Countless bass anglers have been fooled by big bowfins, thinking for certain they had a state-record (or even world record) largemouth bass on the line. Mudfish, as bowfins often are called, are exceptionally strong, and a typical 10-pounder easily would outpull a 15-pound largemouth.
Bowfins grow to roughly the same size as largemouths. (The world-record bowfin weighed 21 pounds, 8 ounces.) The two species also use some of the same habitat and hit some of the same types of fishing lures, making it easy to understand why so many bass anglers get snookered.
Many bass fishermen are disappointed or even irritated when they discover their “trophy bass” actually is a mudfish. The fight that had been thrilling somehow suddenly turns into drudgery. The truth is, however, that bowfins are very fun to catch because of their decisive strikes and hard fights, and they can save a day of fishing when the bass aren’t cooperating.
A bowfin is a fish of many names. In addition to bowfin and mudfish, “grinnel” and “dogfish” are common monikers for this bronze-sided, thick-scaled fish, which has fins like an eel, a tail spot like a redfish and mouthful of wicked teeth.
A few of the best lures for mudfish, which spend much of their time in or around vegetation, are YUM 5 1/2-inch Sooies, 7 1/2-inch Ribbontails and 7-inch Zellamanders. Pitch a Texas rig into cuts along reed banks or holes in lily pad pads or cast it parallel to a weedline. Also, work baits around submerged treetops and other woody cover.
Rig YUM baits on 3/0 to 5/0 Excalibur Tx3 Point X-Strong Wide Gap Hooks. Mudfish have tough jaws, calling for a big, strong and extremely sharp hook. Use an Excalibur Tg weight to help punch through holes in the grass.
If the mudfish won’t take a Texas rig, tie on a BOOYAH BOO Jig and add a YUM Baby CrawBug as a trailer. If you don’t want to hop a bait along the bottom, slow roll a ½-ounce rootbeer chartreuse or wounded limetreuse BOOYAH Tux & Tails just off the bottom beside weedlines and woody cover.
Spool up with 20-pound-test Silver Thread Fluorocarbon, which is abrasion resistant and can handle a bowfin’s sharp teeth and is strong enough to get a powerful fish out of the grass. Also choose a rod that has plenty of backbone, both for setting the hook and for fighting the fish.
Despite the common nickname of mudfish, bowfins prefer clean water. Their favored waterways sometimes may be dark or stained because of high fertility, but most are weedy and fairly clean. Lakes and rivers both offer potentially good habitat for bowfins; however, in rivers, they tend to stay in cuts and backwaters that are out of the current.
One final note about mudfish: Don’t forget your pliers! Grab the fish firmly around the body, ideally with a fish-cleaning glove, and put only the pliers in the fish’s mouth. The teeth are every bit as sharp as they look.