Striped snakehead (haruan)

A long, cylinder-shaped fish with a snake-like head covered in big scales, a large mouth with sharp teeth, and long dorsal and anal fins. Brown to gray-black on the back with dark diagonal bands on the sides and a pale belly.

1–3 lb.

About 3 ft and 6 lb or more.

Small fish, frogs, insects, worms and shrimp.

An air breather that can live in muddy, low-oxygen water and even bury itself in the mud in the dry season. Parents guard their fry in shallow, weedy water.

Found from Southeast Asia (Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam), Indonesia (Bali, Komodo, Raja Ampat, Sulawesi), Philippines, China, Hong Kong & Taiwan, India, Sri Lanka, Maldives & Pakistan and Hawaii. Rice paddies, swamps, canals, ponds, lakes and slow rivers from Pakistan and India to southern China, Southeast Asia and Indonesia; introduced to Hawaii and some Pacific islands.

Rice paddies, swamps, canals, ponds, lakes and slow rivers from Pakistan and India to southern China, Southeast Asia and Indonesia; introduced to Hawaii and some Pacific islands.

1–6 ft, in weedy shallows.

Surface to 5 ft.

All year; best in the rainy season when fields and swamps flood.

Dawn and dusk, and at night.

No tide in fresh water; rising or steady water levels after rain are usually best.

Warm, stable weather; the build-up before the wet season and calm, overcast days are excellent. Heavy rain muddies the water.

Live frogs, small fish and big worms.

Weedless frogs, small spinnerbaits, soft-plastic frogs and spoons.

6–7 ft medium-heavy baitcasting rod.

1/0–3/0 hooks.

20–40 lb braid.

30–40 lb monofilament.

Cast weedless frogs over lily pads and weed beds and twitch them slowly; wait a second after the strike before setting the hook.

Snakeheads often grab a frog and hold it for a moment: count to two before you strike.

Catch and release: wet your hands, keep the fish in the water when you can, and release it quickly. Use circle hooks and a dehooker.

Good eating when fresh.

Bleed and ice it right away. Fillet, then remove the skin and any dark bloodline.

Firm white meat, prized in Southeast Asia for soups (it's believed to help healing) and grilled whole.

Sharp teeth — use pliers. The fish is slippery and strong, so hold it with a wet towel.

Rules differ by country. Outside its native range (including Hawaii), moving or releasing live snakeheads is banned in many places. Rules differ by country: many lakes, reservoirs and fishing parks sell day permits, national parks and marine sanctuaries restrict or ban fishing, and some species are protected. Fish with licensed operators and check local rules.

A common food fish in its native range; take only what you need.