NJ Bowfins! 6/6/2021

[MudCat08]

Found some sweet bowfin action in one of the South Jersey tributaries (Delaware River) yesterday afternoon.
Another species crossed off the list!

Started the day with a channel cat, and thought whether it will be another catfish kind of day again..but no! Then it was bowfin after bowfin! I must have hit a bowfin hive or something because I caught a total of 7, and lost many more.
Among them was a healthy baby one, so they are doing very well in these tributaries :)

All fish were caught on cutbait (sunfish) and a fish finder rig.

[AndyS]

I heard that Bowfin fight like crazy, nice report !

[thmyorke1]

i love how those bowfin look; they got that bulky maxillary and just look wicked! do you find them shallow? or they just come up into the tidal creeks?

[bigfishy]

Awesome bucket list specie!! I was unaware that nj had a population big enough to target them....but it sounds like they were a welcome bi-catch...well done!!

[MudCat08]

They do fight flat out even jumping and summersaulting like bass!

They like shallow and slow moving water in the creeks. In some of the creeks it looks like they spend their entire life cycle there. If the creek channel is only a few feet deep and the tide moves slowly, it's perfect.

Yeah, I've tried searching for them for the past two years, and finally found a creek that has more bowfins than catfish, woo!

[FASTEDDIE29]

Well done dude! Solid Bowfin all around! I haven’t been fishing down there in years. Brings back some great memories! Healthy, strong fish! :D