If You Catch This Fish in Washington State, Kill It Immediately

Washington State is great for fishing. We have several lakes and ponds and streams all perfect for catching fish.

There is one fish, however, that if you catch it, don't release it -- kill it.

And not just kill it.

The NYIS wants you to kill it, freeze it, and report it so they can step in and take care of that area to prevent it from happening again.

What is this invasive fish that needs to be killed on sight?

This is the Northern Snakehead Fish.

As you can see, named as such as the head and even narrow body and pattern resemble that of a snake.

More terrifying is that they can even slitter up on land and survive for a few days out of water.

This is an invasive species from Asia that has found its way here and could be troublesome for our environment. The idea that this type of fish could be troublesome to our local, existing fish population as well as the ecosystem surrounding that area.

Not just discovered in lakes or ponds but it is also considered a prohibited animal so it also can't be purchased or obtained in Washington State for any reason.

According to the Washington Invasive Species Council, this hasn't been spotted in Washington State, yet. One was caught near the Canadian border but these are mostly found on the eastern side of the United States as of now.

But you never know.