can also set a minnow trap overnight. We like to use this type, but most minnow trap models will get the job done.

   

2. Golden Shiner and Fathead Minnows: These two species of minnow are usually some of the most readily available at your local bait shop. This means they’re a great go-to when you don’t have time to cast net for your own bait.

   

3. Shad Minnows: Shad minnows are a good choice during the shad spawning season. The best way to get your hands on these is to use a cast net. If you haven’t noticed, learning to throw a cast net is definitely a good fishing skill to have in your tool bag.
4. Live bluegills: Bluegills are pretty abundant in almost all bodies of freshwater. These means they have a solidified spot on the food chain for larger fish. Bluegills are top tier bait for monster bass and they work just as well for snakehead. Bluegills are a very lively and hardy fish, so they’ll last a while on your hook.
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5. Frogs: If you have the stomach for it, live frogs also make great snakehead bait. Frogs are a common inhabitant of the vegetation that snakehead like to lurk below. So if you can get a live frog in the right place, you’re almost guaranteed to hook up with a big snakehead. The best place to hook your frog is through one of the forelegs. This allows the frog to still swim in its natural motion with a strong hind leg kick.

One notable difference between bass and snakehead fishing is the effectiveness of crayfish as a live bait. Bass will go crazy for any crayfish that you throw at them. Snakehead, on the other hand, don’t attack these quite as often. Most of the crayfish in Virginia live in rocky bottom streams which are just about opposite of where you find most snakehead. That’s not to say that you couldn’t get a snakehead to go after a crayfish though. Just that they are not the ideal bait if you have other options.

Live Bait Fishing Gear

Once you’ve determined what type of live bait you’re going to use, it’s critical that you set up your rig with the right fishing gear.

Don’t forget that you’ll want to use a braided line setup to ensure your line doesn’t snap in the heavy vegetation you’ll be fishing.

The Octopus Hook and the Circle Hook are the two most popular hook types for live bait fishing. These hook styles have a wide gap so that they better fit your bait.

How To Rig Your Minnows

There are many different ways to set your minnows on the hook and everyone has their own favorite method. For snakehead fishing, we recommend either hooking the minnow through both lips or on its back just past the dorsal fin. Placing the hook on the front lips allows the minnow to have a more natural swimming motion. Hooking it on the back helps the minnow stay lively longer. Just make sure that you don’t damage the spine of the minnow with the hook. The back method is good to use when you are fishing the minnow under a float.

Live bait is one of the best ways to land yourself a trophy snakehead. Not to mention fishing with live minnows you caught yourself with a cast net is always a great feeling. If you don’t always have time to get live bait, but still want to get some quick fishing in, check out our top snakehead fishing lures guide.  Good luck out there and catch some snakehead!