Bowfin are said to hit on anything from what i understand but are notorious for getting off the hook. i watched one in tennesee hit my minnow and take off only to spit the hook when i got him close.
FISHING SEASON 09!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Thread starter cichlid fiend
- Start date
the best and most effective way to fish for bowfin is with large live bait. In the spring tho they will be shallow and on the feed but as soon as it warms they look for cooler water if theres some around like say a creek mouth.
Dreamsofpeace54;3636254; said:
The best way to hook a Bowfin is in the corner of the mouth as bowfins have a boney and strong mouth which is extremely difficult to penetrate with a hook. As I stated before I have had Lg. Bonfins break or snap hooks, like Gamakatsu 7/0 Octopus Hooks, that didn't hit there sweet spot in the corner of the mouth. These fish can grow big and they are mean and great fighters. Note never place ones fingers in the mouth of a Bowfin, they can do serious damage.
It's only a few spots I know of that have bowfin in it. From my stand point if they are feeding they will hit any and everthing moving fast just like chain pickeral.
Ive only had one ran in with them. Big bruh and I pulled over on rt 129 to fish this nicely secluded body of water. So he is using a senko and I'm using the spinny. So ever cast I make I see and feel some smacking the spinny super hard. Then I finally hook into one but it get off. So at that point Im thinking it's CP's that are bitting. After getting a bite on every cast I finnally get a good enough hook set and what do i pull up, something I never seen before. So I ran back to he car and pull out the NJ fishing rules book and go to the back page where it shows thre type of fish to watch out for. I thought it was a snakehead at first but it turne out to be a fiv pound bowfin. We still didn't return it back to the water, instead big bruh tried killing it but after three stabs to the face it still didn't die.
I have the picture of it, I'll post it once I get home.
Ive only had one ran in with them. Big bruh and I pulled over on rt 129 to fish this nicely secluded body of water. So he is using a senko and I'm using the spinny. So ever cast I make I see and feel some smacking the spinny super hard. Then I finally hook into one but it get off. So at that point Im thinking it's CP's that are bitting. After getting a bite on every cast I finnally get a good enough hook set and what do i pull up, something I never seen before. So I ran back to he car and pull out the NJ fishing rules book and go to the back page where it shows thre type of fish to watch out for. I thought it was a snakehead at first but it turne out to be a fiv pound bowfin. We still didn't return it back to the water, instead big bruh tried killing it but after three stabs to the face it still didn't die.
I have the picture of it, I'll post it once I get home.
Why'd he try to kill it? 
And anyway...stabbing a fish in the face is not an effective way to dispatch it. The back of the skull is a much more effective place, and I imagine Bowfin having very thick skulls.
And anyway...stabbing a fish in the face is not an effective way to dispatch it. The back of the skull is a much more effective place, and I imagine Bowfin having very thick skulls.
Bottomfeeder;3638341; said:Why'd he try to kill it?
And anyway...stabbing a fish in the face is not an effective way to dispatch it. The back of the skull is a much more effective place, and I imagine Bowfin having very thick skulls.
Yes, the head seemed very solid, almost like a shell.
Im not sure if I already put this picture on this thread but anyway here goes my one experience with bowfin!!
cichlid fiend;3638575; said:
What did this fish ever do to you and or your buddy "big bruh", I think he needs a life or maybe a shrink or both. Mudfish aka Bowfins are native to most US waters, why kill it or try too for no reason, why not just kill a Bass then!
Wats up my fellow fishing fiends!!!
Cause of these stupid ressision I'm off of work early AGAIN. But anyway I'm just venting alittle. Thank GOD I'm on my way to a decent size side job!!
I went out to assunpink for five hours on Saturday and didn't even have one single bite. I'm thinking that all if anymore fishing for me will be from the shore. I think fishing for me is closing for the year. After thinking tho, assunpink hasn't really been good for me this year, so I might try one more trip on the boat this weekend.
As much as I hate to admit I think fishing is over for me but please dont stop posting ur experiences for the rest of the year. If I don't go out anymore, I'll see y'all in February with " FISHING SEASON 2K10"
Tequila;3639205; said:What did this fish ever do to you and or your buddy "big bruh", I think he needs a life or maybe a shrink or both. Mudfish aka Bowfins are native to most US waters, why kill it or try too for no reason, why not just kill a Bass then!
With ur aggressive word play I figured we would bump heads sooner or later. On the topic tho, I don't care what people say about bowfin, they might beable to live with bass and other native fish but they are making it hard for them.
EX-1
I was fishing white city lake in Trenton, NJ in 07. It was spawning season and no lie I watched a school of 6 bass from 2-3lbs protecting one bed. Why cause the bowfin swiming around eating all their eggs are 2-3 times bigger and 200% more agressive.
EX-2
Every lake that bowfin have become abundant. All other species have become harder to catch.
I'm not tring to justify killing any fish that I'm not goin to eat but bowfin, snakeheads, and all other fish like them are not good for the bass population. That's just my OPINION and what I have noticed from my fishing spots over the last four years.
BTW- I'll never kill a bass on purpose or eat one for that matter!!!!
Crappie tho, I'll eat every one I catch!!!!
LOL!!!!!!
PS- " big bruh" is my oldest sibling!!
CF, I respect you a lot but I do not agree with your take on Bowfin. If Bowfin challenge Bass populations in waters where the two of them are native and naturally exist, or are stocked by the DEC, then it is either natural or is known that it will not have adverse effects. And even if you DO want to kill a fish, a quick and painless death is the way to go...enter length of PVC pipe or wooden souveneir bat. I think stabbing the fish in the face is kindof...irresponsible. As a fisherman myself (even though I am strictly catch-and-release) I would never do somethung like that to a fish, and if I saw someone else doing it, I would be hard-pressed to not say something.
However, I will end this post on a positive note, and a quote from a user on youtube who I spoke to:
"No arguments...not over fishing"
However, I will end this post on a positive note, and a quote from a user on youtube who I spoke to:
"No arguments...not over fishing"
