Heavy Cover Fishing for Snakeheads 101

I was introduced to Snakehead fishing around the first half of 2008 by none other than Bong Chua --  our Snakehead expert and the man who started snakehead fishing using lures in PH,. It was during that time when I started lurking a fishing forum called FilipinoAnglers.org and that's where I first learned that you can actually catch snakeheads using lures. The most famous lure back then was Bong's hand-made spinner-bait. The lure caught snakeheads of all sizes. Heck, it even caught other species such as Barramundi, tilapia, and threadfin herring. Wanting to learn about snakehead fishing on lures from no other than the best, I pm'd Bong to buy some of his lures. I didn't realize that he's my neighbor and he lives just a block away. That's when I started hanging out with him and learned about the snakehead fishing techniques and lures.

Back then, I mostly caught snakeheads in open water using Bong's spinners. Bong on the other hand, was also able to catch them using solid body frogs. I wanted to try them but he had no spares and not a single tackle shop in the country sells snakehead lures let alone frogs. The frogs he used were a couple of really old Harrison Hoge Superior Frogs. I think they are now called Panther Martin Superior frogs. From the looks of the lures he was using, (the legs had been glued, replaced, and repaired for god knows how long) they were probably at least 30 years old.  Although old and tattered, the snakeheads loved them. The topwater explosion when a snakehead lunges at them was unforgettable. Because the frogs were not available anywhere in the country, my obsession about these lures became worse. Ordering overseas was a pain at that time.

Harrison Hoge Superior Frog (pic borrowed from Bassmaster.com)

Sometime a bit later, online lure shops started offering International shipping and that changed everything. We found what frogs that were available online and how to order them. I believe I ordered and tried whatever was available online at that time.

Whenever a new set of frogs arrive, Bong and I would meet in our secret-but-not-so-secret spot called 'kangkungan". It's a stinky swampland near our village. Although it was full of vegetation in very little water, it has lots of snakeheads. The only game to be had there was topwater fishing using weedless frogs. After months of testing different frogs, I was convinced that were only 2 that really delivered -- Boze Sumo frogs and Spro Bronzeye frogs. The rest were pretty much inferior compared to these 2. To be honest, I stopped buying other brands. I got a few other brands but they rarely catch anything.

October 2008, snakeheads from the Kangkungan

Aside from learning what I can about the new frogs, I tried some of the the rods, reels, lines, and leaders that were perfect for that type of fishing. From the lowly kangkungan, we tried other spots nearby. Because of the new frogs, we were able to fish the heaviest swamps that you can find and we were able to catch the snakeheads. With the the help of FilipinoAnglers online forum, dalag fishing became popular. A lot of people would fish for snakeheads using spinners and frogs all over the country. Different groups even organized a few tournaments in honor of the sport. It was a blast and a lot of people were into it.

Around three or four years ago, snakehead fishing lost it popularity. Perhaps when saltwater shore fishing and UL fishing became a big trend. I think it also coincided with the rise of Facebook and the slow downfall of online forums in the country. Because of that, I sold most of my snakehead rods and reels and lures.

Last year, the game became a hit once again thanks to our friends from HCG Pampanga. It is now called Heavy Cover Game, inspired by Japanese Heavy Cover anglers for Northern Snakeheads. Almost a decade after, more young anglers are taking a liking to fishing for snakeheads. Fishing tournaments were held and more are being planned in the future. I am so happy that more angler are picking up the game and I even started joining a couple tournaments (with great success if I may add ;-)) and started buying rods and lures once again. I hope the trend continues and we keep on catching and releasing them so we can still enjoy them in the future.

After 9 years of fishing for snakeheads, here are some of the gear that would I recommend  if you want to get started.

Rods - 6'6" up to 8' Heavy baitcasting rods. Longer if you frequently fish relatively open spaces. Shorter for tight spaces. My preference is at least 7' rods with 12-30lb rating. Why heavy? Heavy rods will make sure that those big hooks from frogs will penetrate the tough haw of snakeheads -- specially the big ones. It is also needed to deliver the muscle to pull the snakeheads out of the weeds when hooked. This won't force you to wade into the water when you hook a big one. Trust me, I have had  a few close calls when wading -- I didn't realize that the water was deep or the mud was really thick. Drowning is always a possibility when fishing swamps/marshes. Make sure the rod is light enough -- 130g-150g if you can find one. Lighter rods allow you to fish longer and cast more frequently. I prefer a rod with Fuji ECS reel seat when using low profile reels or Fuji ACS if using round reels.

After wading in neck deep water, I was able to land this beast. If I had a heavier setup, I probably would be able to land it without wading.

Reel - Baitcasting setup is what I recommend. It allows you to cast accurately and has more power when pulling out those snakeheads from heavy cover. Low profile or round reels in the 100 size is enough. 200 size is also ok but the smaller and lighter the better. You don't need a lot of line anyway. Lighter means more time casting. A reel with a speed is 6.3:1 up to 7.9:1 is recommended. Too fast and it loses torque. Too slow and it will take a lot of cranking to get the frog back for the next cast.

Ryoga 2020HL on a 7'6" Daiwa Flippin Stick

Line - Definitely braid! X8 (8-strand) is nice but not necessary. X4 (4-strand) should be adequate. The problem with braid in heavy cover is that it frays easily because of the smaller strands. This means you need to trim the braid every so often to remove the frayed sections. Otherwise, you will lose those precious frogs. One solution to minimize the length of frayed braid is to use longer shock leaders. A meter to meter and a half is ok. Tip: The make sure that the knot between the leader and main line does not reach the reel's line guide when in casting position. This will prevent backlash during casting.


Leaders - I recommend mono shock leaders. 30lbs for regular vegetation such as kangkong (water spinach), lilies, or lotus. Use 40lbs if there are sharp grasses and sticks. Flouro is ok but they are expensive. Besides, there is no need to hide the leader from the fish when your lures are on top water. For Philippine-based anglers -- check out Goodcatch Fishing's bulk Sufix Superior Shock leaders. They are in rolls (not in spools) and they come in 100m lengths. The spool are making the line more expensive. Just buy the unspooled line and spool them on used spools. Anyway, Sufix Superior shock leaders in bulk are cheap and reliable. I have been using them for god knows how long and they never failed me. In Japan, they don't use leaders. They tie their frogs directly to the braid main line. Probably because braid is cheap in Japan. :-).

Lures - Spro Bronzeye 65. Buy a Spro if you don't mind spending the extra coin and select the size 65 if you are only after the big ones and don't want the small snakeheads to bite. Get a Spro Bronzeye 60 if you don't care what size of snakehead bites. Boze Sumo frog if you want a cheap frog that performs like a Spro. It only has one size and weight-- same as a Spro 65. You are lucky if you can find a Boze Sumo frog somewhere. I think they are out of the market already. (Dear Boze Sumo manufacturers, I hope you are reading this. Please continue to make them and sell them in Asia. PLEASE! Forget BASS, they are candies for Snakeheads!). Hard bodied frogs from Thailand are also ok but in my experience, they are more suited in light cover or open water. They snag often and then hookup ratio is not that great. A snakehead needs to hit exactly the hook to get a solid hookup unlike hollow-bodied frogs. When you do get a hookup, the weed-guard would open up and snag more weeds making it hard to land the fish.

Others - I stopped using Snap Swivels or other swivels. I just tie the leader directly to the lure using enhanced Uni-knot or clinch knot. I have had occasions when snaps would give way when the snakehead rolls after they are hooked. When a snap gets twisted, it will eventually fail. In addition to that, snaps will snag on vegetation. When they snag on a tough grass or stick, they will fail. Get a decent waders. Hip waders with rubber boots will do. It protects your leg from creepy crawlies (bugs, snails, snakes, and worms) and keep your feet dry. Also, don't forget a decent polarized eyewear. It protects you eyes from the sun and roque lures. Happened to me once or twice. When setting the hook, the snakehead spits out the frog and it came flying back to my face. The eyeglass saved my eyes from a lot of pain. Knots? main line to leader -- try to learn how to tie an Aussie FG knot. It is faster to make and does not snag on vegetation. Lure to leader: enhanced Uni or Clinch.

The 60lb snap gave way when the snakehead rolled after hook up.

Basic Techniques --  Learn to fan-cast! It will allow you to cover more water. Fan-cast at least thrice before moving to another spot. When there is a strike, I always count 1-2 seconds before I set the hook. Faster and you will not be able to set the hook properly. Slower and you will allow the snakehead to dive in deep cover. Tip: Snakeheads seems to start feeding when the sun is up and the temp is a bit higher.  This means it is not necessary to fish really early. (This does not apply to Tomans). Also, monster snakeheads seem to feed just before dark. :-)


My goal right now is to find the perfect replacement for my last 2 Boze Sumo frogs and my last Spro frog that I lost during the last tournament a couple of weeks ago. If you have something in mind, let me know! So, go out there! Fish and release!