# tuscarawas 5/5/2012: unusual catch



## jonnythfisherteen2 (Mar 5, 2011)

i went to the tuscarawas river at 12:00 pm. didnt catch too many fish, most tiny gills. then i caught a 2 inch long bluegill, and decided to throw it on a hook. put it on my medium action rod and cut its gills so it could bleed in the water and attract fish. made a sort of bad cast and let it go anyway. forgot about my rod for about 40 minutes, was going to move and went to grab my rod and started reeling in, then i thought i hooked onto a weed or something, but when the "weed" got close, it started to fight back! but whatever it was, it wasnt enough for my 12 pound test and strong rod. when i got it in, i took a guess and thought small catfish. but i got a completely different fish. a fish with ALOT of pent up strength, big teeth and a bad attitude. and also a green body and fins, and snake like scales. i caught my fist bowfin ever. i had a time getting the hook out (which, by the way, was a free 2/0 lazer tro kar hook) and in the process, practically killed the fish. i gathered a nice small crowd, some where suprised, others not so much. can you eat those things anyway?


----------



## catfish_hunter (May 31, 2005)

those things are nothing but a JUNK fish! I kill every one I catch! they are very vicious, I guarantee that fish didnt die from your hook.


----------



## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Bowfin are great examples of prehistoriic fish. They are a sportfish with good fight, even jump and strong bulldog lige runs ( about like a channel catfish) they get up to about 12 lbs or so locally ( midwest) They chase lures and also eat live and cut bait. I have travelled many times and many hundreds of miles to catch them. anyone who is killing them has no respect for what this species has lived through and is a true Native species here while many other species are not, we should be eliminating those species..LOL

Salmonid


----------



## jonnythfisherteen2 (Mar 5, 2011)

yeah, saw that they are over 150,000,000 years old. i kept mine because as i said the hook pulled out its gills and blood ran out of it like a fountain.
its about 18 1/2 inches and 8 in girth, so based of the weight tables it is about 2 pounds or so.
im gonna see how i can eat it.


----------



## PolymerStew (Feb 17, 2009)

Nice catch. Those bowfin have some real fight in them. I don't buy into the notion that they're a "trash" fish. I think bowfin and gar a cool looking, one of these days I'll catch a baby one to keep in my aquarium.


----------



## jonnythfisherteen2 (Mar 5, 2011)

here's a pic.


----------



## qwertyegg (Mar 6, 2010)

catfish_hunter said:


> those things are nothing but a JUNK fish! I kill every one I catch! they are very vicious, I guarantee that fish didnt die from your hook.


hope you didn't kill every muskie or northern that happened to take your hook...


----------



## barf (May 10, 2009)

thats how you do it. I have personally never caught one but I watched my friend reel one in. (I love the fact that you are going to eat it) I hear that they are very tough to clean. Good luck and please tell me how the cleaning/eating went.


----------



## barf (May 10, 2009)

nice fish:curl-lip:


----------



## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

Cool fish Jonny


----------



## All Eyes (Jul 28, 2004)

The Tusc River has good numbers of Bowfin. I grew up in Canal Fulton and we used to catch lots of them anywhere from Clinton to Massillon while targeting cats in the Tusc. They are some great fighting fish, just don't let one bite you. They have some pretty nasty teeth and lots of bacteria that can get infected real fast. I had to learn the hard way.  
Just saw a guy catch one (about 5-6 lbs) last year at Lock 4 in Canal Fulton. He had no idea what it was. After I told him he looked like he still didn't know what it was.


----------



## armyMOSfishin (Mar 19, 2009)

Caught a handful of them at Chain-O-Lakes State Park in Indiana. They definately put up a good fight. Caught a tiny Gar there too. I didn't keep any of them though.


----------



## jonnythfisherteen2 (Mar 5, 2011)

the eatings not going to happen. tried to fillet it but the meat was soft as cotton. not worth eating. but.... i did get my bait back. i found the gill in its stomach.


----------



## Bluegill_Guru (Mar 10, 2012)

Awesome catch, and awesome fish story Johnny.

I gotta say, that I am very impressed with your youth, and your exceedingly obvious enthusiasm and love for fishing. All of your posts over the last few months exude the same positive aspects and characteristics that 99% of today's youth are lacking. I commend you sir.

And thanks for the picture of that beast. I simply love Bowfin.

And to the individual that proclaimed themselves a Bowfin murderer...shame on you sir. A sportsman you are not.


----------



## buckzye11 (Jul 16, 2009)

Nice catch Jonny! they are real headshakers!


----------



## fontinalis (Mar 29, 2011)

catfish_hunter said:


> those things are nothing but a JUNK fish! I kill every one I catch! they are very vicious, I guarantee that fish didnt die from your hook.


Can you elaborate as to why they are "JUNK" 
They behave very similarly to the catfish that you are so fond of.


----------



## fontinalis (Mar 29, 2011)

and congrats on the catch johhny, they are a pretty cool fish. Don't Let people fool you into the "trash fish" mentality. Wait until you hook one that is pushing 7-8lbs, you will thing you have foul hooked a small submarine.


----------



## jonnythfisherteen2 (Mar 5, 2011)

i never think of any fish to be a trash fish. its a fish, and just a fish, nothing else. 
i dont see why anyways. what else do they do other than demolish spinners and bite when they arent supposed to? it's not like they eat the eggs of other important gamefish species or are an invasive species.


----------



## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

jonnythfisherteen2 said:


> i never think of any fish to be a trash fish. its a fish, and just a fish, nothing else.
> i dont see why anyways. what else do they do other than demolish spinners and bite when they arent supposed to? it's not like they eat the eggs of other important gamefish species or are an invasive species.


I agree jonny, it's just another fish trying to make a decent living. Every fish deserves to live unless hems headed to the frying pan. I've never had the opportunity to catch a bowfin. I look forward to the day I can finally say I have.

Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


----------



## timcat69 (Nov 14, 2008)

I think that color phase is beautiful. A lot of them are brown. The green ones I've caught had blue tongues. They're a neat fish. If you look closely the teeth interlock. Nasty. I'd hate to get bit by one.


----------



## jonnythfisherteen2 (Mar 5, 2011)

the one i caught had no blue mouth or tongue. the teeth i could not see, but when i put my pliers in to get the hook out, i felt some scraping, and im sure those were teeth. i was SO glad i decided not to lip it.


----------



## PolymerStew (Feb 17, 2009)

Yep, definitely a fish you don't want to lip. They've got those sharp, backward pointing teeth











I think the fish with blue-green inside their mouth are males during the spawning period. The one you caught looks like a male since it has the green fins and a very distinct spot on the tail.


----------



## fontinalis (Mar 29, 2011)

PolymerStew said:


> Yep, definitely a fish you don't want to lip. They've got those sharp, backward pointing teeth
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thats a great pic, and yes the hot colors are on the spawning males. Looks like its time for me to hit the marsh next weekend.


----------



## PolymerStew (Feb 17, 2009)

Anyone know what water temp the bowfin spawn at? I know of an area on Mogadore where I find them gathered every year in mid-late March. I figured they were there to spawn since there was so many around, but the males didn't have their full spawning colors yet. That was back when the water temp was in the mid-50's.


----------



## fishinnick (Feb 19, 2011)

Nice fish!! I fished a good bowfin waterway this morning and got my first one of the year. I think they are getting ready to spawn, as I saw a bunch in shallower water and they seemed to be paired up. The one I got had blueish green fins, so yeah I think the spawn is close or here. 

Bowfin are NOT trash fish. They fight hard, and they are native. Keeping them to eat is fine, but throwing them on the bank to die is very wrong, throwing any fish whether it's bass, pike, trout, carp, cats, eyes, or whatever on the bank is wrong and bowfin are no different. 

Btw I don't consider any fish trash. Whether it's a beautiful brook trout or a sucker, a fish is a fish.


----------



## buckzye11 (Jul 16, 2009)

PolymerStew said:


> Anyone know what water temp the bowfin spawn at? I know of an area on Mogadore where I find them gathered every year in mid-late March. I figured they were there to spawn since there was so many around, but the males didn't have their full spawning colors yet. That was back when the water temp was in the mid-50's.


I got one in early March, water was 56 degrees that day... it had the antifreeze spawn colors to it that early at Luna Lake. My guess would around 55-65, that one was caught in 2 fow, i could only assume it was spawning, but the coloration was right.


----------



## Bluegill_Guru (Mar 10, 2012)

PolymerStew said:


> Anyone know what water temp the bowfin spawn at?


I actually did a lot of research on this species a couple years back. Their preferred spawning temp range is 62-66 degrees.


----------



## sheephead (Mar 31, 2012)

catfish_hunter said:


> those things are nothing but a JUNK fish! I kill every one I catch! they are very vicious, I guarantee that fish didnt die from your hook.


I can't believe you would post that about a native fish thats endured everything mankind has thrown at it for thousands of years. You would probibly kill a manatee or a giant sturgeon too. For your info there's bounties in pennsylvania rivers for flathead cats because they are invasive and eat native fish species.

Nice catch jonny on that dinosaur fish!!


----------



## BassAddict83 (Sep 21, 2010)

That's on awesome fish! Good job!

In my opinion there is only ONE junk fish... asian carp! Other than that, every fish is beautiful and should be treated with respect.


----------



## t.stuller (Feb 25, 2010)

BassAddict83 said:


> That's on awesome fish! Good job!
> 
> In my opinion there is only ONE junk fish... asian carp! Other than that, every fish is beautiful and should be treated with respect.


I second that! Those Asian carp are wicked!


----------



## MassillonBuckeye (May 3, 2010)

Cat_fish hunter ?? :O










Look how pretty that green is. Those aren't lighting effects.. They pretty much glow when spawning. I've caught a few out of Lock 4 in Canal Fulton.

Hopefully Catfish_Hunter isn't catching many.. lol Time for a monthly Bowfin Appreciation thread?


----------



## sheephead (Mar 31, 2012)

The only reason I'd kill that would be to put it on the wall! The green color on that is unbelievable! Neat fish


----------



## [email protected] (May 1, 2012)

there are a lot of gross fish your tellin me if you caught a carp that feeds off dead stuff and plants u wld take it home and eat it without even thinkin bout it being a trash fish?


----------



## jonnythfisherteen2 (Mar 5, 2011)

[email protected] said:


> there are a lot of gross fish your tellin me if you caught a carp that feeds off dead stuff and plants u wld take it home and eat it without even thinkin bout it being a trash fish?


 i think you have a major problem with dropping things. we left this "gross fish" topic back in the white bass thread, but now you show up here complaining about trash fish. as several of us have said, it is a fish, and nothing else. not a trash fish, a fish. 
i would have no problem with eating a carp, so as long as it comes out of clean water and i can prepare it so that it is edible. 
there, you have my answer. now, can you PLEASE go away?
oh, and carp do not feed on anything dead, but catfish and bowfin do. yet catfish are the tastiest fish around....


----------



## MassillonBuckeye (May 3, 2010)

[email protected] said:


> there are a lot of gross fish your tellin me if you caught a carp that feeds off dead stuff and plants u wld take it home and eat it without even thinkin bout it being a trash fish?


You dont think bass/crappie/walleye don't eat dead stuff? They are all opportunistic feeders. YOU eat dead stuff, plants and animals, are you trash?? How long you think that cow has been dead before it makes it into that hamburger? I don't understand. Carp are eaten all over the world. Plenty of people here eat carp and they taste just fine.


----------



## MassillonBuckeye (May 3, 2010)

btw Johnny, I don't like to eat catfish lol. Hmmmmm, does that make them a trash fish? Should I start killing them? Nasty buggers. Bottom feeders.. Kill all the Flatheads and Blues!


----------



## fishinnick (Feb 19, 2011)

[email protected] said:


> there are a lot of gross fish your tellin me if you caught a carp that feeds off dead stuff and plants u wld take it home and eat it without even thinkin bout it being a trash fish?


No, we're sayin if we happen to catch a carp we would release it and not kill it for no reason. Yes I would prefer not to eat carp, but I wouldn't throw it on the bank to die.


----------



## Cull'in (Nov 21, 2005)

Here's for all the bowfin lovers out there...

http://www.bowfinanglers.com/


----------



## tusc river rat (Nov 21, 2009)

I think that's BS about trash fish you shouldn't. Even be on here if your think in like that this is the wrong site for you


----------



## t.stuller (Feb 25, 2010)

I dont believe in referring to any fish (other than Asian Carp) as being a trash fish. With that said, I bow fish for carp and throw them on the bank afterwards, but i look at it differently. The racoons will eat the carp I toss on the bank, I trap so I catch the **** (which is now larger cause I fed him), and sell his fur (bigger fur, higher dollar). Just my part in helping the circle of life. I do however know lots of people who throw carp and sheephead on the shore. Even if someone dont agree with it, this is America and everyone has there right to do as they wish. I personally believe Berlin is overran with carp and part of the reason I took up bowfishing.


----------



## t.stuller (Feb 25, 2010)

Forgot to add, Beautiful fish Johnny! I've never caught one of those, but would never consider tossing it on the bank.


----------



## crappiecat (Sep 7, 2010)

I haven't caught any bowfin this year, but love catching them. The only time I get mad is when I'm in a cattin tourney haha....but I get irritated with anything other than a catfish I catch when I'm in a tourney. 

The Tusc has them in decent numbers it seems. you guys are talking the northern end, but down my way in T-county we have good areas for them too. There are some backwater areas where you can go and catch them regularly. Lots of fun. not the typical sportfish the commercials want you to go for, but they are hard to beat for fun fightin!


----------



## [email protected] (May 1, 2012)

ill leave when i want dude pipe it down


----------



## Lawman60 (May 17, 2010)

jonnythfisherteen2 said:


> the one i caught had no blue mouth or tongue. the teeth i could not see, but when i put my pliers in to get the hook out, i felt some scraping, and im sure those were teeth. i was SO glad i decided not to lip it.


I had my first experience with a bowfin about 30 years ago, in Florida, where they are not only plentiful, but get quite large as well! I was on a lake in the Ocala national forest and fishing for bass. The day had been blistering hot so we waited for dusk to fish. We were throwing top water baits, but we had some shiners out as well. Well after dark something took my shiner. Long story short...I DID LIP IT! Big mistake!! I truly thought it was a bass in the dark and stuck my thumb in it's mouth. Luckily it was only maybe 2 lbs. My father-in-law thought it was the funniest thing he had ever seen. Me, not so much. I had a devil of a time getting it to let go of my thumb! I finally touched it against the top of our old Coleman lantern and when it screamed in pain, or maybe it was me screaming...anyway he let go. Lesson learned. Since then I've caught many more and several over 10 lbs. It may not be a good eating fish, but it sure fights hard and is very game on light tackle. Good job Jonny! And I'm glad you learned about their teeth without losing any flesh!


----------

