How I Caught a Mama Giant Snakehead on a Spinnerbait

Watch the Catch

Watch the video of the catch on YouTube

This video shows the final part of the session, including the cast and the hook-up. What you don't see in the video are the hours of casting that came before it.

One Fish Can Still Be a Good Day

During Thailand's rainy season, catching only one fish can be considered a slow day.

But for me, one fish is still a good day.

It's fishing.

On this particular day, I spent around an hour and a half casting at the fryball before finally getting the mama giant snakehead to commit.

The interesting part wasn't simply catching the fish.

It was how I caught her.

The spinnerbait and the way I presented it into the fryball made the difference.

The Spinnerbait Technique

When targeting mama giant snakehead around a fryball, there are three main ways I like to fish a spinnerbait.

Each one gives the lure a different presentation, and depending on the depth, vegetation and behaviour of the mama, one can work much better than the others.

Technique 1: Cast Behind the Fryball

The first technique is to cast a short distance behind the mama and fryball.

Engage the reel and allow the spinnerbait to fall diagonally toward the fryball at roughly a 45-degree angle while keeping tension on the line.

The lure works its way down toward the fryball rather than dropping directly through the middle of it.

This can be useful when you want the spinnerbait entering the area from a slightly different angle.

Technique 2: Drop the Spinnerbait Vertically

The second technique is the one that worked for me on this trip.

Cast directly onto the fryball and don't engage the reel.

Allow the line to come freely off the spool so the spinnerbait can drop vertically straight down through the fry.

This was the technique that finally produced my fish.

The important part was allowing the spinnerbait to fall naturally through the fryball instead of immediately swimming it away.

Technique 3: Swim the Spinnerbait in Shallow Water

The third option is much simpler.

If the fryball is sitting in shallow water, cast toward it, engage the reel immediately and start swimming the spinnerbait.

You're essentially keeping the lure moving through or around the fryball rather than allowing it to fall vertically.

This can be effective when the water is shallow enough that there isn't much room for a long vertical drop.

Why the Vertical Drop Worked

On this particular day, the fryball was sitting over grassy and weedy water.

That made the vertical presentation particularly effective.

I would cast directly onto the fryball and let the spinnerbait fall.

It would drop through the fryball, continue down through the grass and eventually reach the mama sitting underneath.

That was when she would bite.

In deeper water, I find this presentation can be especially effective when there is vegetation below the fryball.

The spinnerbait isn't just passing over the top of the fish. It's getting down to where the mama is actually sitting.

She Didn't Bite Just Once

The interesting part of this catch was what happened immediately before the hook-up.

Once I had been casting for a long time, the mama finally started showing interest.

She probably bit the spinnerbait around ten times before I actually got her properly pinned by the hook.

That's an important part of fishing fryballs.

A fish showing interest doesn't always mean you're going to land it.

You can get repeated bites, follows and attempts without getting a solid hook-up.

So when the fish finally starts biting, you need to stay locked in.

Don't assume that the first missed bite means the opportunity is gone.

Don't Give Up on the Fryball

The video makes the catch look relatively straightforward.

Cast. Drop the spinnerbait. Hook the fish.

But that's not what actually happened.

There were hours of casting behind that final hook-up.

Even on the day itself, I spent around an hour and a half casting at this particular fryball before the mama finally started committing.

That's a lot of repetitive casting.

But sometimes that's what it takes.

These fish see plenty of fishermen during the fryball season. They can see the same types of lures being repeatedly cast toward them throughout the weeks.

Sometimes you have to be willing to stay with one fish longer than you normally would.

Josh’s Pro Tip

Don't change spots just because the first few casts don't produce a bite.

If you know the mama is there, give her time.

Change your presentation before abandoning the fish completely.

On this trip, the fish eventually started biting after a long period of repeated casts. Once that happened, I stayed focused and kept presenting the spinnerbait until I finally got the hook-up.

If I'd packed up and moved after the first few casts, I would have missed the fish completely.

Patience Is Part of the Technique

Targeting mama giant snakehead isn't always about finding the perfect lure.

Sometimes it's about getting the right presentation in front of the fish enough times that she finally makes a mistake.

On this day, the vertical drop through the fryball and into the grass was what worked.

But the technique alone wasn't enough.

I also had to keep casting.

That's the part that doesn't always make it into fishing videos.

The final catch might take 30 seconds to watch, but there can be hours of casting behind it.

Final Thoughts

Catching one fish during the rainy season might not sound like much.

But when that one fish is a mama giant snakehead you've spent hours targeting, it's a very good day.

The key to this particular fish was the spinnerbait presentation.

I used the vertical-drop technique, casting directly onto the fryball and allowing the spinnerbait to fall freely through the fry before continuing down into the grass.

The mama was sitting below, and that's where she was taking the lure.

She eventually started biting, hitting the spinnerbait repeatedly before I finally got a solid hook-up.

That's the biggest lesson from this session.

Don't give up just because the fish isn't biting immediately.

If the mama is there, keep working the fish and change your presentation when necessary.

Fishing isn't always about getting lots of bites.

Sometimes it's about being willing to make the same cast again and again until you finally get the one that counts.

If it were easy, it would be called catching. Not fishing.

FAQ

What spinnerbait technique worked best for this mama giant snakehead?

The vertical-drop technique worked best. I cast directly onto the fryball and allowed the spinnerbait to fall freely through the fry and down into the grass where the mama was sitting.

How long did you cast before catching the fish?

I spent around an hour and a half casting at the fryball before getting the hook-up, although the video only shows the final part of the session.

How many times did the mama bite before getting hooked?

She hit or bit the spinnerbait approximately ten times before I finally got a solid hook-up.

Which spinnerbait technique should you use in deeper water?

The vertical-drop technique can be particularly useful in deeper water with grass or other vegetation below the fryball, allowing the spinnerbait to reach the mama rather than staying near the surface.

Is catching one giant snakehead a slow day?

During Thailand's rainy season, catching only one fish can certainly be considered a slow day. But when you're specifically targeting a mama giant snakehead, spending hours on one fish and finally landing her is still a successful fishing day.