How To Catch Bowfin

Have you ever thought about fishing for bowfin? Would you like to learn how to catch bowfin? Bowfin is a member of the Amiidae family and lived alongside dinosaurs. Today, it lives in the eastern United States and southern Canada. The bowfin will put up a spirited fight when it is hooked with its muscular body, sharp teeth, and powerful jaws.

In this article, we discuss information like fishing techniques, fishing tips, and behavioral information about the bowfin to help you be more successful when fishing for this fish.

How To Catch Bowfin

You can use the regular fishing methods that are successful in catching fishes like trout, walleye, or muskie to catch bowfin. Still fishing, trolling, jigging, and drift fishing are some of the fishing methods that can be used.

1. Still Fishing

Still fishing is one of the easiest and most effective fishing methods to catch most fish. With still fishing, you are not in motion. Instead, you drop your line with the bait on the hook into the water. You let it drop to the bottom and just wait for the scent to reach the fish. When they strike the bait, you set the hook and reel them in. Still fishing can be a good way for beginners to start fishing.

2. Jigging

Jigging is another fishing method that involves dropping the line with bait into the water. When it hits the bottom, you wait for a few seconds and then quickly pull the line upward so the bait appears making an upward motion. Jigging can be done up and down or side to side.

3. Trolling

Trolling is a fishing method that is implemented on a boat. After hooking the bait to the line, attach the line to the back of the boat and slowly move the boat, preferably at 1 to 4 knots, as the boat moves through the water. When the slow-moving bait attracts the attention of fish and makes a bite, take the fishing rod and reel in the fish.

4. Drift Fishing

Drift fishing is another fishing method that allows you to cover a lot of water and habitats that have a variety of fish. As you move the weighted bait over the water, you may get strikes from fish that you can reel in. Drift fishing can be done on rivers, lakes, streams, and ponds. A weighted line or a bobber or float can be used when drift fishing.

Bowfin Tackle Setup

The medium-light fishing rod will work for catching bowfin. A 7-foot spinning rod will do the job for bowfin fishing. Use a line that is rated for a 15 to 35 pounds test. Circle hooks from number 8 to number 2 are a good choice.

How To Catch Bowfin In Florida

Bowfin can be found in clear rivers, lakes, backwaters, and mucky and dirty swamps with heavy vegetation. Bowfins like to ambush their prey in weeds and grass. They are not fond of open water.

But will be found deep in the water column. When looking for bowfin and you find a vegetated area, look for dense channels that cut through the swamp or the area near the main river.

Bowfin feeds on insects, crustaceans, small rodents, larvae, amphibians, shad, minnows, and game fish. They like to ambush their prey at night by hiding in the shadows and waiting for their prey to come near them. Frogs, stinkbait, salamanders, minnows, and nightcrawlers can be used as bait when fishing for bowfin. Casting works well when fishing for bowfin.

Best Bowfin Baits

1. Shad

Shad, crustaceans, and minnows are usually on the menu for bowfin. This makes shad a good bait when fishing for bowfin.

2. Minnows

Minnows are effective as bait for bowfin.

3. Crustaceans

Bowfin eats crustaceans and this makes them a good bait for targeting bowfin.

4. Nightcrawlers

Nightcrawlers, worms, frogs, and crayfish work well as bait for bowfin.

5. Salamanders

Salamanders are also used as bait for bowfin.

6. Crayfish

Crayfish are used by anglers when targeting bowfin as they like to eat crayfish.

7. Whitefish

Whitefish are also used as bait for bowfin.

8. Bluegills

Anglers also used bluegill as bait for bowfin.

Best Bowfin Lures

1. Spinners

Spinners work well as lures for bowfin especially in cloudy or dirty water.

2. Crankbaits

Crankbaits work well to attract bowfin when you are targeting them.

3. Jigs

Jigs work well as lures for bowfin as it provides many options.

Bowfin Fishing Tips

1. Bowfin can always be found in rivers and lakes with heavy vegetation.

2. Bowfin thrives in tidal systems and rivers but does not like currents.

3. Bowfin are bimodal breathers and gulp air and water to breathe.

4. Bowfin will put up a serious fight when it is hooked. It will turn, twist, and jump when you hook it.

5. Backwaters, swamps, lowland lakes, rivers, and vegetated sloughs are some of the habitats where you can find bowfin.

6. Bowfin needs a heavy salad to spawn.

7. Bowfin likes to ambush and hunt in grass and weeds.

8. Bowfin spawn in late spring, between April and June.

9. Bowfin usually spawns at night.

10. Bowfins are known to grab the bait and run for the closest weedy cover to swallow it.

11. Bowfin has a muscular body, sharp teeth, and powerful jaws that make it challenging to catch it.

12. Use a steel leader since it has razor-sharp teeth that can easily cut braided lines. However, some anglers prefer fluorocarbon and think steel leaders make the presentation less natural.

13. You need a sharp and strong hook with a long shank to penetrate its lips.

14. Bowfin has poor eyesight.

15. You can catch bowfin all year round.

16. Ice fishing for bowfin can be very productive.

17. There is no particular time in the day that is the best time to catch bowfin. You can catch them in the morning, afternoon, or evening.

The Bottom Line

The bowfin is a freshwater species that has been around since primordial times. It is part of the Amiidae family that today lives in the eastern United States and southern Canada. When hooked, bowfin puts up an intense fight. It is a very strong and aggressive fish. In this article, we discussed the fishing methods, fishing tips, and equipment needed to catch bowfin.

If you also fish for other fish like bonito, Almaco jack, and sturgeon, then read how to catch bonito, how to catch Almaco jack, and how to catch sturgeon.