How do you catch a bowfin?

[CALVINIST]

I want to get my 6 year old son onto one of these. How do you catch 'em?

[Ralph Wiggum]

They'll take pretty much anything, although I usually catch them by accident, or if I spot one and cast at it. It would be hard for one to pass up some cut bait, minnows, or a nightcrawler plopped near it. Look for them cruising amongst the weeds in shallow areas.

[hogsucker]

Bowfin inhabit many lakes in our region, as well as rivers and their backwaters. You could check out the DNR lake surveys to find a lake with a population of Bowfin, but often they don't sample well and numbers can be higher than they suggest. These fish prefer weedy shallows. Often you can cruise around slowly in a boat and spot Bowfin hanging in weed pockets. A lively shiner is probably the best overall bait for Bowfin. Free-line one around logs and in weed pockets in back bays, or rig up a float. I'd suggest a #4-1/0 circle hook. Make sure you use some kind of wire bite guard, as these fish have a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth. I have seen them swim up to a bait under a float, snip it off and swim away after hardly making the float twitch. Good luck! ~hogsucker

[CALVINIST]

Thanks so far! What is a wire bite guard?

[Ralph Wiggum]

A leader.

[catman71]

I some lakes I have a heck of a time keeping them OFF a plain old safety-pin style bass spinnerbait. WOW do they strike hard, make sure you have a few extra tho, once you catch a 5 pound dogfish on a spinnerbait you just throw it away....

[CALVINIST]

I'll be going out tonight with my boy to see if we can nail one or two. I have seen them cruising the shallows in a particular lake monday. For bait I'll be using those dead, preserved, anise scented emerald shiners you can find in the stores (hate dealing with live minnows). Put 'em under a float and very slowly retrieve in. That should work, eh?

[Muddog]

I've been catching alot of them on rattle raps. I caught 4, two over 8lb and had 4 get off. All in 2hours. Set the hook hard!! They have strong jaws and can hold the lure tight without the hooks setting.

[Dano_the_jigasaurus]

if you can see them i typically use a plastic worm on a jig or texas rig and dangle it right in front of their face. this typically does the trick.

[pisces]

Alls I know is that some of the biggest bass I have ever had on in my life turned out to be Dogfish!!

[fishtrapgirl]

Does anyone eat them things?

Me and my husband were fishing tonight and I caught 3 of the dang things myself.

Thanks,

fishtrapgirl

[Kurt Paulsen]

I haven't yet, but I have found some good recipes for them... I need to go out and catch one to try it now... I will get back to you on that.

[federline]

I caught a 5 pound dogfish out of Weaver Lake in Maple Grove last year while fishing lily pads with 3" weightless Gulp minnow grubs, pearl color on a brass aberdeen hook. As someone else mentioned here, their mouths and teeth are gnarly!!! My hook was trashed by the time we boated it. Loads of fun, especially considering all the sunnies, crappies and bass we caught leading up to it!

[Mr Special]

I usually catch them while bass fishing. But a med sucker about a 1'-2' under a float near weeds or lily pads will get them. We used to target them when I was younger, because them things put up a heck of a fight.

[Riverdude]

I target these up at my cabin, the best for me is use a big hook with a sucker and cut the the sucker up to get some scent in the water, this seems to really attract them.

[CALVINIST]

My 6 year old son Lucas finally caught a dogfish last night...22". Man, was that kid thrilled! How big do they get anyway?

[Maashkinoozhe]

The MN record is 10 lbs. 15 oz. The world record is 21-1/2 pounds, caught in South Carolina.

Dave D

[MidCoast]

I caught 2 of them at Bald Eagle lake in Mid-June...

[HuskerBen]

I caught a couple a Ft. Snelling last week. Both about six pounds. The cats weren't biting, and the bowfins saved from being skunked. Thank God for hungry, hard-fighting fish.

Ben

[Ralph Wiggum]

Here's one I caught last week. He pounded a wacky-rigged YUM Dinger. I'm pretty sure that he wasn't even hooked--he just wouldn't let go. When I got him in the net, the hook was not in him. My dad had never seen one, so I was glad that I finally got one with him in the boat. And, yes, he's still swimming .

[hanson]

Hey Ryan-

What ya looking at? Pleasure boat catch your attention.

Thats a nice fish. I personally hate the buggers. I was trying to land one for Dave down at Nokomis and the fish just freaked me out. Its fins were all turquise color. Pretty sure it was a spawning coloration but yuck!

[Ralph Wiggum]

Yeah, I don't know where I was looking. Might have been a nice-looking lady skiing by...I really don't remember I really think they're a cool fish.

[Spinner1]

Throw a black buzzbait in the tackle box too. Found this out while bass fishing. It will give you a cardiac when a bowfin strikes a buzzer. They will crush it.