27 replies to this topic

[Jmollari]

I caught this fish in Gordan Lake near Sault Ste. Marie. I've been calling it a dog fish but I can't find any similar pictures online of one. I was told to destroy it by another fisherman.

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[efka]

the big one is bowfin, the other fish in 1 pic is walleye, the middle one in the cooler is pike i am guessing

[NiagaraSteel]

The biggest one is a bowfin, the one that looks like a big perch with grey/black scales is a walleye, and the other one looks to be a pike.

Remember to practice catch & release

[Swing4Steel]

yup bow wow fo sho

[Dopefish905]

Why keep a bowfin??? They are terrible eating and somewhat rare. Catch n release

[Jmollari]

Cool, do people also call it a dogfish or is that something different. Thanks for the replies

[Float_On]

Did u eat a bowfin?

[NiagaraSteel]

Did u eat a bowfin?

Those bowfins look horrible tasting

[Jmollari]

I did fillet the bowfin but the meat looked horrible. Very mushy and full of yellow fat. I didnt know if it was a ling or what and like I said someone with a camp on the lake told me to destroy it because it was bad for the pickeral population, he's the one i pay to launch at that lake so can't really argue him.

[BASS BUSTER !]

I found a Website long time ago "ontariofishspecies.com" (not intended to be a Link, unless it works ...LOL...). Also a couple of other Sites I have for ID purposes of Ontario/Canadian Fish.

This is just a small part of their Info on a Bowfin just to clarify the name.

"DOGFISH and lawyer are other names commonly used for this fish. The name, dogfish, is unfortunate because it properly belongs to a small shark. Likewise, the name, lawyer is inappropriate because it is applied to the burbot."

Also a Pic from there. That is One UGLY Lookin' Fish!!!

I've never seen an actual one myself. That's probably a GOOD THING!!

Rick

EDIT: I went back and got the Link. Might be of use to some of Our Members. It's pretty Basic but what they have seems to be accurate. Also Videos for most Fish.

HERE: http://www.ontariofi....com/index.html

[Rainbow]

I've heard that don't taste very good. And the people I've heard it from would eat just about anything.

[NiagaraSteel]

I've heard that don't taste very good. And the people I've heard it from would eat just about anything.

Lol

[NiagaraSteel]

I found a Website long time ago "ontariofishspecies.com" (not intended to be a Link, unless it works ...LOL...). Also a couple of other Sites I have for ID purposes of Ontario/Canadian Fish.

This is just a small part of their Info on a Bowfin just to clarify the name.

"DOGFISH and lawyer are other names commonly used for this fish. The name, dogfish, is unfortunate because it properly belongs to a small shark. Likewise, the name, lawyer is inappropriate because it is applied to the burbot."

Also a Pic from there. That is One UGLY Lookin' Fish!!!

I've never seen an actual one myself. That's probably a GOOD THING!!

Rick

EDIT: I went back and got the Link. Might be of use to some of Our Members. It's pretty Basic but what they have seems to be accurate. Also Videos for most Fish.

HERE: http://www.ontariofi....com/index.html

GOD that's ugly!!!!

[FishingNoob]

Some people target bowfin...

[Alfiegee]

Some people target bowfin...

Can't say I target Bowfin, but I do get a few in the Grand. And here in Hamilton where they are much more welcome on my line than Gobies or the tiny Silver Bass or Perch or whatever they are that live here by the thousands.
Bowfin fight pretty well and can reach large sizes, I've never caught one bigger than 6 or 7 lbs but have seen them up to around 20. And yes my 80 year old father does call them Dogfish Contrary to what has been said here, I think a Bowfin is a pretty good looking fish as you unhook it and release it.
Further, they are a native species that has been around for thousands of years so no need to destroy them. If they have coexisted with Walleye in the lake mentioned for this long I'm sure they will continue to do so.
I'm not sure about the quality of the meat, but I remember an old man telling me once that the meat was poison he called them Dogfish too but that was about 40 years ago when my brother and I were watching some from a bridge near Picton as they hid in the weeds and then ambushed minnows or small Panfish that swam by. Much like any predator does.

Alfie.

[Float_On]

Bowfin can live in some pretty rancid water for a very long time.

They can absorb air through their swim bladder, which allows them to live in some gnarly low oxygen areas.

Pretty hardy.

Probably tastes like the bottom of the weedy bog/hot swampy marsh it lives in.

[NiagaraSteel]

I've caught a few and i can back up alfie that they fight like a pissed off mule!!!!!

[FishingNoob]

Can't say I target Bowfin, but I do get a few in the Grand. And here in Hamilton where they are much more welcome on my line than Gobies or the tiny Silver Bass or Perch or whatever they are that live here by the thousands.
Bowfin fight pretty well and can reach large sizes, I've never caught one bigger than 6 or 7 lbs but have seen them up to around 20. And yes my 80 year old father does call them Dogfish Contrary to what has been said here, I think a Bowfin is a pretty good looking fish as you unhook it and release it.
Further, they are a native species that has been around for thousands of years so no need to destroy them. If they have coexisted with Walleye in the lake mentioned for this long I'm sure they will continue to do so.
I'm not sure about the quality of the meat, but I remember an old man telling me once that the meat was poison he called them Dogfish too but that was about 40 years ago when my brother and I were watching some from a bridge near Picton as they hid in the weeds and then ambushed minnows or small Panfish that swam by. Much like any predator does.

Alfie.

Thanks! Never hooked into one myself but hear they populate Toronto Islands pretty good.

[FishingNoob]

I've caught a few and i can back up alfie that they fight like a pissed off mule!!!!!

[Alfiegee]

Bowfin can live in some pretty rancid water for a very long time.

They can absorb air through their swim bladder, which allows them to live in some gnarly low oxygen areas.

Pretty hardy.

Probably tastes like the bottom of the weedy bog/hot swampy marsh it lives in.

True and true, but part of my point was that they are a predator and live in waters where they can catch smaller fish, like other predators. Not weedy bogs or marshes. I can't say they taste good but they are eating the same things Walleye, Bass and Pike (all tasty) eat. The Grand is not exactly a weedy bog or marsh below the various dams where I have caught them.

Alfie.