# Dogfish



## wartfroggy

jasomx6 said:


> Glad that we have some sort of clearification, I personally felt bad about killing it when it was in the boat all day but i was under the impression that they were so aggressive they were harmful to the body of water, hence the reason for killing it. ANY real studies or facts about this fish out there??


 I have never really seen much for studies on their impact to a fishery, but there are quite a few studies out there about them in general. The main one, which is also one thing that makes them unique, is their ability to swallow air and absorb the O2 through their stomach, which is basically a pseudo-lung. This allows them to live in extremely oxygen deficient environments.


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## rockinmichigan

wartfroggy said:


> I have never really seen much for studies on their impact to a fishery, but there are quite a few studies out there about them in general. The main one, which is also one thing that makes them unique, is their ability to swallow air and absorb the O2 through their stomach, which is basically a pseudo-lung. This allows them to live in extremely oxygen deficient environments.


Much like their lookalike counterparts-the northern snakehead fish.


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## chugaplug

Dogfish make my garden grow good.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## pikestalker

We use to make a night out of it when we were younger. A friend and I would park outside a state park, and sneak in about dusk. Catch a bunch of little fish, and then stay up until the wee hours catching these things. They were a blast to catch. We always through them back. Thouse were the days. Always came home muddy, stinky, and tired.

Tom


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## rockinmichigan

I've only caught two in my life. First one was about six or seven years ago at Luna Pier, MI. That one was only 7" and didn't fight much. Was actually reeling my line in as I was calling it a night about 4AM and it felt like I was bringing in grass. Come to find out I had this booger at the end of my line, and to my amazement I had no idea what it was. Never seen a bowfin before that day. Caught it on a nightcrawler. So I brought it home, had a couple neighbors and friends look at it and see if they could figure it out. One person said they thought it was a grass pike. I kept it in an aquarium for four days as I toured the net looking for pictures or anything, because I wasn't sure if this was a snakehead or what. Well, I got an ID on it from the MI DNR website so the next day I took it back in my cooler to where I caught it in Luna Pier and promptly released it.
The other one I caught last summer at Sterling State Park in Monroe, MI, on my camping trip, and that was on a heavy action rod using a bobber and minnow. Dropped the bobber really quick, and was in about three foot of water if that deep. After I set the hook and fought it, at first I had a nice bass when I saw the head but then I got a better look at it and knew I had a decent bowfin. Put a good bend in a pole and could feel every ounce of it even on the heavy action rod and 25# test. It was about 20" and promptly released. The conservation officers that were checking fishing licenses that day a couple hours later told me that they don't get many reports of bowfin being caught there at the park, and the ones they do get brought to the office to have ID'd because some people do think they've caught a snakehead, only to be told that they had indeed caught a bowfin.


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## breuker19

I caught my first dog fish a few days ago on the Thornapple with a #5 mepps spinner trying to catch pike. I catch fish for the fight and and fun and he was both! I know alot of people think they are dirt fish but I thought it was fun lol
Here is a pic (he was still fighting me..bad pic) 

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/21295718/2011-05-13_17-45-08_238.jpg


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## Jimw

They where making deep fried bowfin patties on swamp people the other night. Looked pretty tasty.

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## bowhunter426

Caught an 9 pound bowfin on Saturday evening while going for Pike. Best fight I have had in a while. Not sure about other waters, but I have had excellent luck with gold lures. We spot fish for bowfin and when we see one we will drop a gold #4 or 5 Mepps in front of them and let it sit on the bottom. They always seem to pick it up within a few seconds. We have tried several other colors and haven't had any success. 

When I am out bowfishing and I see a possible state record bowfin, I will take a crack at it. In the last 3 years, I have only taken one. 

Overall, I don't see them as dangerous to our waters. They are a native fish, and if they were as bad as a lot of people make them out to be they would have taken over a long time ago. They are just doing what fish do, eat other fish.


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## Chad Smith

wartfroggy said:


> I have never really seen much for studies on their impact to a fishery, but there are quite a few studies out there about them in general. The main one, which is also one thing that makes them unique, is their ability to swallow air and absorb the O2 through their stomach, which is basically a pseudo-lung. This allows them to live in extremely oxygen deficient environments.


I agree. There are some facts available online but no real impacts. All I know is I went to a smaller lake today for gills and noticed a LOT of dogfish cruising around the shallows. I've only fished this lake during the ice season for gills and dam near every gill was a good fish, about 8". My theory is dogfish feed on the minnows and may eat the sperm/eggs in reeds or beds reducing the numbers so "stunting" doesn't happen in bodies of water with plenty of dogfish. Like I said, its my own theory.


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## rootbeer

Let's see- get pretty big, fight like the dickens, aren't very tasty, extremely aggressive, extremely cool looking. What matches the profile?

Muskie
sturgeon
dogfish
gar pike- to name a few

Any idjuts out there who are going to play amateur biologist and decide which fish to throw up on the shore to die should stay home and fish on their nintendo. The fish and lakes will be just fine if people quit messing with them!


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## mackmack

Dogfish are definately good to help control stunting bluegills. There is more than one body of water that I would like to see more doggies in. Although overharvest of larger gills also has something to do with it.


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## jasomx6

Everyone that has an issue with people taking a fish out of the lake because they believe it to be harmful needs to relax. I find it reasonable that the dog fish may help reduce stunted gills in such bodies of water that have that problem but with the amount of human effect by harvesting I find it reasonable to think that maybe other, more disired, predator fish would do better if the opposite is true. I'm not saying that I know which is right or wrong, but when lakes get POUNDED by people fishing panfish to death for table fair, maybe a little less competition might be what is needed. Eliminating a fish like the bowfin that seems to have its purpose in over populated lakes but may be nothing but competition for a fish that may be harvested by an angler for eatting, which no one seems to harvest dogfish to eat. I'm sure I'll get beat up for all this but so be it. Let it be noted that I'm not against people harvesting fish.


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## rockinmichigan

jasomx6 said:


> Everyone that has an issue with people taking a fish out of the lake because they believe it to be harmful needs to relax. I find it reasonable that the dog fish may help reduce stunted gills in such bodies of water that have that problem but with the amount of human effect by harvesting I find it reasonable to think that maybe other, more disired, predator fish would do better if the opposite is true. I'm not saying that I know which is right or wrong, but when lakes get POUNDED by people fishing panfish to death for table fair, maybe a little less competition might be what is needed. Eliminating a fish like the bowfin that seems to have its purpose in over populated lakes but may be nothing but competition for a fish that may be harvested by an angler for eatting, which no one seems to harvest dogfish to eat. I'm sure I'll get beat up for all this but so be it. Let it be noted that I'm not against people harvesting fish.


I kind of understand your point, but man will always have the upper hand in fish management, or nature management for that matter, then any other living thing in this world. Whether its by taking your limit on a fish species, or by tossing a bowfin/gar/sheephead/carp onto the shore to let it die. I don't know if I speak for you or others on this fine site, but I don't care much for the smell of a rotting carcass (no matter what kind of animal) within a few feet of me while I'm trying to fish. Furthermore, when one decides that he or she wants to play the role of God and toss a fish onto shore, they help bring in the disease filled animals like skunks, raccoons, possums, and vultures into the area with three of the four at least being a rabies threat to us humans. I also can't speak for everyone, but not only do I not trust raccoons or skunks as far as I can throw 'em, but I don't want to be scratched up by them thinking I'm threatening them when I decide to call it a day and take my fishing gear to my car, and I also can't speak for everyone when I say I don't care much for the smell of that crap coming from a skunk's rear end.
Basically what I'm saying is if you really want to catch bluegills and bluegills only, perhaps one should go to where there isn't predatory fish and find an isolated spot away from people somewhere and fish bluegills. My end of the debate may be a bit odd, fighting the good fight for the disrespected fish, but when I fish I am happy for whatever decides to take the time to bite the end of my line. If its a little perch the size of my thumb, its better then getting skunked. If its a fish I've only caught a couple times in my life that happens to be a 20" bowfin, that's awesome too because I didn't get skunked. If I leave my fishing hole with a mess of bluegill I'd be feeling really good about myself because I'll be filling my freezer up some. But to be pissed because one caught a 4' longnose gar or a 3' bowfin is ridiculous and if one is to be upset over catching a fish that's a few feet long then that one should decide to not fish, in my opinion.


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## irishyank

My 7 y/o little girl caught her first bowfin this spring on a night crawler. She was pretty excited as that was first fish she had caught with teeth.


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## STOLI69

Bowfin are NOT harmfull to a lake. I started a post last year about my neighbor catching two twenty something inch Bowfins on the same night! After he brought them home and we took a few photo's and we took them back down to my lake and let them go. It was amazing the amount of post's that thread generated. If I knew how to do it I would re-post it. Some clown started slamming me and my buddy for throwing them back and it just went crazy. It was actually quite commical.:lol: The Bowfin is a NATIVE fish to Michigan waters and should NOT be dis-respected so badly!! I continue to be amazed of the ignorance and lack of common sense that is displayed in these posts. There is ton's of info available on-line and NONE of it suggest anything destructive or disruptive about Bowfin fish. 
Don


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## wartfroggy

STOLI69 said:


> I started a post last year about my neighbor catching two twenty something inch Bowfins on the same night! After he brought them home and we took a few photo's and we took them back down to my lake and let them go. It was amazing the amount of post's that thread generated. If I knew how to do it I would re-post it.


Here ya go......
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/showthread.php?t=339165


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## raisinrat

OK being how the topic of stunted lakes and panfish have come up again. I will share this with everyone again. Many fishermen don't have a clue on just how it happens and works. We covered this topic a bunch in the winter.For a lake to stay healthy you have to keep a healthy balance.Part one covers what and how a lakes biomass is set up. The affects of to many fish successively spawning. And the affects of removing to many of the large fish from a system. Part two cover a few more of the causes of how lake become stunted and how DNR's try to reverse them. Keeping a balance in a lake is important and Bowfin aka Dogfish is part of that here in Michigan.

*Greedy fisherman = stunted fisheries? (part one)*


*Stunted fisheries  Management tools (part 2)*


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## StumpJumper

people saying bass are worthless to eat is a pretty ignorant comment.

Learn how to cook.

Matter of fact, Dogfish are good if you cook them right and so are Gar.

The only worthless fish I know of for eating besides bottom feeders, would be those rotten, mushy, crappies.


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## wartfroggy

StumpJumper said:


> people saying bass are worthless to eat is a pretty ignorant comment.


 Never really said they are worthless to eat....apparently some people like them....but I do feel that there are better fish to eat. And you can eat Carp, suckers, dogfish, goldfish, alewives, zebra mussels, toads, grass, dandelions, dogs, cats, all sorts of stuff, but I'll pass and stick with perch, walleyes, trout, beef, venison, ect. I mean, sure I like bologna, but if you had a choice between a Ribeye steak and a bologna sandwich, which would you pick?


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## StumpJumper

wartfroggy said:


> Never really said they are worthless to eat....apparently some people like them....but I do feel that there are better fish to eat. And you can eat Carp, suckers, dogfish, goldfish, alewives, zebra mussels, toads, grass, dandelions, dogs, cats, all sorts of stuff, but I'll pass and stick with perch, walleyes, trout, beef, venison, ect. I mean, sure I like bologna, but if you had a choice between a Ribeye steak and a bologna sandwich, which would you pick?


 Bass especially smallmouth are pretty good eats out of cold lakes.. I'll take a walleye or perch too, but I don't thow back eating size bass either.


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## wartfroggy

StumpJumper said:


> Bass especially smallmouth are pretty good eats out of cold lakes.. I'll take a walleye or perch too, but I don't thow back eating size bass either.


 I could see that. Especially around rocks, eating alot of crawfish. But I don't have the same disrespect for smallies that I do largemouth. Actually, I think smallies are alot more enjoyable to fish for and catch, than largemouths are. Eat a 20" largemouth out of some 90* lilly pads and milfoil in august and let me know how that tastes.


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## sfw1960

StumpJumper said:


> people saying bass are worthless to eat is a pretty ignorant comment.
> 
> Learn how to cook.
> 
> Matter of fact, Dogfish are good if you cook them right and so are Gar.
> 
> The only worthless fish I know of for eating besides bottom feeders, would be those rotten, mushy, crappies.





The Artist Formerly Known As "sfw" said:


> bass are worthless to eat


:lol:
And I do know HOW to cook!!!
:cheeky-sm

I (generally) don't eat:
Bass
Pike
Crappie
Carp
Salmon
Steel Nogginz (rain bl0wz)
Fake Trout (gREEzErz)
Kat fEEsH
daWG fEEsH
whYTe bass
whYTe percH
Sheep HaidZ
m00sk!e
cR0cK bass...

p00PY!!!!




Gills,perch, sCHmeLT,******,br0000k!esz,w00LeYez,cEEzcoesz,and a few other assorted finnyf0cKerz end up on the table or dipped in thirty weight.
:shhh:

dogfish are a GREAT predator and simply put are required to keep a population in check...
EVERYWHERE fish swim, b!G fish eat little fish, that swim like a Rapala......

:evilsmile :mischeif:


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## Cardinal

I love it when people think they are the equivalent to the DNR or something. Does it state in the rules that when you catch a bowfin you should kill it and report it to the dnr? No. It is not an invasive species with a potential to upset the ecosystem. I think it is unethical IMHO. I won't kill anything unless I plan on eating it.


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## HCTE#86

I find it absolutely ridiculous that you threw it up on the shore to die! that should only be done with invasive species i.e gobies.


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## an EYE for an EYE

I watched a dogfish run a bluegill off its bed and then when it caught up to the bluegill it just ate the tail and let the fish die. But I do agree they are a great fighting fish, but worthless. I kill everyone I catch and throw it back in the lake so the turtles can eat them. 

_OutdoorHub Mobile, the information engine of the outdoors_


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## Anish

raisinrat said:


> OK being how the topic of stunted lakes and panfish have come up again. I will share this with everyone again. Many fishermen don't have a clue on just how it happens and works. We covered this topic a bunch in the winter.For a lake to stay healthy you have to keep a healthy balance.Part one covers what and how a lakes biomass is set up. The affects of to many fish successively spawning. And the affects of removing to many of the large fish from a system. Part two cover a few more of the causes of how lake become stunted and how DNR's try to reverse them. Keeping a balance in a lake is important and Bowfin aka Dogfish is part of that here in Michigan.
> 
> *Greedy fisherman = stunted fisheries? (part one)*
> 
> 
> *Stunted fisheries  Management tools (part 2)*


 
You nailed it! Btw, those articles are excellent! Meant to comment on that when it was a big discussion this winter.

I personally am a huge fan of dogfish. Not only from the aspect of keeping things in balance, but they are a blast to catch!! Carp (though not native) are a riot too (especially when your son has one on and is freaking out because he thinks the fish is going to pull him in :lol.
I was at the Fenton millpond on Mothers Day when a guy caught a dogfish. Once he had it on land, he proceeded to kick it full force. Ripped it's tail clean off. After he was done bragging to his friends about it, he tossed it back into the river. Made me sick :nono:. Please don't leave these critters on shore to die and for cripe sake, don't torture them and let them go. If you absolutely have to kill them then do it quickly. They are not evil fish, they are just doing what dogfish do. 
Back to the point.... Congrats on the catch for your gf! Those guys are a blast. Not something you want to eat, but a worthy opponent, none the less. Don't let society dictate which fish are fun to catch .
Oh, and I can't stand the taste of bass. I like to catch them, but no thank you on eating them. I'll gladly put them back for those of you do :lol:.


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## wsshaker

My 9yo daughter caught a 23" bowfin last night while we were fishing for bluegill and bass. It was a suprise catch and unexpected on the our lake (NW oakland co), because I have never heard of one being caught in there. What a great battle it was for her, the drag was zinging as it kept running the line out. When she finally got it close to the boat, I ended up hand lining it in and netting it. At first I thought she caught a walleye, until I got it in the net. What a very wicked and cool looking fish, it will be a Father's day catch to remember. Needless to say, she won big fish for the night!


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## Duke

an EYE for an EYE said:


> I watched a dogfish run a bluegill off its bed and then when it caught up to the bluegill it just ate the tail and let the fish die.


You were drunk when you saw that.:lol:


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## rockinmichigan

wsshaker said:


> My 9yo daughter caught a 23" bowfin last night while we were fishing for bluegill and bass. It was a suprise catch and unexpected on the our lake (NW oakland co), because I have never heard of one being caught in there. What a great battle it was for her, the drag was zinging as it kept running the line out. When she finally got it close to the boat, I ended up hand lining it in and netting it. At first I thought she caught a walleye, until I got it in the net. What a very wicked and cool looking fish, it will be a Father's day catch to remember. Needless to say, she won big fish for the night!


Congrats to your daughter for a helluva catch, especially at that age. That had to be quite the experience for both of you. If you don't mind me asking, what kind of a setup was she using? Have any luck with the bluegills and bass?


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## wsshaker

rockinmichigan said:


> Congrats to your daughter for a helluva catch, especially at that age. That had to be quite the experience for both of you. If you don't mind me asking, what kind of a setup was she using? Have any luck with the bluegills and bass?


It was an experience we will always remember. She actually caught it on a worm and bobber, and we were in 2-3fow at our favorite secret spot we call 'Pan Fish City'. I actually kept the fish and I am having it mounted for her, since it was such a unique fish. It's colors were very cool as it was a spawning male with the neon green fins and belly, and the tail spot was also unique on one side. The teeth on this thing were wicked. Should make a cool mount. I'll try and post a pic after i get them off of my camera. 

The fishing the last couple of weeks have been unreal. My son and I have been slaying the bluegills and LM bass. We had a nice blugill fish fry the other night, can't wait til the next. 

Thanks for the comments.


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## sstrudell

Bass aren't good eating? You take that back! Pan fried and finished off in the oven, with a side of red skin potatoes and lots of butter. Heaven in Summer!

When I was younger I felt the same about bullheads as some do about bowfin. Now I know better. Everything has its own purpose in the lake.


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## rockinmichigan

wsshaker, I think that's cool about the mount. I know some people still find it odd that I got my first longnose gar that I caught mounted. I have another that needs to be done up but to find the right taxidermist to do it is hard to find simply because of the kind of work that needs to be done. Different then say your dogfish. Should turn out good depending on who you take it to


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