Odd bowfin

[mccoy13]

My daughter caught this off our dock. The fishes belly, and fins were neon green. Just curious if anyone knew why. We see them often this time of year, but this was the first time I had seen this.

Edited July 1, 2016 by mccoy13

[hermit]

Spawning colors!

Edit: the males do that, very cool!

Edited July 1, 2016 by hermit

[mccoy13]

Wow, that was a fast response! Thanks!

[EsoxOnly]

That's crazy.

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[Xxx]

The kids are feeding them to many of those neon green night crawlers!! They have this bedding that turns night crawlers that fishes color, for real!! But I doubt that's the case. LOL

[EsoxAC3]

Is that from Chernobyl? Lol.

[alex1young]

Haha you should totally eat that one!

[Tigerhunter]

Is your dock on Onondaga by any chance? Lol.

I caught my first bowfin last year in Florida, it put up a crazy fight, that must've been lots of fun for your daughter.

I'd like to start to target them but there isn't a ton of information (at least last time I checked) on targeting them. There's a small lake near my house that supposedly has a good population but I usually tend to go to otisco instead.

[bondouley]

Is your dock on Onondaga by any chance? Lol.

I caught my first bowfin last year in Florida, it put up a crazy fight, that must've been lots of fun for your daughter.

I'd like to start to target them but there isn't a ton of information (at least last time I checked) on targeting them. There's a small lake near my house that supposedly has a good population but I usually tend to go to otisco instead.

go to Braddock bay and throw top water baits in the morning and evening and then spinner baits through the mid day. You will catch all you want. They do put up a crazy fight. They can easily jump 2 to 3 feet out of the water and often do

[mccoy13]

We're in a shallow bay on the St Lawrence river. From what I have seen they tend to lay low in the weeds during the day then come out during low light. We see them off the dock semi regularly, then it's a race to get a pole from the house. The kids love it. If you can put a jig or worm right in front of them they snap at it out of aggression. It pretty wild to see up close. Then they fight like crazy up close. Here is a pic from when I would still pick them up.

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[EsoxAC3]

No doubt about it.... They put up a great fight. Bowfin get a bad repp but they are a really neat fish.

[SPO]

Does that happen to be mullens bay?

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[ifishy]

i used to get them in the spring that color.  I have caught them on lots of different rigs.  they are usually by catch when targeting other fish.  they are predators but are opportunistic.  if targeting them live bait is a good bet or any fish immitations.  rubber worms can work as well as real worms but I have gotten more on live bait or fish imitations.  

 

The few times I have targeted them have been in areas where you can see them surfacing or crusing looking for easy meals.  when i find an area like this everything else stops and I fish for these.  get some live bluegill in the 4 inch range larger or smaller depending on the size of the bowfin.  this works best off of docks or shore or outriggers.  put a steel leader on with a small trebil hook.  hook the bluegill in the back and set it so it dangles half in half out of the water.  set it on a release and leave your bail open.  the bowfin will come up to check it out and the blugill will splah around trying to get away.  the bowfin once it decides to eat will not give up untill it has its food.  you can often watch this play out and there is much splashing.  once the bait is taken grap the rod close the bail tighten and yank the crap out of it there mouths are hard.  the fight is spectacular and there is usually jumping.  

[ifishy]

 

here is a 9lb one from the trip where I first trialed and fell in love with this technique.  my wife caught this one.  I was unable to get out on the boat much this week and these were feeding in the bay at the camp so as it turned out one of the best trips ever

[whaler1]

go to Braddock bay and throw top water baits in the morning and evening and then spinner baits through the mid day. You will catch all you want. They do put up a crazy fight. They can easily jump 2 to 3 feet out of the water and often do

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[whaler1]

Braddocks

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