# Mogadore Bowfin



## TheSonicMarauder (Mar 9, 2006)

i heard they were in there.. which section is a good section to catch some? Veg city between congress lake and ranfield road or between 43 and congress lake? or the main lake on the other side of 43.... now that i have my own boat i wanna see if i cant catch some more toothy critters... got a pike this year now its bowfin time 

also whats good to use to catchem... im assuming topwater is probably a good place to start since half of lake is covered in duckweed and lilly pads


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## ill be on the water (Jun 5, 2005)

I really couldnt tell ya but I would like to catch another also. I only caught one down in the tusk tightlining but he was pretty big and pulled pretty hard.


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## ptpt (Dec 10, 2005)

the main lake


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## redneckcatfishin (Jun 11, 2006)

best time to catch them is early spring when sight fishing for bass just throw a plastic worm in front of them and they will usally strike i alson knew of an old guy who used to fish for them off congress lake where the boat ramp is pretty sure he was using minnow good luk


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## archman (Apr 30, 2004)

Funny you mention this, I had an interesting thing happen this morning. I fished Mogadore in my yak from about 6:30-11:30, caught around 15 bass. Around 8:00 I was using a Rebel Pop-R. I got it close to my yak once, and just let it sit in the water because I was going to fix the worm on my other rod. It was probably just sitting there for 30 seconds. Right before I lifted it out of the water, there was a big swirl by it. So I put it right back down, and a splash. But I missed the hit. I kept casting back, and something HUGE kept missing it. This happened probably six times. Finally, I would pop it really slow, with about a 2 second pause in between. Finally, I ended up hooking it, a 4.2 lb bowfin. Unfortunately, I forgot my hemostats and I couldn't get the one treble hook out. Those things sure spazz out. I cut my hand pretty good.


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## Be one with the fish! (May 21, 2006)

Those splashes must have increased your heart rate. I know it would have for me to hear something huge like that next to me.


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## liquidsoap (Oct 22, 2005)

archman said:


> Funny you mention this, I had an interesting thing happen this morning. I fished Mogadore in my yak from about 6:30-11:30, caught around 15 bass. Around 8:00 I was using a Rebel Pop-R. I got it close to my yak once, and just let it sit in the water because I was going to fix the worm on my other rod. It was probably just sitting there for 30 seconds. Right before I lifted it out of the water, there was a big swirl by it. So I put it right back down, and a splash. But I missed the hit. I kept casting back, and something HUGE kept missing it. This happened probably six times. Finally, I would pop it really slow, with about a 2 second pause in between. Finally, I ended up hooking it, a 4.2 lb bowfin. Unfortunately, I forgot my hemostats and I couldn't get the one treble hook out. Those things sure spazz out. I cut my hand pretty good.


pretty cool catch archman.....
They look mean


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## KATKING (Jun 10, 2006)

ive already caught a bowfin while using blue gil for flatties....


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## archman (Apr 30, 2004)

You're right, it did make my hear stop. I think Cheesehead Cory said once that they're pretty persistent and will keep coming back. I guess he was right. I was hoping it would be my 5 lb bass.


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## cummins_man (May 16, 2006)

Sonic, I usually get them when targeting bass, so anything goes. I don't know location in PL though.


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## WISH IT WAS YOU (Jul 25, 2006)

i know one place but it is in PA conneot lake use hotdogs and bread near shore and you might hook up on some bowfin


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## Brentbrown22 (Sep 18, 2013)

My friend caught a bowfin there


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## T.McMillen (Jan 23, 2013)

Atwood spillway has alot of.them. guys usually kill them. Kinda pisses me off. Heres one woman got friday jigging. 

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## ripping lips (Jul 10, 2012)

Last sunday i was shocked when my father caught a bowfin out of the atwood spillway on a minnow. guess there must be some good numbers in there? interesting looking fish to say the least.


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## PapawSmith (Feb 13, 2007)

TheSonicMarauder said:


> got a pike this year now its bowfin time also whats good to use to catchem... im assuming topwater is probably a good place to start since half of lake is covered in duckweed and lilly pads


Years ago when I used to pike fish a lot I used to catch as many dog fish as pike on live creek chubs swimming under a baseball sized bobber. Fun way to catch them, too. You always would know when it was a dog fish because they would flat slam it, no 'run' like a pike.


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## icebucketjohn (Dec 22, 2005)

Never caught one. Are the edible?


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## T.McMillen (Jan 23, 2013)

Probably not. Most people consider them "trash" fish. Hard fighters tho. But who knows they say that about sheephead and ive heard those are good. 

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## PapawSmith (Feb 13, 2007)

icebucketjohn said:


> Never caught one. Are the edible?


If you are an alligator you can probably eat them, otherwise I would say no. But they are an absolute blast to catch.


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## CatfishWilly (Dec 30, 2007)

I tell you what, I've gone out to mogadore in the early season right after the ice thaws trying for cats with a chunk of bluegill. I never did get much from the cats in that cold water, but I did tie into quite a few bowfin. I caught them all over the lake, random spots. Couldn't really figure out if they were liking cover or not though. Sometimes they'd bite under a tree, sometimes they'd bite way out in the open. I dunno lol.


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## Jigging Jim (Apr 3, 2010)

icebucketjohn said:


> Never caught one. Are the edible?


Yes, they are edible. I believe that I saw a Youtube Video about a yearly Bowfin Ice Fishing Tournament. I think it was in Minnesota. They Party all week long and catch a bunch of Bowfin and eat them. They call them: "EEL POUT". It might be some City name - but it is called "______ Eel Pout Festival" - or something like that. It's a big deal, anyway. Apparently the Bowfin are on their Spawning Run before Ice Out. The Bowfin are hungry and bite like crazy at that time. Sounds like fun to me!


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## Slab assassin 55 (Jan 27, 2013)

I saw that show too. They were not catching bowfin they were catching Burbot which are considered excellent eating. The bowfin however are not considered good eating some call them "mud" fish due to the extremely mushy texture of the meat. 


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## Jigging Jim (Apr 3, 2010)

Slab assassin 55 said:


> I saw that show too. They were not catching bowfin they were catching Burbot which are considered excellent eating. The bowfin however are not considered good eating some call them "mud" fish due to the extremely mushy texture of the meat.
> 
> 
> Posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


 Thanks for the Wake-cUp Call Slab...I did some research. I goofed. They are different Fish. I caught a Snakehead once in NY. They are a mean-looking Fish. It died in my Pail - and I ended up tossing it in the Trash. Wasn't sure if I wanted to eat it.


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## Fishman (Apr 5, 2004)

T.McMillen said:


> Atwood spillway has alot of.them. guys usually kill them. Kinda pisses me off. Heres one woman got friday jigging.
> 
> Sent from my DROID X2 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


That woman has manly hands


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## Slab assassin 55 (Jan 27, 2013)

No problem Jim. I have heard that the snakehead are good eating they are endangered in some areas inAsia due to the popularity but from all that I have heard bowfin are not good. Andrew Zimmerman on bizarre foods didn't like it and he eats some nasty stuff lol 


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## FlatKat (Jul 20, 2012)

They truely are prehistoric looking! i catch them in the tusc often. i caught them on everything from live bait to spinners. they are a neat fish, and like any other native fish shouldnt be killed for no reason by ignorant people just because they were being a fish and biting a lure or baited hook.


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## fishinnick (Feb 19, 2011)

A couple weeks ago I fished a good bowfin waterway just over in PA and witnessed first hand "fishermen" tossing them in the woods. I told them it was illegal and the one guy just gave me a dirty look and continued to do it. My brother and I were exaggerating our fish handling techniques(including saying "is he swimming off ok" and other stuff multiple times when we released a fish) just to prove a point and get on their nerves, but they probably just laughed at us. 

Got a license plate # and other good evidence to give to the PFBC, and luckily the next morning I ran into an officer at the same waterway and gave him all the info I had. He said it was very helpful and he'd try his best to catch the poachers. Haven't heard back from anyone yet though......


Saw this sign the PFBC recently put up on another nearby waterway. Unfortunately there aren't any signs where I saw the poachers, but it's a step in the right direction I guess. This may be of help for anyone on here(and lurkers too...) who may not know the differences between the fish....













Jigging Jim said:


> Thanks for the Wake-cUp Call Slab...I did some research. I goofed. They are different Fish. I caught a Snakehead once in NY. They are a mean-looking Fish. It died in my Pail - and I ended up tossing it in the Trash. Wasn't sure if I wanted to eat it.


Where abouts in NY did you catch the snakehead?


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## T.McMillen (Jan 23, 2013)

Ive seen guys cut there gut and toss them back in, throw them on the bank and slam them on rocks. I asked one man at Atwoods spillway why he cut the fish open. His reply was "as far as im concerned once these get into where your fishing, its ruined " Atwood produces great #s of channel cat and saugeye and bowfin, i always have luck there even with the bowfin lol. 

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## Halliganfishin (Jun 29, 2013)

I guess I'll never get it.

Most fish eat other fish. A pike is just as or more aggressive and is highly sought after. A bowfin fight is second to none, but people trash them. I guess you can't fix stupid. 

IMO, they way they leave your hands and net smelling, theres no way they could be good eating.


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## Murky&deep (Aug 28, 2013)

Eelpout are actually burbot; bowfin are a completely different fish. I've never caught one, but I live far south. I used to icefish mogadore. Might this year if we get ice.


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