is this a bowfin

[Nick Kuhn]

Fever, you may also be pointing out summer and winterkill lakes, in which case walleye pike and bass will never do well. Dogfish will as they can survive the low oxygen periods.

[bobbymalone]

They are quite adept at thriving in conditions not favorable for game fish, but filling a niche that is not available to sport fish doesn't necessarily mean they are bad for the population of those other fish.

Plenty of lakes have quality gamefish populations and a healthy population of bowfin as well.

[Fever]

Yeah, in somecases I agree with you on the winter kill thing. Last night I was on Stella near Hutchinson and caught one. It was all amped up and smashed a topwater in the pads after missing it twice. I received no other bites in the 3.75 hours I was there. That is very strange. It could be that I stink but most likely it is something else to do with the lake... anyway, not the point. I know they'll fill a niche when made possible by over harvest, poor water conditions, and winter kills. Typically Carp, sheephead, bull head, and catfish survive these conditions as well as they are not harvested or targeted near as often in our lakes. Big catfish on the river are a different story. I don't know what they (dogfish)taste like and I've never heard of anyone eating them but I'm sure that is another reason they've been able to, in some ways, out compete. I'm not a meat fisherman by anymeans and rarely keep fish other than pannies through the ice and a few walleyes in the spring. But I have noticed that on the lakes that have high populations of larger dogfish the other three species that I mentioned are fewer, and smaller. I'm quite certain that is NOT a coincidence. Whether it be man's fault for over harvesting pike or walleye or not. They simply are not good for sport fishing situations. How it got to that point is besides the point. What is the limit on them anyway... Probably isn't one I'm guessing. I'm really not sure.