ClearH2O Clips August 2012

Written By: Darrin Schaap

Slightly shortened version this month folks so I thought I would cover a species of fish that gets a “bad rap” as a pest with most anglers…the Dogfish or Bowfin. They deserve that status but in many lakes they are an important part of the ecosystem acting as the dominant predator and are useful as population control.

First we will look at a bit of history and information on them (source Wikipedia). The Bowfin is the last surviving member of the order Amiiformes which includes 3 additional, now-extinct families dating from the Jurassic, to the Eocene age, so they truly are pre-historic like dinosaurs. The Bowfin is an indiscriminate predator preying on fish, crayfish, frogs, and insects by ambush or stalking. They are native to southeastern Canada and the eastern United States. They prefer shallow, weedy waters of lakes or protected back waters of rivers. Bowfin are able to breathe air, using their swim bladder as a primitive lung and can be seen coming to the surface and gulping air even in well oxygenated water. This air-breathing ability allows them to utilize shoreline habitats that are not accessible to other predator fish.

Bowfin should be handled carefully, as they have very sharp teeth. They will continue to struggle even when pulled out of the water, and will attempt to bite anyone who is handling them. The most distinctive characteristic of the Bowfin is its very long dorsal fin consisting of 145 to 250 rays, and running from mid-back to the base of the tail. They can grow up to 43 inches in length, and weigh up to 20 pounds. Another noticeable feature is the black "eye spot" usually found high on the back of the tail.

While generally considered a poor-quality eating fish compared to more popular game fish, the Bowfin can be palatable if properly prepared. Commercially, Bowfin are harvested primarily for their eggs as caviar, though the meat also is sold. The EPA recommends minimizing consumption of bowfin because they accumulate higher amounts of mercury than most fish.

The Dogfish will strike as hard as a bass or pike and are considered very tough fighters. They will sometimes strike, and often ruin artificial lures and can be targeted with live bait or dead bait very successfully in shallow areas that they cruise, and are very active in low light hours.

They can be a fun way to pass the time on a hot summer night sitting around a campfire telling fish stories!

Darrin Schaap is the Owner/Operator of ClearH2O Tackle located at 69037 Christiana Lake Rd in Edwardsburg. The shop is open M-F 9-4 and by appointment. Please stop in to get rigged up, ask questions, or share some stories. To contact ClearH2O Tackle please stop by the shop, call 269-414-4131, or visit them on Facebook. ClearH2O Tackle will be contributing “ClearH2O Clips”, an outdoor themed column monthly for the Voice.