# Dogfish?



## muskat (Mar 5, 2002)

Here might be a stupid question, but growing up in Western ND, I have never ran into a "dogfish" before. This last summer, I was out doing a little bluegill fishing (They taste great smoked) and I tore into about a 28 inch fish. Brought it to the surface, ugliest thing I have ever seen. I had no idea what it was, until I stopped to fill gas at Tank n Yummies (Near Ottertail) and they had one of those ugly fish on the wall. The guy working called it a dogfish, anyone ever had the luxury of catching one of these or even hearing about one?


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## Eric Hustad (Feb 25, 2002)

We caught one out crappie fishing once. I had the same reaction when we got the fish into the net. What an ugly fish!!! I really don't know much about these fish except that they probably won't give the walleyes much of run for being the most sought after game fish...


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## Austin Bachmeier (Feb 27, 2002)

Dogfish? In North Dakota? They are freshwater sharks aren't they? Maybe its just a slang term for something. Weird.


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## saskcarp (Apr 16, 2003)

Burbot, ling,lawyer,fresh water cod,eelpout and lota lota(scientific name) are all names used for the fish you are talking about.It aint pretty but it tastes awsome and I am not kidding you around. They like real deep water in summer but they go shallower under the ice. They put up a fair fight too!They are related to the ling cod of salt water and they are the only species of cod that lives exclusively in fresh water. I know this topic is old but I thought I would revive it!
See Ya!
Rick.


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## Scraper (Apr 1, 2002)

Dogfish and eelpout are not the same thing. The "official" name for dogfish is bowfin. Roughly the same look as the eelpout, but extrememly different personalities. We used to catch a lot of them musky fishing on Leech. They are a real bummer because they absolutely thrash a musky lure with those teeth. Always a fun catch, though.


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## rockinmichigan (Jan 26, 2004)

Ahhh yes, I caught a bowfin/dogfish last year, didn't fight worth a damn though. I was calling it a night last April and I felt something was on my line, but if felt like I was dragging weeds. Wasn't until I pulled my line outta the water when I figured out I had something. Small for bowfin standards, about seven inches, and I had no idea what it was. So I kept it to make sure I could identify it, because they are similar looking to snakeheads. I don't know how things are in North Dakota, but over here you gotta get a hold of the DNR if you do end up catching a snakehead. Took me four days but I had found a picture of the fish I caught on Michigan DNR's website. So the next day I went fishing and released it into the same place I caught it. I wouldn't say it was ugly, not pretty though.


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## christopher (Mar 25, 2004)

In some parts of ontario people actually target this fish for there fight.
I myself don't like to fish for the ugly things .I had seen a show on the
fish canada show they were using muskie lures fo them.


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## njsimonson (Sep 24, 2002)

When I went down to Florida for school I would fish the lakes around Gainesville. They had plenty of dogfish (aka bowfin). I always found them to be great fighters, even if they looked (and smelled) terrible. The biggest one I landed was about two pounds.

The bowfin is an ancient fish, old along the lines of sturgeon and paddlefish. One indicator of this is the large scales along the head, a reminant from ancient times, when fish needed more armor in the primordial sea and inland lakes. These scales give them a pretty tough look. They are more frequently found in the southern latitudes.

That's all I know about bowfin, and I have never caught one up here.


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## PJ (Oct 1, 2002)

I have caught a bunch of Bowfins on the lake my cabin is on. A few over 5 pounds too, that faught hard.


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## rockinmichigan (Jan 26, 2004)

I hear they fight pretty good. That one I caught didn't fight worth a damn, but it was neat to catch. Never caught anything quite like it before or since.


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## Goldy's Pal (Jan 6, 2004)

Lots of these in the Mississippi back waters. I've even caught them on top water Bass lures. They will come up from behind the bait and almost suck it in. They like to cruise the shallows in the summer, chasing all the game fish. Mean fish too. Get out the spreader and needle nose. Not ones to cooperate easily.


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## rockinmichigan (Jan 26, 2004)

I've had a couple people tell me they make kind of a growling noise, like a dog would. That one I caught never did, at least not that I heard. Wasn't really a mean one that I had, but I have heard lots of people say they are.


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## Duckslayer100 (Apr 7, 2004)

Back home near the Twin Cities I've shot a few while bowfishing...my biggest is 10lb 9oz. We usually catch them by accident when we're using spinnerbaits for bass, they got some nasty teeth, they fight good with a shaft of fiberglass through, em though! :wink:


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## rockinmichigan (Jan 26, 2004)

The one I caught certainly wasn't pretty. I wouldn't say he was ugly though, just not one if it was big enough you'd want to put on your wall. But I guess better that then a carp and those lovely lips of there's.


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## christopher (Mar 25, 2004)

if you catch one at a lake beach throw in on the sand and it will make a barking sound


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## rockinmichigan (Jan 26, 2004)

I have heard that they'll growl and bark at you, I think that's funny. The one I caught didn't do any of that though.


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## DavidG (Mar 28, 2004)

I have to jump in here, I am an active fieldman of a group of fisherman who target bowfin specifically called (B.A.G) the bowfin anglers group. Bowfin (Amia Calva) are NOT ugly! What is your definition of ugly anyway? the BIG lips of a bass are not that attractive yet they are the holy grail of fisherman, big fat ugly catfish with toad like heads and slimy whiskars arent the prettiest pearl but hey, everyone loves catfish, and some of the most popular gamefish of saltwater are also some of the most god awfully ugly beasts ive ever seen, take halibut or flounder for example. Bowfin have a look one can only call unique, unique in that they don't just LOOK prehistoric, They ARE prehistoric. The last member of a family of fish (Amiidae) which are traced back up to 100,000,000 years ago! With an elongated dorsal, a rounded tail, an arrow dinamic frame, and sheer jaw power combined with a row of mean teeth, they are the epitimy of tough! That is why they fight with arguabley the most lb for lb power and largest arsinal of tricks and fighting styles. With a modified air bladder they have the ability to gulp air from the surface when oxygen levels depleat, they can live in the nasties most stagnate of water long after all of the other fish have either died or moved out. Long hated because they "threaten game-fish" by uneducated bass finatics, the statement has no scientific foundation to stand on. Bowfin have swam these waters before teh bass had even began to clime the evolutionary ladder. They are an apex preditor in their swampy environment that strike terror into any unweary shiner or crawfish. Yes they make you lose money on expensive lures... they are the ultimate test for your "top quality gear" fisherman are caught up in the idea of better gear means better fishing anyway. You swear you had a bass of a lifetime but its just an average sized bowfin, and yet people hate them? How someone can dispize a fish with qualitys like this blows me away yet im glad i have them all to myself. Rockinmichigan, you dont sound like a bowfin believer, dont say they dont fight hard when yours was 7 inchs. Try a 30 inch 12 lb angry dinosaur fish on the end of the line first. I need to clear up the barking thing as well. They are not "barking" they do not croak or bark like a catfish, if anything they are trying to gulp air and the air bladder has caught an bubble of water in its throught. Do NOT throw them on the bank as a test of this theory as you will not prove it true
Check out www.bowfinanglers.com and enlighten yourselves on these wonderful prehistoric fish.


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## rockinmichigan (Jan 26, 2004)

DavidG, if you're gonna call me out get your facts straight buddy. I only said that mine didn't fight, but I have heard they fight pretty good. I hear what I hear, and I pass it along, and wherever I hear it I take their word for it. So I guess that does make me a believer. Make sure you read what I post buddy, my posts only take a minute or two to read, so if you aren't going to take the minute or two to read them then don't bother reading them at all. Sorry if I come off nasty but I'm not in a good mood right now and I don't like being rubbed off the wrong way like that.


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## DavidG (Mar 28, 2004)

I knew i worded that wrong, i didnt mean to sound like i was calling you out. Thats not how the post was intended to sound


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## rockinmichigan (Jan 26, 2004)

Its okay buddy, like I said I wasn't in a good mood to begin with. Just sounded like you were saying I didn't know what I was talking about. But its straightened out now buddy. Whichever ever the spin turns, I do know that it was a neat experience, because I didn't know what I had. Before that I had never seen a bowfin/dogfish, whether its a picture on the net or in person, etc. I'd like to get a hold of a bigger one to see how good the fight really is.


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## Southwest Fisher (May 14, 2004)

There is a dam on the north side of Camp Ripley that contains some monster dogfish. We caught some over 36" on every presentation there was. The smaller ones fought the best, and yes, I agree that they are pretty nasty, because they has sores everywhere. Not sure if I'd ever eat them.


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## DavidG (Mar 28, 2004)

you likely caught them during spawn, they will generally get wounds due to their aggressive mating rituals and bouts over spawning rights... ive caught them during spawn with some pretty beat up faces... there is an article about it at bowfinanglers.com 
also, 36 inches is an enourmouse bowfin really enourmouse... infact generally a 30 inch bowfin weighs around 8-10 lbs, yours would have been gigantic. I would love to see some big bowfin pics like that, sounds like a blast. I dont think they are much of an eating fish for the most part but in my opinion fishing is all about the fight, not the taste.


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## Goldy's Pal (Jan 6, 2004)

.


> You swear you had a bass of a lifetime but its just an average sized bowfin, and yet people hate them? How someone can dispize a fish with qualitys like this blows me away yet im glad i have them all to myself.]


Why do you think people don't care for these fish on the end of their line?? You just said it David G. It's just the fact that they cause so much disappointment in a fisherman's hopes. Fun until you get them up to the boat or to the hole in the ice. Pretty normal reaction to a fisherman trying for a nice bass or northern. That's my take on em' anyway.


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## DavidG (Mar 28, 2004)

but going so far as to throw them onto the bank or stomp them dead while cursing them is not the reaction neccessary. What bothers me is that the average fisherman today will limit himself to the species he wants to target when there is a whole other variety out there to persue. Carp, Bowfin, Gar, Sucker species... they are all under many fishermans noses and all have increadible fighting styles. But to despize a fish because its simply not a bass or a bream is weird. Im not saying getting mad about catching what you didnt want to catch was wrong, heck ive been fishing for buffalo suckers before and was tormented when i was catching channel catfish over and over, but then weeks later I may be in the mood for channel cat fishing. From what I have seen, and the most popular view on fish like bowfin is that people dont just get mad when they catch them while fishing for bass, they hate them and will often times kill them. Throwing them back is the best idea, the whole point of me saying you could swear it was a bass of a lifetime is to show that they deserve atleast a little credit for the simple fact it just put your arms and your gear through hell... I just figured anyone would be happy with a fish that feels like a bass of a lifetime.


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## rockinmichigan (Jan 26, 2004)

I can see the method to DavidG's mayhem, and actually I do concur with him. There's been too many times that I would target my favorite species (catfish and bullhead) and end up catching common carp and sheephead left and right. The only thing I'll ever say good about carp and sheephead is that both fight like hell, no matter what size they are, but I'd rather fish for my cats and bullies. Taking DavidG's last rant, and not to change the subject but I'll make a quick add to this thread, but I saw a ton of longnose gar at my honey hole Thursday morning spawning. Mostly ran about a foot long or so, but one I saw ran about 30-32" or so and had to be a good 15-20 lbs. I tried fishing for them hoping I could find a stray that was tired and hungry after all the spawning but no luck, but was fun and interesting. I had never seen so many gar in my life. Had to add that little peice.


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## texasguy (Jun 17, 2004)

Here a while back I caught an 18 pound bowfin on a trotline. I've got to say they fight like hell.
I took me ten minutes to get him in on a ten inch trot. so i got him in my little jonboat aptly named ol' stumpjumper. anyway I knew what he was right away(we have plenty in texas).
He sure did taste good too. real good. guys, if you cath a bowfin, filet that sucker and deep fry him!


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## rockinmichigan (Jan 26, 2004)

texasguy, I was watching The Sportsman Channel the other night and they had an icefishing show on, I forget the name of the show but anyways the guy caught a bowfin through the ice. A good sized one at that, had to be at least two feet long, and the guy had a heck of a time trying to get it through the hole because the bowfin got itself all twisted at the top of the hole. Pretty interesting because you don't hear a lot of people talk about catching them while out icefishing.


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## crowmans dad (May 14, 2004)

I live in tennnessee they are all over the marshes by the mississippi river we see them in shallow waters and i like to bow fish for them i have got a few about 11 pounds


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## rockinmichigan (Jan 26, 2004)

A buddy of mine from another forum fishes for them in really weedy marshes in NW Indiana, he was telling me he caught one about 24" or so yesterday. He doesn't do the bow thing but its all good. I'd like to catch one about that size, they fight damn good from I'm told.


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## crowmans dad (May 14, 2004)

yea they do I dont always use a bow just when i see alot i catch them on shrimp when i am catfishing all the time


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## Leo Porcello (Jul 10, 2003)

When I was in GA we use to catch a fish that looked like that and they fought like hell. Anyway they called them Mudfish. I use to get sooo pumped up when I caught one of those that they started calling me Mudman. Take that fight over a LM anyday! :2cents:


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## rockinmichigan (Jan 26, 2004)

I think there's several names for them, I've heard them called mudfish, most people call them dogfish, but the technical term is bowfin. Does anybody happen to know if there's a nickname for them in different regions of the country or is it usually whatever you wanna call them? Like, some people in New England say soda, around my neck of the woods we say pop. Know what I mean?


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