# lets talk bowfin



## sling2ling (Nov 14, 2013)

I have caught several small bowfin in a few of the range ponds and on certain golf courses in my younger days; all on accident. I would like to go after a bowfin in the 10-15lb range on artificial or even fly gear. 

so what do ya'll got? location? time of year? lures?...location?

any input appreciated.


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## Jaw Jacker (Jul 29, 2009)

Any dead lake off the river in July and August. Looking for 10 to 15# Alabama river or Tombigbee river. Crank bait crawfish orange, spinner bait yellow or the any bright colored plastic bait.


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## ThaFish (Feb 27, 2013)

Topwater/subsurface will do it as well. Chatterbaits or buzzbaits in bright colors light chartreuse, lime green, & bright orange.

They're a blast to catch! Great fighters. Good luck man!


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## AndyS (Nov 22, 2011)

sling2ling said:


> I have caught several small bowfin in a few of the range ponds and on certain golf courses in my younger days; all on accident. I would like to go after a bowfin in the 10-15lb range on artificial or even fly gear.
> 
> so what do ya'll got? location? time of year? lures?...location?
> 
> any input appreciated.


We used to call 'em "grinnels." Last time I caught one was last year in the Chunky River in east central Mississippi on a trot line.

What do you want 'em for? They're a trash fish (_unless you're wanting some "Cajun Caviar")_


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## sling2ling (Nov 14, 2013)

AndyS said:


> We used to call 'em "grinnels." Last time I caught one was last year in the Chunky River in east central Mississippi on a trot line.
> 
> What do you want 'em for? They're a trash fish (_unless you're wanting some "Cajun Caviar")_


I think they're pretty interesting, being the only species in their genus and their nearest relatives are the lungfishes. They're an evolutionary anomaly. they will all be strictly c&r but would really like to see a large one.

Thanks for all the input, catching one on top-water would fun.


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## jack2 (Mar 19, 2010)

i've never caught any over 2 lbs. be careful if you catch any that big.
they will break your rods and ruin your drag.

jack


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## Mike Moore (Feb 10, 2010)

When we were kids we always fished texas rigged black worms in lakes off the river that had little to no current flow. Biggest I recall catching was about 7 pounds.


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## jcoss15 (Oct 11, 2010)

Zoom trick worms in pink will not doubt catch some, but if your looking for big ones I would suggest a small live bream fished on the bottom of any lake or slough off the river...


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## Buckchaser (Jan 28, 2014)

I hate cotton fish... I hope you catch em all


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## auguy7777 (Feb 23, 2009)

in the past few years, i've caught more than 50 of those beasts on black trick worms from the coves on Yellow River above the Hwy 87 bridge. They are in there all the time. We caught some monsters just last month in December in those said coves. If you feel a thud and a slow pull of your line, its a freaking bowfin. Catch it, don't let it go back in the water.


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## sling2ling (Nov 14, 2013)

I didn't know there was so much hostility towards these fish, can anyone elaborate?


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## stauty trout (Jul 19, 2012)

If you hook into a big one... hope you have the gear for em... it's a very strong fish... like many have said ITT look for em when it's really hot in a slough off a river where the water doesn't really move... you'll even see em on the surface gulping air when the water gets real stagnant... much like a gar


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## jack2 (Mar 19, 2010)

as buckchaser alluded to, the cotton fish (bowfin, grinnel) is not so bad when you cook it and eat it immediately. if you wait until the meat cools, a tidbit of fish becomes a wad of cotton the longer you chew it and then you can't swallow it. i think carp would be a better choice if you really want to eat some fish that bad.
somebody else said you can see them gulping air. yep, that's because they are kin to the lungfish. they can breathe air or water.
and like the original poster said, they are a relic, a living fossil.

jack


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## jcoss15 (Oct 11, 2010)

One reason they're annoying to me is that when you hook a big one you first think it's a big bass, then a big jack, then you realize its a dang mudfish! After he has destroyed your spinnerbait or broke the lip off your crankbait you will wish he had not bite in the first place. But if your targeting them just for fun and have the right gear they are great fighters...


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## CatHunter (Dec 31, 2008)

I have a few spots on Escambia River that you would get sick of catching them. I generally don't post about anything but catfish but we catch all sorts of strange stuff on these rivers. I love throwing big lures bouncing them around then setting the hook into big nasty bowfins. I didn't think anyone else was interested in them. Hell right now we are slamming Bullreds...They are no catfish, but still a fun but Short lived fight..


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## gastonfish (Mar 24, 2012)

They will bunch up in early spring in the slews off the river. No problem catching all you want.


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## CatHunter (Dec 31, 2008)

gastonfish said:


> They will bunch up in early spring in the slews off the river. No problem catching all you want.


They are bunched up now in the channels in the slews in anything 15-20 feet deep. Gars are right there with them..


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## sling2ling (Nov 14, 2013)

CatHunter said:


> They are bunched up now in the channels in the slews in anything 15-20 feet deep. Gars are right there with them..



Cat, would love to get some more info from you, or even join you.
like I said im strictly catch and release, and a good ways away so unable to spot-burn you. let me know.


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## chad403 (Apr 20, 2008)

How do they get in ponds and lakes?


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## jack2 (Mar 19, 2010)

chad403 said:


> How do they get in ponds and lakes?


flooding or birds eat the young with eggs.

jack


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## CatHunter (Dec 31, 2008)

They get there from Floods..


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## NoMoSurf (Oct 2, 2007)

CatHunter said:


> They get there from Floods..


Yep, and many of the dead oxbow lakes that they live in used to be part of the rivers before they were cut off from the main channel


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## stauty trout (Jul 19, 2012)

NoMoSurf said:


> Yep, and many of the dead oxbow lakes that they live in used to be part of the rivers before they were cut off from the main channel


I got some hunting property in Mississippi that has an old Oxbow lake on it... it's 16 acres and holds some stuff you'd never think you'd catch in a lake in So. MS


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## firespan1 (Sep 7, 2011)

*Stuff?*

O.K. I'll bite-------What kind of Stuff?


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## CatCrusher (Jan 18, 2009)

firespan1 said:


> O.K. I'll bite-------What kind of Stuff?


That's what I was wondering myself.


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