There's a new state record holder in Maryland for the largest snakehead catch

DORCHESTER COUNTY, Md. — Maryland has a new record holder for the largest Northern snakehead catch.

Damien Cook of Rhodesdale has been recognized by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources as a new state record holder after he caught the 21-pound fish on July 5 while fishing in a Dorchester County river.

Officials say the fish measured over 36 inches long and was weighed on a certified scale provided by Kool Ice Seafood in Cambridge. 

The species was then confirmed by a Maryland Department of Natural Resources biologist. 

Cook's catch beat the previous record of a 19.9-pound snakehead caught in 2018 by Andrew D. Fox while bow fishing in Charles County. 

Officials say Cook was kayak fishing with a custom baitcasting rod, 30-pound test-rated braided line, and a custom chatter bait he calls the “cooker” when he reeled in the large snakehead.

“Honestly I thought it was just your average 30-inch snakehead when I first hooked the fish,” Cook said. ”It pulled hard but I had the advantage of it being close and I got it in the net pretty quickly.”

Officials claim the Northern snakehead is an invasive species that is becoming common in Maryland's Chesapeake Bay tidal waters. 

Snakeheads have become popular for sportfishing in Maryland because they fight hard and strike traditional artificial lures that are often used for largemouth bass. Dorchester County’s tidal river system is just one spot among the state’s hotspots for snakeheads. 

For more information on snakeheads, visit the Department of Natural Resources website. The department encourages anglers to kill all snakeheads that they catch and reminds anglers it is illegal to transport a live snakehead.

The Department of Natural Resources is responsible for maintaining state records for sport fish in four divisions – Atlantic, Chesapeake, Nontidal, and Invasive. Anglers who think they have a potential record catch should download and complete a state record application and call 443-569-1398 to report a potential state record catch. 

The department recommends the fish be immersed in ice water to preserve its weight until it can be checked, confirmed, and certified.

WATCH NEXT: