Bowfin fishing in BOWFIN HEAVEN (How to fish for bowfin)

[@AdamMiharaFishing]

Production quality doesn't need to be epic for every video. A really good filmmaker told me that sometimes putting limits on yourself technologically really forces creativity. Locally guys fish for bowfin with buzzbaits. The upside down trailer hook is a key tip!

[@billflythe4092]

Very enjoyable video.....that pond held some great fish. Thank you

[@A.KINLAW]

I caught a big bowfin this morning on a Walmart whopper plopper. Great video, guys! Quality was fine with me.

[@paulheels]

Damn it boy! A bowfin pond??!!! 😱😱 hell of a video. The production matched the fish and area. Love it!

[@mosierboy3631]

Regardless of recording equipment, you fellas still make it entertaining! Awesome video friends!

[@billflythe4092]

Went fishing late summer 2022 in a tributary of the Northeast Cape Fear River between Burgaw and Wilmington NC. I was using a small Beetle Spin expecting either a Bluegill or a Crappie and got a aggressive strike and resistance that was impressive. It was about a 5 lb. Bowfin on relatively light tackle and 12 lb. braided line. That fish fought extremely hard....very strong fish. We had really good net in the 16 John Boat and my friend was very helpful scooping it up. The fish fought like hell. We carefully removed the little Beetle Spin hook with a pair of needle nose and release him. Quote an experience!

[@shawnwhalen8314]

Up here in Michigan they have the nickname "Dogfish" they are fierce predators. We get some really really big ones here. Spinnerbaits and topwaters for us. Fun to catch....but not many fisherman like them here. They eat alot of baby game fish...well fish period! LOL! Nice job!

[@ChuckWood14]

Caught my first bowfin last summer up here in northern Minnesota. 5.5 lbs but MAN could that thing FIGHT! Ugly fish, lots of fun though!

[@brienfoaboutanything9037]

True information about Bowfin: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iobMe36wecqfeMU

[@tcox8729]

Alot of people are idiots who don't understand ecological importance, then want to complain when there precious bass fishery has too many stunted fish

[@MackinNC1]

Nice Job, Bowfin are one of my favorites. I got a good Playlist on them. They luv a black Spinnerbait with copper blades( my favorite lure for them) and a Pink Wacky rig Senko is awesome as well. my biggest was a tad over 14 from Jordan but any that are 7-10 is a nice fish.

[@Wuddupskin]

awesome off the hip vid guys! so much fun and next time we will have all the video equipment for some epic shots. bite is getting BETTER into fall!

[@willperryman4559]

Bravo 👏👏👏👏👏 Hey James, I would be glad to help you put a couple more in your pond. I’m glad to drive anywhere, I live in Raleigh and I’ve got Spinnerbaits😅✊

[@EvilDwarf-pp5py]

Over the years I’ve caught bowfin on worms, spinners, minnows, live bluegills and even shot a few. I caught one absolute monster on a Hula Popper, but I always killed them and threw them back as they were considered to be a trash fish by everyone I knew. I ran into a hillbilly guy with several heavy poles and pike bobbers and asked him what he was fishing for. He said “dogfish”. I asked if he was putting them in a flower bed and he said “Hell no. They’re good eatin’”. I thought he was messing with me until I realized he was serious. He said the key was to keep them alive until you’re ready to cook them. He said to get your oil hot and your batter ready, kill and fillet your fish and immediately cook it. I tried it and it was actually delicious. Tasted line walleye with a catfish consistency. I keep every one I catch now.

[@SlabDynasty]

Might be good table fare that way, but I don’t think anyone’s that starving. Just throw em back, they aren’t trash fish they’re natives and don’t harm other bass/crappie/panfish populations

[@zekethefishgeek8690]

I sure would like to catch about 20 or 30 of these Bowfin to stock into of of my ponds... I have been looking for some nearby populations of them close to me in N/W Georgia but have had zero luck so far...

[@jeremygordon4553]

in line spinners are my go to for bowfin

[@SlabDynasty]

Nice! I’ve caught a river bowfin on a spinner before. So much fun!

[@northernoutcastsoutdoors6639]

Really cool to see the similarities between going after these donkeys up in PA and down south there too. Same craziness happens up here with them chasing and hitting at random. Majority of the ones we catch hit and miss and come back for seconds. Good stuff!

[@SlabDynasty]

Yeah they really are crazy! We often use a trailer hook because they swipe so aggressively and can miss the main hook.

[@jareth7456]

For the more extreme conditions I will always go with terminator titanium spinner baits , those things are super tough....indestructible...just bring plenty of extra chartreuse and blue skirts ....this color combo is absolutely deadly on large mouth and pretty much anything else...I don't know what it is about this color combination but try it out and you will see the light. Speaking of trailer hooks , when musky fishing with live suckers on a bobber I always make sure to put a big hook on the bobber because they have a tendency to hit them

[@mizzle1788]

I caught a 10 pounder on my kayak this summer not expecting it and it was something else.

[@JaylenEban]

What was you using?

[@Sentientmad9m]

I found a spot around me that’s supposed to have some of these guys they look really fun

[@GNRF_GripnNRipnFishn]

Awesome fish man. We have the Snakeheads up where im at in Delaware that will give them a run for their money!

[@thomasburkett6417]

Used to hammer these guys in the spring up in Fair Haven Ny. They loved those big mepps aglia 1/2 oz dressed spinners. After about 4 hookups the lure was mangled beyond use. You never expect a carp to have so many teeth and an attitude to go with it. They call em grinners down south

[@calebkingdrums]

Nice!

[@brandonbaker6165]

Where at in North Carolina?

[@UWPcustombaits]

Love a good bowfin bite.

[@jeremyblackwater439]

The first one I ever caught weighed almost ten pounds and I’ve been hooked ever since.

[@TheIconicFisherman]

The upside of me moving to the Midwest from Arizona is I have a lot more fish species I can fish for here in the Midwest. the downside of moving out of Arizona is I can't catch catfish year around due to the cold winters in the Midwest. Whereas in Arizona I could catch catfish year around because it never got below 90 degrees fahrenheit in the winter in Arizona.

[@jamesmcquade453]

Oh no he took off! *Casually* "that was a twelve pounder"

[@tfalc0]

Hey man, just stumbled on this video. I am in NC right by Jordan Lake, been trying to get a bowfin for 2 years. Hitting up waterfowl impoundments with no luck. Realistically, how much would I have to pay for you to put me on a bowfin? Lmao, longshot but figured I'd ask, I am desperate 😂

[@SlabDynasty]

I got my first bowfin in one of those waterfowl impoundments. Cut bait is your best bet. And if you bass fish the area long enough, you WILL run into one eventually. Unfortunately we don’t have access to this spot anymore and we moved away from the area. Look up the Black River, it has probably the highest concentration of bowfin compared to any other body of water in the state

[@tfalc0]

@@SlabDynasty Thank you for the reply and info. Appreciate it hopefully will have some success one of these days.

[@bokoghobo202]

just got an 11 pounder in one of the waterfowl impoundments, use cut bluegill or small live bluegill and fish deep holes with vegetation

[@tfalc0]

@@bokoghobo202 Awesome, are you using a bobber? Or what kind of rig are you running?

[@davidbryanbartlett4071]

Getting to Tate bonefin - Soak fish fillets in Mils overnight cleaned the muddy Taste out- they Make great fired fillet or Sandwichs

[@amosjohnson863]

Where ?

[@SlabDynasty]

Over there

[@jrfishing2883]

I always catch them on Texas rigs

[@willperryman4559]

I used to live in Mississippi ( went to Mississippi State in Starkville ) I would go back into these slews and swamps off of some railroad tracks with my buddy and we would have a ball with Spinnerbaits and I got one that engulfed a brand new Jitterbug😮 never got over 9lbs but hey you know those 6&8 pounders will tear up your stuff 😜🍀🍀🍀🎣

[@nah_cuz_fishin_8891]

🔥🔥🔥🔥let's go boys

[@brandon87ize]

Biggest in NC was 13lbs! Dinosaur for sure.

[@babsann8463]

You guys hurt the fish, their bleeding! You know that they are a rare species! Sure hope they make it and breed in your friends pond. Loved watching!👍🙂

[@SlabDynasty]

Actually coincidentally the original pond got drained and we have caught multiple in their new homes. So it’s possible we actually saved those fish. We try to do the least harm possible

[@pete1128]

They are almost indestructible, I'm sure it's ok.

[@user-by6yc8yl7v]

Bass guys - "such a nuisance fish, garbage fish" Bass guy going on 251 minutes working a bowfin while standing on a downed tree. IM ON, HUUUGE BOWFIN!! OHHH NO! "That was a 34.8lber'

[@robertnewman4072]

Choupique!

[@prestongreenbay6336]

We call them mud fish in South Carolina and the will completely bend 4/0 hooks i hate catching them they always destroy my swim jig

[@mimief7969]

I want to catch one, i gotta land em all

[@mattpotter4143]

Come catch all you want in my pond in Eastern NC I don’t want them. There is some big ones.

[@SlabDynasty]

Any bigs???

[@mattpotter4143]

Yes I’ve caught some 10 pounds and lost some bigger. It’s a 100 year old pond in Vanceboro NC that connects to the Neuse River when the water is high.

[@arsenioward217]

Why is u throwing cut meat and reeling like it's a lure!!

[@SlabDynasty]

Don’t believe that occurred in this video. Spinner baits and chatter baits only

[@kierra_mist]

Y’all talk more than y’all fish ☹️

[@txman201]

What I find amazing is that anyone would actually target bowfin. I would be it more easily if it were a spoof video! They are by-catch when seeking other species for every angler I know. And, all of those anglers I speak with insure that any bowfin they catch will no longer take up biomass space in the water they came from!

[@ChrisFunktheFeralOne]

that is a pure shame. they are an apex predator that fights well, are native and a sign of a healthy ecosystem. i target them regularly and they will put a quick whipping on lures and gear. they are a great species to keep around and healthy.

[@Zack.G23]

We let dogfish swim their guts out