Susquehanna Snakehead Fish - How Do They Taste?

This spring the fish elevator had to be prematurely shut down at the Susquehanna dam due to the number of Asian invasive snakehead fish found getting by the dam.  I decided after hearing much talk about them expanding their range, to try and catch one and see for myself if they were really as tasty as I have heard.

My son and I drove an hour and 1/2 to Havre DeGrace, Maryland and met up with my brother Chris who lived near the river and had a boat.  He does much fishing in the river flats below the dam for striped bass and catfish, but has never seen a snakehead before.  He was skeptical I could catch one to say the least.  I told him they like shallow weed beds and tend to prefer buzz baits and top water splashing lures.  I set up my young son with a weedless frog and I put on a buzz bait.  We stopped at the second weed bed he knew about and I hooked and landed our first snakehead!

We fished the rest of the day but only landed a few bass.  I was excited to cook this one up!

I was shocked when I finally got home at 9pm and the fish which had been out of water and sealed in a contractor trash bag in the back on my vehicle for many hours was still alive!  These things are tough and I later learned they can survive up to 4 days outside of water.  That would explain the excessive slime. 

The fish was a bear to fillet.  It was bloody and the scales were like plastic plates.  I soaked the fillets in some salt water overnight and they were a nice pink color and meaty. 

The next day for lunch after rinsing in fresh water, I fried the fillets in butter with just a little lemon pepper seasoning to taste what the true flavor of the fish was. 

The moment of truth came and I am really impressed. 

 

The meat was a little more firm in consistency, but the closest thing I can compare it to was cod.  It was white and mild.  I believe this fish has ranked number 2 in my book just behind fresh caught trout.  My wife refused to try it because of the name, and I didn't push her too hard as there would be more for me.  My son and I both loved it.  I think I will start referring to this fish by its the new name of "Chesapeake Cod". It is definitely one of my favorites.