# Bowfin - Any good to eat?



## AFadenholz (Sep 19, 2015)

So I ended up catching a few bowfin tonight and I was wondering if they were any good to eat.


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## MassillonBuckeye (May 3, 2010)

"As good as any fish you want to eat" just like most fish people say are bad to eat


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## percidaeben (Jan 15, 2010)

MassillonBuckeye said:


> "As good as any fish you want to eat" just like most fish people say are bad to eat


Now that's interesting


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## AFadenholz (Sep 19, 2015)

Thanks for the reply - next time I will keep em for sure


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## Carpn (Apr 5, 2004)

They are really soft and mushy . Might taste ok but I cleaned a couple and ended up tossing the .


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## bdawg (Apr 14, 2009)

I tried one. Won't do that again. Soft and mushy. Worse than channel cat.


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## twistedcatfish1971 (Jul 21, 2013)

Channel cat is awesome. I keep my channels up until the water gets to about the 70's...cold water cats are great.bleed them when the water is cold then put on ice. Thats the key nice and cold.


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## bdawg (Apr 14, 2009)

twistedcatfish1971 said:


> Channel cat is awesome. I keep my channels up until the water gets to about the 70's...cold water cats are great.bleed them when the water is cold then put on ice. Thats the key nice and cold.



They're my least favorite. I usually only keep one or two per year, just to fill out the basket. I'll take muskie over channel cat any day!


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## twistedcatfish1971 (Jul 21, 2013)

I disagree but in the end who cares? I only keep channels that are brown in color...the Orange or yellowish color oned go back...there is a difference in taste.


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## AFadenholz (Sep 19, 2015)

Okay, so I'm not a huge fan of catfish but I will try bleeding them and see if they are any better. 

New Question - what's your take on Steelhead? I have a few friends that love them and others who say they taste like a shoe. I've had them and in my opinion I think they taste okay but aren't worth working through all of the bones.


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## mrmcak47 (May 13, 2009)

Don't eat bowfin!!! Or you will turn into one!


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## twistedcatfish1971 (Jul 21, 2013)

Yea...bleed them out and keep em cold...steelhead...now thats a different story.first im allergic to all trout species which is messed up because I EAT the heck out of fish! I do fish for them but not as active as any other fish...sorry can't help ya with how to go about preparing them.

...wait just thought of something...bleed them out...lol


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## steelhead steve (May 5, 2012)

cook steelhead with skin and bones just gut and take the head off when done the skin peels off and is like leather take your fork and start at the backbone and the meat will pull completely off the bones flip and do the same on the other side when you are done the bone will look like the ones they have in the cartoons. but in my other opinion they are better smoked.


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## StarkFisherman (May 17, 2008)

Catfish you should soak in salt water over night or at least a few hours before cooking.


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## MassillonBuckeye (May 3, 2010)

StarkFisherman said:


> Catfish you should soak in salt water over night or at least a few hours before cooking.


Bowfin might benefit from this. I've read it firms up the filets a bit. Not sure though.


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## dbd31463 (Jun 24, 2012)

New Question - what's your take on Steelhead?

The best Steelhead I have had was smoked using apple and peach wood. The Steelhead was marinated in a beer brine overnight ( I don't know the ingredients in the brine, it was my brothers friend recipe). Recently I tried a recipe I found on YouTube "Steelhead trout on cedar plank". It was very tasty. Here's the ingredients you need:

Steelhead Trout on Cedar Plank:

Ingredients for the Rub:
2 Tbsp Salt
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
1 Tbsp black pepper
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp paprika
1 Tbsp freshly chopped basil
1 Tbsp freshly chopped tarragon

3 lb Steelhead Trout
Cedar plank (soak for a minimum of 1 hour before use)

Cook on high heat on the grill for 20 mins.


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## bdawg (Apr 14, 2009)

If you like salmon, you'll like steelhead. Tastes the same to me!

I soak all my fish in saltwater. Still doesn't help the taste of bowfin or catfish.


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## poncho 79 (May 12, 2012)

AFadenholz said:


> So I ended up catching a few bowfin tonight and I was wondering if they were any good to eat.


I thought I had heard it was illegal to keep bowfin? Anybody know for sure?


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## Tyguy292 (Apr 22, 2013)

We're can you catch bowfin around here? Haven't caught one in years and would like to try and catch some


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## Bassthumb (Aug 22, 2008)

There is a dense population in Metzgers Marsh. There are some real big ones, and they are mean. Fight like crazy.


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## Carpn (Apr 5, 2004)

Ya can shoot em while bowfishing so I'd say that's a big no on protected status


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## Carpn (Apr 5, 2004)

poncho 79 said:


> I thought I had heard it was illegal to keep bowfin? Anybody know for sure?


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## SeA nYmPhO (Mar 25, 2008)

Not bad to eat......once you get past the smell.


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

steelhead steve said:


> cook steelhead with skin and bones just gut and take the head off when done the skin peels off and is like leather take your fork and start at the backbone and the meat will pull completely off the bones flip and do the same on the other side when you are done the bone will look like the ones they have in the cartoons. but in my other opinion they are better smoked.


Then eat the skin and bones, toss the meat. Joking of course, I like smoked salmon. My smoked steelhead are as close as I can come w/o going for salmon somewhere out of state.


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## steelhead steve (May 5, 2012)

mogadore has bowfin


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## Tritonman (Jul 4, 2004)

Chippewa creek has a ton.


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## randymcfishnsfun2 (Dec 24, 2014)

The tusc. is loaded with them as well.


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## BASSunlimited (May 7, 2008)

I caught Bowfin out of mogadore, walborn and the Cuyahoga river (cascade area)


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## StarkFisherman (May 17, 2008)

Bassthumb said:


> There is a dense population in Metzgers Marsh. There are some real big ones, and they are mean. Fight like crazy.


Where's this at?


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