Handling mudfish

[Muddy]

WELCOME TO BassResource.com

[Micro]

The Earth CAN NOT be only 6,000 years old.  Muddy has underwear that is over 1.7 billion years old.  So the Earth is at least that old.

[Muddy]

The Earth CAN NOT be only 6,000 years old. Muddy has underwear that is over 1.7 billion years old. So the Earth is at least that old.

 EXIBHIT A :

[Olebiker]

The Earth CAN NOT be only 6,000 years old. Muddy has underwear that is over 1.7 billion years old. So the Earth is at least that old.

EXIBHIT A

Geez, Dom, warn us first!  

[jeosbo01]

I just threw up a little  :'(

[BassinSoldier]

I just threw up a lot  :'(

[pokey]

I wish i never got this topic off track!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Daniel My Brother]

One final thought for what it's worth. If you consider these fish a threat to your waters, you don't have to waste them.

In parts of SE Missouri grinnel are considered a delicacy, and are the target species for many. The trick is to get the fish on ice quickly, which keeps the meat flakey. I know a lot of people would laugh at the idea of eating mudfish, but don't knock it 'til you try it.

[Bassin_Fin@tic]

i fish with a guy who has one of those arc dehookers, and he has it strictly for mudfish. when i fish, i can usually tell a mudfish bite from a bass bite and simply let the mud spit it out.

Wuhahaaahaahahaahhaa!

   

[mikey z]

Reviving this topic because I would actually like to know the proper way to hold these fish without hurting myself. I am absolutely of the opinion that they are awesome fish to catch because the fight is exciting and they are usually big. I want to be able to hold one up and snap a picture! 

 

I almost caught what looked like a 10 lb, but he snapped me off right as I was about to land him. I was trying to reach around into my backpack and grab my angler gloves when he did a big head shake and stole my crankbait. His mouth is pretty much permanently clamped shut because of the way he bit down on the trebles, for you guys who are not very fond of them lol...

 

I haven't had any luck searching Google or Youtube on how to hold them when you catch them. All I know is they have razor sharp teeth so lipping is obviously out of the question. But are there any spines or sharp gill plates I should look out for? 

[TnRiver46]

7 minutes ago, mikey z said:

Reviving this topic because I would actually like to know the proper way to hold these fish without hurting myself. I am absolutely of the opinion that they are awesome fish to catch because the fight is exciting and they are usually big. I want to be able to hold one up and snap a picture! 

 

I almost caught what looked like a 10 lb, but he snapped me off right as I was about to land him. I was trying to reach around into my backpack and grab my angler gloves when he did a big head shake and stole my crankbait. His mouth is pretty much permanently clamped shut because of the way he bit down on the trebles, for you guys who are not very fond of them lol...

 

I haven't had any luck searching Google or Youtube on how to hold them when you catch them. All I know is they have razor sharp teeth so lipping is obviously out of the question. But are there any spines or sharp gill plates I should look out for? 

He probably chewed up your crankbait and pooped it out before you made it home. I’ve grabbed them under the gills but I don’t know if it was a good idea or not, I only fish near them one week out of the year 

[mikey z]

@TnRiver46 ?I got so close to landing him I got a good look at how he ate it. One of the treble points was dead center behind his top lip all the way through what looked like tough cartilage, same as the bottom lip. I wish I could hook bass like that more often lol.

[soflabasser]

Everyone who bass fishes in a place with bowfin should have a fish gripper. It makes holding bowfin and removing hooks much easier. Bowfin are a native species of fish that have existed for millions of years. Pound for pound they fight harder than a bass so they are fun to catch. That is why I release every single bowfin I catch and will continue to do so.

[mikey z]

@soflabasser I have been fishing my neighborhood ponds for about a year and I have just recently been learning the true range of species besides largies. Black crappie, bluegill, shad, carp, catfish, now bowfin. Definitely gonna invest in a set of grippers for the muds. Thanks!

[billmac]

I don't like killing anything unless I'm going to eat it, or it is destroying property.  I've heard hunters talking about killing coyotes because they kill "their" deer.

 

There are lots of catch and cook bowfin videos out there.

[J Francho]

23 hours ago, mikey z said:

Reviving this topic because I would actually like to know the proper way to hold these fish without hurting myself.

Get a fish grip.  They work for pike and pickerel too.

https://www.thefishgrip.net/

 

 

[Choporoz]

Get a pair of jaw spreaders, too.  I always carry both.  Sometimes it takes grips, spreaders and pliers to get a big bowfin or snakehead off without inviting them into my kayak. 

[J Francho]

I've never used jaw spreaders. Ever.  Anyone got a video they can share of someone using them?  Preferably one where jaw spreaders was the only way.  I'm not knocking them, people seem to recommend them all the time, and I even had a set in my boat decades ago.  I just never needed them.  I must be missing something, or I just don't know the proper use.

[Bird]

I use fish grips for bass when a treble hook exists. 

 

We have several local campgrounds that have small ponds stocked with bowfin but they charge a weight fee. 

Fish in general have always been a preferred food growing up and at present and find bowfin tasty......beats killing them. 

[soflabasser]

On 3/15/2021 at 9:30 AM, mikey z said:

@soflabasser I have been fishing my neighborhood ponds for about a year and I have just recently been learning the true range of species besides largies. Black crappie, bluegill, shad, carp, catfish, now bowfin. Definitely gonna invest in a set of grippers for the muds. Thanks!

You are welcome @mikey z. I also recommend you use a landing net since it is very useful for large bowfin or places it is hard to use a fish gripper. Have landed many 28 inch or bigger bowfin this way.

[Ski]

On 10/4/2008 at 2:52 PM, J Francho said:

That is a myth.  If that was the case, then there would be no bass around here.

Or in Florida.

[Biglittle8]

On 3/15/2021 at 8:40 AM, mikey z said:

Reviving this topic because I would actually like to know the proper way to hold these fish without hurting myself. I am absolutely of the opinion that they are awesome fish to catch because the fight is exciting and they are usually big. I want to be able to hold one up and snap a picture! 

 

I almost caught what looked like a 10 lb, but he snapped me off right as I was about to land him. I was trying to reach around into my backpack and grab my angler gloves when he did a big head shake and stole my crankbait. His mouth is pretty much permanently clamped shut because of the way he bit down on the trebles, for you guys who are not very fond of them lol...

 

I haven't had any luck searching Google or Youtube on how to hold them when you catch them. All I know is they have razor sharp teeth so lipping is obviously out of the question. But are there any spines or sharp gill plates I should look out for? 

Very carefully!  I just hold around the body on smaller fish.