I caught a big one last night!

[Tim Jeffers]

I was fishing a weed line last night, doing quite well with a Senko (5 largemouth, 1 smallmouth - all 13" to 15").

It was getting dark, so I decided to make one final cast before heading back to the ramp.



I threw the Senko out there, and on the initial "fall", I felt the "tap" on the lure. I reeled in the slack, and set the hook - HARD. I was decidedly unprepared for the resistance I got - almost lost my grip on the rod. I fought the fish for a couple of minutes before catching a glimpse of bronze just below the surface of the water. At that point I'm unbelievably excited, 'cause I'm thinking I have a smallie hooked, and a REAL big one, at that.



Turns out it was just a bowfin. Funny thing was, that as I was trying to remove the hook from its mouth with a needlenose pliers, it gave one last violent shake and fell into the water, leaving me with HALF a hook. It actually broke the hook right in half - just to add insult to injury, I guess.



BTW, it was a 3/0 EWG Gamakatsu!



TJ

 

[TOMMY RICH]

Talk about an ugly fish...ALMOST as ugly as an alligator gar.

 

[JAMES MOORE]

May be ugly but they sure be fun to catch. Caught one my last tournament last weekend.

 

[Tim Jeffers]

I've caught them before, but I'm surprised at how much fight they have in 'em every time.



TJ

 

[Tim Jeffers]

oops - double post.

 

[Brian Ingersoll]

We have them all over here in the south and they will flat destroy a spinnerbait, fun to catch though.

 

[Michael Snow]

I want to catch a bowfin, but I've heard that they are very prone to remove skin from you if you get too close. I'm not sure until I see one in person whether I'll be trying to remove the hook or just give it to him as a reminder of our meeting.

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

I would guess that the needlenose either broke and/or cut the hook when the bowfin shook. I've never even had a gammie straighten but I have bent them trying to get them dislodged.



TOXIC

 

[Steve Rizza]

I can tell you Snow,they are bad news!!

I caught a big one on a crankbait.Netted him and got him in the boat.Some how it had the whole crankbait in it's mouth without cutting the line.

I sure wasn't losing a $5.00 crankbait,but that thing would not open it's mouth!!!You could hear the teeth grinding as I tried to wedge my pliers into its mouth.

Once I finally pried it open a little,we used the net handle to pry it open enough so that I coulg get my lure back.

The teeth didn't seem very sharp,but it's mouth sure was packed with them!!!!!



If it is a cheaper lure,I'm just cutting the line next time.......LOL





Luckily Rob and Marke ware talking about them about a week earlier.I had never caught one before and my partner was reaching into the net to grab it when I remembered what they said about them.

I would have hated to see him try to lip it!!!!!!!!!