# Bowfin



## Relic (Jul 14, 2012)

I do quit a bit of fishing and often catch a fish called a Bowfin. They are related to the snake head and while bowfin are aggresive they aren't as bad as the snake head...and unlike the snake head, bowfin are native to my waters. I've always wanted one of these in a huge aquarium but I would probably need a 400+ gallon tank to house one of these. Just thought I would share these unique fish with ya folks.


----------



## AquaKai (Jan 2, 2012)

That is one large fish! Although that would be pretty awesome to see that swimming around a large tank. Also, great photography! It's so clear


----------



## MSG (May 8, 2012)

If bowfish didn't have such a high mercury content, I would filet one up............


cook it up on the grill or,
panroast it with some capers, noisette butter and lemon to finish
or make some bowfish fried nuggets with spicy horseradish tarter sauce.
 
That's the only thing I don't like about fishing. Big fish like that I view as food. But when you're out there by the water, you can't really have a good meal till you've packed up all your fishing gear.

How long did it take you catch him? He looks about 20" to me.


----------



## thekoimaiden (Oct 19, 2011)

If by related you mean both are bony fish. They look a lot alike, but are about as closely related as bettas and sturgeon. Bowfin are part of the order Amiiformes, a very ancient order of fish. Bowfins are the only living members of this order. (The US has a lot of ancient fish hanging around like gars, bowfin, and sturgeon.) Snakeheads are part of the order Perciformes, the most recently derived bony fish. They do look a lot of alike, and when the snakehead scare started in the US people would commonly mistake bowfin for snakeheads. They would kill the bowfins thinking they were the invading snakeheads. 










You've got a neat piece of fish evolutionary history there!


----------



## Relic (Jul 14, 2012)

AquaKai said:


> That is one large fish! Although that would be pretty awesome to see that swimming around a large tank. Also, great photography! It's so clear


Thanks!


----------



## Relic (Jul 14, 2012)

MSG said:


> If bowfish didn't have such a high mercury content, I would filet one up............
> 
> 
> cook it up on the grill or,
> ...


The only way I'll eat bowfin is to put the meat in a food processor with onion,pepper,celery and misc spices and make them into patties. I've tried fillets before and the meat starts tasting like cotton when it cools down. When it's rite out of the pan it's delicious. As far as how long it took me to catch it...I dunno. Not long I guess...I usually fish for 3-4 hours and average 6 or 8 bowfin in a trip. Last time I went {Yesterday} I caught 17 bowfin, 3 gar{2 spotted gar and 1 long nose} and a channel catfish.
I even caught a gar and a bowfin on one hook..it was pretty awesome and a first for me.


----------



## Relic (Jul 14, 2012)

thekoimaiden said:


> If by related you mean both are bony fish. They look a lot alike, but are about as closely related as bettas and sturgeon. Bowfin are part of the order Amiiformes, a very ancient order of fish. Bowfins are the only living members of this order. (The US has a lot of ancient fish hanging around like gars, bowfin, and sturgeon.) Snakeheads are part of the order Perciformes, the most recently derived bony fish. They do look a lot of alike, and when the snakehead scare started in the US people would commonly mistake bowfin for snakeheads. They would kill the bowfins thinking they were the invading snakeheads.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yes..sorry. I didn't mean to imply that the bowfin was directly related to the snake head. The relation pretty much stops at the looks. Here in my part of the country the bowfin and gar are considered "trash fish" and they are usually killed on sight. It's a shame really...in my eyes the bowfin and gar have more right to be in the waters around here than the more desirable species like catfish,bass and sunfish. The bowfin and gar are treated like an invasive species..which they are absolutely not. It's the same with the common snapping turtle..the ignorant kill them on sight.


----------



## Relic (Jul 14, 2012)

And bowfin are fun for the whole family! lol









This is the biggest one my daughter has caught


----------

