I was surprised when I reeled this guy in yesterday. I have never seen what I have been told is a bowfin in the Chattahoochee river. Is this fish in fact a bowfin? Is it a sport fish, a junk fish or an eater? If some one could give me the down low on bowfin or whatever this fish actually is I would surely appreciate it.

That is indeed a bowfin/grennel/mudfish.  All the same name.  Junk fish.  Bet you caught it on something white, and my first guess would be a spinnerbait!

 

Jeff

White 4" sassy shad on a 3/8 oz. white jig head. I was fishing for hybrid at the time. The hybrid can't resist that combination. It was cool to see something new, but the fish basically swam to the boat, not very exciting.

Catch them all day on blue worms here in central florida. Fun to catch... up until you realize it's not that 10lb LMB you were hoping for.

As far as eating... Bet there are some guys from Louisiana that will tell you they have eaten them before. Full of bones, so I've eaten them ground up into patties and deep fried. I'm originally from Louisiana, where we call it a choupique.

White 4" sassy shad on a 3/8 oz. white jig head. I was fishing for hybrid at the time. The hybrid can't resist that combination. It was cool to see something new, but the fish basically swam to the boat, not very exciting.

 

 

They are a sucker for something white around here.  Also they normally fight pretty hard.  What was the water temp?

 

Jeff

That's a mudfish alright. They get pretty big in the glades. Sometimes they hit like a bass and it get's my juices going until I feel the death roll. That's when I know it a mudfish. 

Mudfish and good to eat, a pain to clean though.

I don't have a thermometer on that boat 00. It was 55° a couple weeks ago so I'll say somewhere between 55-65°.

Hmmmm....should have been a fighter!  Cause thats a good size one!

 

Jeff

Grennel where im from and im shocked about the fight i caught a 17lb monster once and took me 30 mins to land it...I thought it was a monster Bass at first,then maybe a Gar,it fought like nothing i have ever hooked.

 

And white or silver is a favorite in Arkansas for them as well..Caught mine on a white and red Jitterbug..caught several others on big spinners with white skirts or Johnson red/white spoons.

Yea those bowfin are some strong fighting fish normally. Seems like the best way to catch one is to tie on a brand new spinnerbait lol.

That guy was all banged up and missing an eye. Maybe he has seen better days.

I love bowfin and wish i could catch them more...they are a blast and i am surprised he didn't fight.  the few i have landed put up crazy fights.  I am going to see if I can get one on the fly rod this year...

Heey never thought about that a fly rod..that would be crazy..down where im from i know where they hang out in Black River and Current River.....

 

Thats worth a trip home just to try that out..

thats a good ole grinnel right there son!

 

white spinnerbaits kill em down here....... I caught a 11 pounder one time when I first started fishing. Man what a fighter.

 

when you catch a big one like that, always weight it, and check your state record! Arkansas' is 16-17 pounds.

We call them dogfish or bowfin around these parts 

They are called "dogfish" in my area on the mississippi. Nobody ever believes me with the amount of time I have on the river when I tell them I have never caught a bowfin/dogfish.On the Mississippi river no less. I've been with people that have caught them.......I want to catch one......but the simple beast just eludes me.

Bowfin have a fan base that target them exclusively. Google Bowfin and you'll find some sites. One good thing about them is they'll bite well in the dog days of summer when the hot water slows some other things down. 

I have caught a couple out of small lakes in Wisconsin. Good fighters. I caught them basically deadsticking a trick worm trying to nab some suspended bass.

The first and only one I ever caught, nailed my top water frog and I then got all caught up in some slop. I was in a bass tournament at the time and thought I had won it for sure lol. Once I pulled it out of the muck I was like I don't understand is this? Then I saw it's teeth and was amazed I actually landed it. But a lot of people around here fish for them specifically, heavy line and steel leader, just toss out a dead minnow and let it rest on the bottom and you're almost guaranteed one.