The bowfin is the quintessential roughfish.  Reviled and feared throughout its range, this fish is a misunderstood creature.  But the bowfin is a tough customer, a thrill to catch, and very widespread.  A perfect target for the dedicated roughfisher.

Of all the ancient bowfins that once lurked in dinosaur infested swamps long ago, only one species still exists today. And he's not going anywhere. The bowfin is a formidable foe in any situation. I've seen bowfin destroy more tackle than any other fish. They cut up shiners like a rusty chain saw. Mean, nasty fighters, they will sometimes tailwalk for yards when running, and then lunge up onto shore to crawl away into the weeds. Try to grab one and you'll feel like you're wrestling an alligator. Ancient fishes that have survived for millions of years, bowfin can breathe air. They lurk in thick weeds, frequenting both rivers and lakes. They are also known as Cabbage Pike or Dogfish, and although they are scorned in many areas, they also have a cult following among those people who appreciate tough, nasty fighting fish.

The bowfin is a terrifyingly efficient predator equipped with an incredibly strong, muscular body and razor sharp teeth. Ancient fishes that have survived for millions of years, bowfin can breathe air. Bowfin are elongate, mottled fishes with a long dorsal fin and a rounded tail. Two tubelike barbels project from the nostrils. Male bowfin sport a round spot, called an occellus, at the base of the tail. During the spawn, the fins and lower bodies of male bowfin turn bright lime-green. Beneath their lips, the mouth of a bowfin is jam-packed full of sharp, jagged teeth. 

Bowfin inhabit rivers, lakes, swamps, and ditches. They often lurk in the thickest weeds available, although I have often seen them cruising barren mud flats on the Mississippi, in six inches of water. They are normally encountered in shallow water less than four feet deep. River backwaters and sloughs are prime bowfin locations, as well as shallow, weedy lakes. Invariably, the best bowfin waters have high populations of baitfish, in the form of minnows or sunfishes. 

Bowfin can be caught on almost any variety of stout tackle. Wire leaders are imperative, as their formidable teeth are better at slicing through unprotected lines than any other freshwater fish. Bowfin reach a weight of about 10 pounds in the north, but they fight a lot harder than their size would indicate, so tackle should be stout. A seven-foot medium action spinning combo spooled with 10 pound test would be appropriate, as would an eight-weight flyrod with a floating line. Bowfin will take both live bait and artificials. For live bait, such items as medium-sized minnows, crayfish, frogs, and larval salamanders are effective. Most lures designed for bass will also be effective for bowfin, particularly weedless ones. Flies for bowfin include large streamers, woolly buggers, and crayfish patterns. Many tactics will catch bowfin, although finding them is the first challenge. If you know that good numbers of bowfin are present in the area, a good method to locate them would be hanging a four-inch shiner beneath a slip bobber near heavy cover. Bowfin often will try to drag the bait back into their weedy lairs before swallowing it, so it is necessary to let them run quite awhile after the strike. Where bowfin are roaming the muddy flats of a large river, I've had success freelining them with larval salamanders and smallish sucker minnows. A good method for catching bowfin on artificials is to wade the weedy shallows, looking for bowfin lurking amongst the weeds. Once you've stalked up into good casting range of a visible fish, toss a lure or fly past the fish and retrieve it erratically across the bowfin's field of vision. Bowfin strike both topwater and subsurface presentations savagely, and their bony skull necessitates a very strong hookset. Be prepared for a serious battle when you hook into a bowfin. They will jump, tailwalk, run, lunge into cover, burrow, and even thrash onto shore when hooked. One of the hardest aspects of bowfin angling is landing the fish. Since they are almost as much at home on land as in the water, the fight does not end when they are pulled ashore. They are extremely muscular, and can easily slip out of your grasp if you're not careful. Always be sure to avoid getting your fingers anywhere near their mouth, because bowfin can cause tremendous damage in the blink of an eye. You don't want to end up with the nickname "Stumpy". A "Boga-grip" is a highly effective tool for handling bowfin, although they are quite expensive. Plastic catfish-grabbers are probably not very effective, although they might be worth a try. You can net bowfin, which would be an effective method, but unless the net is made of very stout nylon cord, you risk having the meshes torn to shreds and the net destroyed. If you have neither a net, nor a boga-grip, just grab the fish across the back with both hands and hold on for dear life. You'll need to get a death-grip on the fish to control it. Extract the hook with a set of very long-nosed pliers, or save yourself from potential mangling and cut the line. Bowfin are beneficial predators that efficiently prevent panfish populations from stunting, so unless you've got a good bowfin recipe, be sure to practice catch and release.