Bowfin/ Grinnal

[Aaron_H]

Only caught a couple of them in the 3-5lb range, they definitely fight way above their weight class. Like others said, once the initial disappointment of not having a huge bass on the line wears off, you can appreciate how much of a fun fish they are. I fully maintain that if they weren't so toothy and were more acrobatic, they'd be a top game fish in the US.

[volzfan59]

6 hours ago, Aaron_H said:

Only caught a couple of them in the 3-5lb range, they definitely fight way above their weight class. Like others said, once the initial disappointment of not having a huge bass on the line wears off, you can appreciate how much of a fun fish they are. I fully maintain that if they weren't so toothy and were more acrobatic, they'd be a top game fish in the US.

I was one heck of a fight, both times! 

[soflabasser]

Good subject! Bowfin are by far one of the most underrated gamefish in the country. Pound for pound they fight harder than a black bass, are eager biters, hit the same lures a bass hits, and can grow to over 10 pounds in weight.

On 2/15/2022 at 4:42 PM, gimruis said:

Their jaws are like a vice.  Extremely powerful.  My Father caught a sizable one muskie fishing once on a large double bladed bucktail spinner.  It completely swallowed the lure.  Well once he got it boat side, he shoved the jaw spreader in there to open its mouth in order to use a pliers to remove the hooks.  That thing shut its mouth with the jaw spreader inside lol.

Bowfin have powerful jaws so I am not surprised the bowfin your father caught closed the jaw spreader

On 2/15/2022 at 7:14 PM, flyfisher said:

I've always wanted to catch one in spawning colors too...they turn almost a fluorescent green.

I have caught bowfin with spawning colors, the green color you mentioned is more beautiful in person that what you see in a photo or video.

23 hours ago, Aaron_H said:

Only caught a couple of them in the 3-5lb range, they definitely fight way above their weight class. Like others said, once the initial disappointment of not having a huge bass on the line wears off, you can appreciate how much of a fun fish they are. I fully maintain that if they weren't so toothy and were more acrobatic, they'd be a top game fish in the US.

I have caught many gamefish in my life and I consider bowfin a gamefish. That is why I am grateful for every bowfin I catch, they are an awesome fish.

[volzfan59]

Thanks to everyone for the great replies! I'm going to have to head back to that creek soon  Does anyone know the spawning season for bowfin?

[TnRiver46]

1 minute ago, volzfan59 said:

Thanks to everyone for the great replies! I'm going to have to head back to that creek soon  Does anyone know the spawning season for bowfin?

61-66 degrees 

[soflabasser]

21 hours ago, volzfan59 said:

Thanks to everyone for the great replies! I'm going to have to head back to that creek soon  Does anyone know the spawning season for bowfin?

Bowfin spawning season is different depending on where you are fishing for bowfin. I have noticed that bowfin I caught with spawning colors were between December-April in the Everglades. In Northern States bowfin often spawn in the Spring or early Summer.

[Basser2021]

The question I have is: Will bowfin be more aggressive or less aggressive when they are spawning?

[TnRiver46]

1 hour ago, Basser2021 said:

The question I have is: Will bowfin be more aggressive or less aggressive when they are spawning?

I’ve never seen one that I would describe as “less” aggressive . Imagine a pit bull on meth

[flyfisher]

6 hours ago, volzfan59 said:

Thanks to everyone for the great replies! I'm going to have to head back to that creek soon  Does anyone know the spawning season for bowfin?

Right about the time bass are spawning from what I have read

[basscrusher]

4 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

I’ve never seen one that I would describe as “less” aggressive . Imagine a pit bull on meth

Very Tennessee analogy lol.  Sorry couldn't resist, my dad's side of the family is from east Tennessee mountains 

[flyfisher]

5 hours ago, Basser2021 said:

The question I have is: Will bowfin be more aggressive or less aggressive when they are spawning?

I can count on one hand the number I have seen that didn't hit a bait thrown their way.  When I target them specifically, I am sight fishing and they seem to be mean scoundrels and hit stuff just to hit it

[scaleface]

On 2/15/2022 at 4:26 AM, TnRiver46 said:

They will destroy anything and everything! I don’t know of any in TN except a few below nickajack dam and I’m sure there are some in Mississippi River backwaters 

I caught one at Reelfoot . 

 

I use to catch a lot around here but dont fish the same waters as I use to . They really like the oxbows .

[clayton86]

They destroy baits usually. One the creeks by me is always loaded with them right at the mouth of it and Lake Ontario. I’ve got a love hate relationship with them. Love the fight hate that they trash the bait usually requiring new hooks or tossed and when it’s what the bass are crushing to and your last/only one it definitely blows. 

[cyclops2]

Bingo on those speedsters. I see them in the morning in pools that are barely covering their black bodies. Smart They sit at the sunrise end looking at the west end.  Any fish would not see them with sun & glare . I put them as a fresh water Bull Shark in attitude. The first lipping is the last. I have walked to 5' near them. They do not move. That shallow red rock pool is their lunch box.

[michaelb]

One of my goals is to hook up with a bowfin sight fishing on shallow flats on lake Champlain on my kayak. That should be quite the ride (and I probably lose that battle). They cruise along the shoreline. Yes they love spinnerbaits and will break or straighten them out. They love senkos and always 100% of the time break my line on my senko rig. 
 

we catch off them our dock/shore using cut bait like a fish head on treble sitting on the bottom. Leaders/braid heavy rods. Since I rarely keep fish to clean i also use a piece of hotdog wrapped in bacon. 

[soflabasser]

19 hours ago, Basser2021 said:

The question I have is: Will bowfin be more aggressive or less aggressive when they are spawning?

I have noticed that bowfin are eager biters throughout the year in Florida. From what I researched bowfin are eager biters wherever they are found. Many members here gave excellent suggestions on how to catch bowfin, soft plastics and spinnerbaits are good lure choices for them.

On 2/15/2022 at 8:48 PM, Catt said:

FYI you don't need shallow muddy back waters, they thrive quite well in clear colder waters like Toledo Bend or Rayburn.

Bowfin are able to live in more places than just calm muddy back waters. I have caught bowfin near spillways with strong currents and I have caught bowfin in water with +10 feet visibility which most would consider clear water for freshwater.

[gim]

Up here in MN they are also called Dogfish.  I have a friend who I fish with several times per season and when one of us hooks a Bowfin, the other one starts making "barking" noises lol.

 

Between the dozens of small, aggressive pike, and the occasional nasty Bowfin, its sometimes difficult to get a lure past all these teeth that even presents the opportunity for a bass to bite.  And I'm not exaggerating either.

[Deephaven]

30 minutes ago, gimruis said:

Up here in MN they are also called Dogfish.  I have a friend who I fish with several times per season and when one of us hooks a Bowfin, the other one starts making "barking" noises lol.

Ha, we do the same.  Then taunt each other on the loss of the lure.

 

That being said, I did catch a 6 lber on a jig on Lake Independence and managed to land it without any damage to the jig.  I got to bark back on that one.

[gim]

56 minutes ago, Deephaven said:

Ha, we do the same.  Then taunt each other on the loss of the lure.

 

LOL its only funny when it happens to the other guy.  You won't see me laughing when it happens to me.

[Deephaven]

2 minutes ago, gimruis said:

 

LOL its only funny when it happens to the other guy.  You won't see me laughing when it happens to me.

Let's go fishing together, I will laugh for you ?

[Kayak Fishin]

Coolest thing I've ever seen...

I was maybe 10 years old at my aunt's lake house. Morning fishing on the dock. Bright, calm and sunny morning. Short early summer weeds. Could see 100 feet out. My brother had a bowfin that looked like it was running from the cops come and absolutely destroy his chartreuse baby 1- crank bait. The bait literally shattered in slow motion in the water. Since then whenever I go there, I'll spend some time targeting them. They are very under rated fish. Especially in a kayak!

[GreenPig]

I've shot a pile of them and even with a 2,000 grain Muzzy tipped arrow in them they fight. 

Bowfin on the left side.

[Captain Phil]

Many years ago I was fishing with a buddy in the Everglades when I came upon two teen aged boys fishing in a Jon boat.  This is the story they told me.   They told me they had caught a mud fish and were playing with it by letting the fish run on the line then taking turns cranking it in.  On one of the runs the mud fish got hung on the bottom.  They went to get their line unhooked when they saw that a gigantic bass had the mud fish sideways in it's mouth.  The bass wasn't hooked, so they weren't able to catch it.  They both seemed somewhat shaken by the experience and I had no reason to doubt their story.  I always wondered how big that bass was?

[river-rat]

We have more than our share of bowfin, or as CATT pointed out we call them choupique (shoe-pick), in the Atchafalaya Basin and Lake Verrett area in south Louisiana. I've caught them 12 months out of the year. 

 

While they may not be good to eat there is a market for their eggs. The product is called American Bowfin Caviar. Supposedly it's very good, although I've never tried it.

[TnRiver46]

12 hours ago, riverat said:

We have more than our share of bowfin, or as CATT pointed out we call them choupique (shoe-pick), in the Atchafalaya Basin and Lake Verrett area in south Louisiana. I've caught them 12 months out of the year. 

 

While they may not be good to eat there is a market for their eggs. The product is called American Bowfin Caviar. Supposedly it's very good, although I've never tried it.

?