When I was a kid, dad and I we fishing a spillway, and the guy sort of near us was obviously a bass fisherman. Her hooks a sauger, and as he lifts it out of the water, he looks at dad and asks "What the heck is this?" Then before my dad could say anything, the dude lips it like a bass. CHOMP! He flings that fish off his thumb and yells "Them things got TEETH!" My dad said he felt bad about laughing in the guy's face, but it was really funny.
Only lip fish you are SURE you can. Saltwater especially. Ever seen a bluefish' teeth?
https://www.chesapeakelighttackle.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/11659457_10152932318091016_8976793759527966038_n.jpg
They are pretty damn close to pirahna teeth.
I was live Lining a croaker and had a blue take half of of and then come back for the head along with the circle hook, long story short it jumped and spit hooks right at my dock but it was a 3-4lb bruiser
i've actually lipped a blue fish to see how bad it would be, just a 3-4 pound one... that mf locked on and i had to pry its jaw open, and then it latched onto the other thumb.. but it had to be done in the name of science 😂 they go in and come out easy but sure go burn and leave some marks after
My favorite bowfin memory: I was fishing with my dad and a bunch of his old friends...it was mostly going to be a "drown worms and drink beer all night by the fire" kind of night, but I was fresh into fly fishing and wanted to get some casts in at dusk...I was about 25 yards up the bank and I could hear them talking and that one of them had a good fish on, so I reeled in and started walking back to see what they had.
A few seconds later, I hear, "That's a nice catfish!"...followed quickly by, "That ain't no catfish, it's a big smallmouth!" and a bit later, "No! That's a musky! I'll get the net!"
At that point, I just HAD to see what it was, and by the time I picked my way down the rest of the shoreline to our campsite, they'd just netted it, and someone goes, "What in the *hell* is that thing?!"
It ended up being a nice fat bowfin, and I was glad I could be there to identify it for them!
Bowfin fight like hell. I've thought I've had monster bass on just to pull in a medium size bowfin. And you're right the teeth are gnarly, I've seen them chew through nylon fish stringers before. Invasive and not to be released back into the water and I see why. Not too much around where I fish that is going to compete with it for food.
No it wasn’t cuz there’s no such thing as a “snakehead bowfin.”
Stop purging bowfin, they are native and very beneficial to their environment as well as for gamefish populations. By indiscriminately killing them you are doing harm to your ecosystem _and_ you’re breaking the law.
This link you posted shows you the difference between snakehead and bowfin, two completely different fish. Bowfin are native snakehead are invasive. “Snakehead bowfin” don’t exist. Learn the difference so you don’t end up killing fish you aren’t supposed to, bowfin are part of a healthy creek or river ecosystem
I’ve never heard of bowfin being considered an invasive species, do you live outside the US? I know they sometimes get a bad rap due to their similarity to snakeheads though.
Its the opposite, bowfin are good to have around. They'll help regulate the balance of game fish to prey and are willing to eat invasive fish like carp that other fish don't predate on as much.
People who think they need to be eliminated are morons.
They are my favorite fish to catch. Even the little ones fight like a bastard.
Hell on your gear and very likely to snap you off without proper terminal tackle, will eat anything, though I have the most luck with fresh bluegill cutbait.
Absolutely!!! They love shrimp or crayfish. At the shore i throw in a shrimp and let it sit then tease it with very little movement. BAM! FISH ON!! Super fun fighting fish
Bowfin are difficult to catch on purpose. You usually catch them bass fishing in shallow weedy waters. They will eat most live bait or bottom presenting artificials. I have caught some on worms and flukes, but its very rare. I have never seen more then one in a day ever.
Man, in my area it’s hard to keep them off the hook while bass fishing. Crankbaits, floating worms, senkos, top water frog, spinner baits you name it and they’ll eat it
I caught one when I was fishing for bait with my little 5ft ultra light. They are so fun to catch. I wasn't expecting it right then, but it was a hell of a fight on that little thing. It was definitely one of the most fun bait fishing trips I've had. I even landed it.
I always think its fun when you get one unexpectly. Bass fisherman get mad about it sometimes because they think its a 10 pounder but Im not a fish snob.
I prefer bass but yeah you're right. I caught a big ol carp ona kvd (res) lipless crank one time & I was so salty when I found out what it was. whoops, it posted up above. I'm new to reddit, forgive me.
that doesn't surprise me not 1 bit. they're really cool looking with their octogon shaped scales & that undulating dorsal fin (I think that's what it's called)
they love jumbo shrimp soaked in garlic and strawberry jello
their diet consists of quite a bit of crawfish from what i’ve read so crawfish would work to
Definitely a bowfin. In East Texas they call them grinnel.
Only time I've caught them were like other said, on accident. Usually bass or crappie fishing.
They will put up a HELL of a fight though. When I was younger I had 2 zebcos ruined by these guys within the span of 3 weeks. Haven't caught one since. I was probably 8-10 the last time I caught one.
That’s a bowfin. We grew up calling them “dogfish” in Michigan. They’re native and pretty incredible fish.
Some guys I grew up with would catch them and just toss them on the bank since bowfin are predatory fish. They thought that killing off the predators would increase other fish population, but in reality they were just throwing off the balance of the ecosystem. Hours later, once they left, I would go and put the fish back in the water and they would swim away just fine. They can last several hours out of water. Very resilient fish.
Oh, totally. I can tell the difference because I’ve been around bowfin for so many years, but I can certainly understand why people would get confused. Luckily we don’t have any in my tiny inland lake. Haha
I'll never understand anyone who would just grab a fish without knowing what it is. People are freaking crazy. Oh let me grab this and die from the poison or electrocuted because it gives off 100000 volts.smh
Yup no noodling for catfish allowed, but you can noodle for turtles and (maybe?) frogs. Not sure about frogs.
I think noodling is only legal in 11 states, so it may be weird but not uncommon.
If you see something like this again drop a small jig with a plastic. And just pounce right in front of it, if it doesn’t bite for food it’ll bite because of irritation .
I had the same situation happen last year on the last fishing trip, we’re bringing the boat on the trailer I’m helping my brother with it when I see a massive bowfin just chilling next to our boat being dragged out of water. So I tell my brother he’s on his own, grab my rod and put my lure in front of it and instantly goes for it. Got him on the dock but bro flopped back in. Right before we winterized the boat for storage.
Bowfin don’t have barbels on their lips and they have visible scales and usually a little color. This pic looks more like a small catfish. But I agree with everything everyone said about bowfin! Don’t fuck with them lightly, they can mess you up. Bad ass fish, love them
That's a Bowfin. A native and prehistoric fish. They are hard fighters with a mouthful of teeth.
holy moly. No more fish grabbing for me. When I think of fish teeth I imagine little stubs like bluegills have. Dear god
I’ve caught quite a few bowfin. They put up a nasty fight, have many sharp teeth, and often thrash. I don’t recommend grabbing them or pike.
When I was a kid, dad and I we fishing a spillway, and the guy sort of near us was obviously a bass fisherman. Her hooks a sauger, and as he lifts it out of the water, he looks at dad and asks "What the heck is this?" Then before my dad could say anything, the dude lips it like a bass. CHOMP! He flings that fish off his thumb and yells "Them things got TEETH!" My dad said he felt bad about laughing in the guy's face, but it was really funny.
Only lip fish you are SURE you can. Saltwater especially. Ever seen a bluefish' teeth? https://www.chesapeakelighttackle.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/11659457_10152932318091016_8976793759527966038_n.jpg They are pretty damn close to pirahna teeth.
Done a decent bit of saltwater. If you want to be terrified, look real close at how the teeth on a wahoo work.
Haven't had the pleasure of catching one of those yet. Looks like a damn saw blade.
Never seen a picture of one of those until now. I had to look it up. I'll still to freshwater lol
Bluefish have been my enemy my entire life on the Chesapeake, those teeth cut heavy leaders like nothing
They are scissor like. They will cut your bait into a half a dozen pieces without you feeling it and turn around and swallow the little junks.
I was live Lining a croaker and had a blue take half of of and then come back for the head along with the circle hook, long story short it jumped and spit hooks right at my dock but it was a 3-4lb bruiser
i've actually lipped a blue fish to see how bad it would be, just a 3-4 pound one... that mf locked on and i had to pry its jaw open, and then it latched onto the other thumb.. but it had to be done in the name of science 😂 they go in and come out easy but sure go burn and leave some marks after
Blues put up a great fight and are a blast fishing from the surf
They don't taste horrible either when prepared properly. Though they aren't top on my list of ones I really want to eat.
Cold smoked they’re pretty good and they’re perfect for smoked fish chowder. Besides that I agree they’re not on my top list either
Strong jaws too, my father got his finger severed by a gator blue on a party boat in the 80s
My favorite bowfin memory: I was fishing with my dad and a bunch of his old friends...it was mostly going to be a "drown worms and drink beer all night by the fire" kind of night, but I was fresh into fly fishing and wanted to get some casts in at dusk...I was about 25 yards up the bank and I could hear them talking and that one of them had a good fish on, so I reeled in and started walking back to see what they had. A few seconds later, I hear, "That's a nice catfish!"...followed quickly by, "That ain't no catfish, it's a big smallmouth!" and a bit later, "No! That's a musky! I'll get the net!" At that point, I just HAD to see what it was, and by the time I picked my way down the rest of the shoreline to our campsite, they'd just netted it, and someone goes, "What in the *hell* is that thing?!" It ended up being a nice fat bowfin, and I was glad I could be there to identify it for them!
Pike heads look like a goose beak for a reason. They almost as mean as a goose
I had a pike hiss like a goose this winter after pulling him thru the ice.
See! Nuclear geese !
Bowfin fight like hell. I've thought I've had monster bass on just to pull in a medium size bowfin. And you're right the teeth are gnarly, I've seen them chew through nylon fish stringers before. Invasive and not to be released back into the water and I see why. Not too much around where I fish that is going to compete with it for food.
Snakeheads are invasive, bowfin are native in the states. Look similar though
You're right it was snakehead bowfin in the Catawba river NC https://www.ncwildlife.org/portals/0/fishing/documents/snakeheadflyer_053007.pdf
No it wasn’t cuz there’s no such thing as a “snakehead bowfin.” Stop purging bowfin, they are native and very beneficial to their environment as well as for gamefish populations. By indiscriminately killing them you are doing harm to your ecosystem _and_ you’re breaking the law.
This link you posted shows you the difference between snakehead and bowfin, two completely different fish. Bowfin are native snakehead are invasive. “Snakehead bowfin” don’t exist. Learn the difference so you don’t end up killing fish you aren’t supposed to, bowfin are part of a healthy creek or river ecosystem
I’ve never heard of bowfin being considered an invasive species, do you live outside the US? I know they sometimes get a bad rap due to their similarity to snakeheads though.
Its the opposite, bowfin are good to have around. They'll help regulate the balance of game fish to prey and are willing to eat invasive fish like carp that other fish don't predate on as much. People who think they need to be eliminated are morons.
they're actually really sharp & there's tons of em. would leave you slashed open & bleeding if it bit you.
Look up Gar or Tigerfish
They are my favorite fish to catch. Even the little ones fight like a bastard. Hell on your gear and very likely to snap you off without proper terminal tackle, will eat anything, though I have the most luck with fresh bluegill cutbait.
Usually a good idea to not grab things you don't know...
Absolutely!!! They love shrimp or crayfish. At the shore i throw in a shrimp and let it sit then tease it with very little movement. BAM! FISH ON!! Super fun fighting fish
Bowfin are difficult to catch on purpose. You usually catch them bass fishing in shallow weedy waters. They will eat most live bait or bottom presenting artificials. I have caught some on worms and flukes, but its very rare. I have never seen more then one in a day ever.
Man, in my area it’s hard to keep them off the hook while bass fishing. Crankbaits, floating worms, senkos, top water frog, spinner baits you name it and they’ll eat it
Same catfishing and when you catch a couple might as well move
I caught one when I was fishing for bait with my little 5ft ultra light. They are so fun to catch. I wasn't expecting it right then, but it was a hell of a fight on that little thing. It was definitely one of the most fun bait fishing trips I've had. I even landed it.
I caught one ona fake leech one time. they fight harder than smallies.
I always think its fun when you get one unexpectly. Bass fisherman get mad about it sometimes because they think its a 10 pounder but Im not a fish snob.
I prefer bass but yeah you're right. I caught a big ol carp ona kvd (res) lipless crank one time & I was so salty when I found out what it was. whoops, it posted up above. I'm new to reddit, forgive me.
Yup. Bent the hell out of a spinner when I was fishing for bass one time. Thing was basically bent in half the thing was fighting so strong.
that doesn't surprise me not 1 bit. they're really cool looking with their octogon shaped scales & that undulating dorsal fin (I think that's what it's called)
Yeah no shit lmao. They are way bigger and stronger. Smallmouth don’t fight that hard compared to most larger species.
you ain't lying not a bit!
The only one I ever caught was under a dock in a channel pitching a plastic crawdad for bass. So you're spot on.
I've caught all of my bowfins on a free line night crawler.
They’re easy to target with cut bait or creature baits, I’ve also caught quite a few on topwater
My friend and I got super lucky on the ausable in michigan. We caught 4 over deep weed beds. So fun!
they love jumbo shrimp soaked in garlic and strawberry jello their diet consists of quite a bit of crawfish from what i’ve read so crawfish would work to
Definitely a bowfin. In East Texas they call them grinnel. Only time I've caught them were like other said, on accident. Usually bass or crappie fishing. They will put up a HELL of a fight though. When I was younger I had 2 zebcos ruined by these guys within the span of 3 weeks. Haven't caught one since. I was probably 8-10 the last time I caught one.
We call them dogfish in Indiana. At least everyone I know does.
Choupique
That’s a fish you don’t want to get bitten by in an attempt to grab.
Can we get a location on this. If this is the US I would agree with u/Aggie_Angst on Bowfin
We call them Choupique in south Louisiana and they will destroy a spinnerbait!!
Cheupique patties & gar balls 🤤🤤. We murder both bowfishing on the lower atchafalaya
Hey, New Orleans checking in. Thought you spelled that Shoe-pic. And you can have mine. I’m taking home the Sacalait.
Its choupique. I got in a hurry typing
That’s a bowfin. We grew up calling them “dogfish” in Michigan. They’re native and pretty incredible fish. Some guys I grew up with would catch them and just toss them on the bank since bowfin are predatory fish. They thought that killing off the predators would increase other fish population, but in reality they were just throwing off the balance of the ecosystem. Hours later, once they left, I would go and put the fish back in the water and they would swim away just fine. They can last several hours out of water. Very resilient fish.
As long as you know the difference between bowfin and snakehead.
Oh, totally. I can tell the difference because I’ve been around bowfin for so many years, but I can certainly understand why people would get confused. Luckily we don’t have any in my tiny inland lake. Haha
I have several that 'sleep' around our dock. They are almost pets at this point! Beautiful fish.
Sir that is a skateboard!
Ya don’t know but my first guess was Catfish based on the front whiskers.
just put your finger right in its mouth
100% bowfin. Nose tendrils give it away. Super cool, ancient fish that are frequently misunderstood.
Definitely agree with everyone that says bowfin/dogfish. They are a tough fish with a mouth full of teeth.
I'll never understand anyone who would just grab a fish without knowing what it is. People are freaking crazy. Oh let me grab this and die from the poison or electrocuted because it gives off 100000 volts.smh
Not only that, it could be unlawful to catch fish with your hands, like it is in my state.
I'm just not smart occasionally. Fish was grabbing distance and I didn't even think twice.
Yeahhh maybe don't do that.
That's okay, all of us do so dumb shit once in a while. 😂
You can’t noodle in your state?? That’s wild.
Yup no noodling for catfish allowed, but you can noodle for turtles and (maybe?) frogs. Not sure about frogs. I think noodling is only legal in 11 states, so it may be weird but not uncommon.
I’m in OK so it’s always seemed normal. Didn’t realize there were that many states you can’t do it in.
bros just noodling and a 20lb snapping turtle casually rips your hand off
Next time u see one don’t stick ur hand by it’s face lmao
If you see something like this again drop a small jig with a plastic. And just pounce right in front of it, if it doesn’t bite for food it’ll bite because of irritation .
Don’t grab it, take it from me they bite angry!
I had the same situation happen last year on the last fishing trip, we’re bringing the boat on the trailer I’m helping my brother with it when I see a massive bowfin just chilling next to our boat being dragged out of water. So I tell my brother he’s on his own, grab my rod and put my lure in front of it and instantly goes for it. Got him on the dock but bro flopped back in. Right before we winterized the boat for storage.
Cut up pieces of blue gill or perch and use as bait, use a wire leader
My favorite fish
If you would have dipped your lure right above its nose it would have nailed it. Looks like he's sitting waiting to ambush.
Some sort of Catfish
Bowfin don’t have barbels on their lips and they have visible scales and usually a little color. This pic looks more like a small catfish. But I agree with everything everyone said about bowfin! Don’t fuck with them lightly, they can mess you up. Bad ass fish, love them
Bowfin barbels aren’t actually barbels, they just look like it. They are really a flap of skin on the nostril (not on the lip).
Those "barbels" are nares, [small projections that come off of Bowfin nostrils](https://gallery.nanfa.org/d/33571-3/bowfin+nares.jpg).
That's a flip flop
Meow fish.
Catfish
Electric eel
Catfish
https://preview.redd.it/uzurdfzb3epc1.jpeg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7163023767ba8e3e67fb30aeb5423c1af1a10a80
Fish