Bowfin Fishing Guide

The bowfin (Amia calva) is the sole living representative of the family Amiidae, a lineage with a fossil record dating back 150 million years that has changed little since the age of dinosaurs. It is sometimes called mud fish, dogfish, or cottonfish — none particularly flattering, yet the bowfin is a remarkable and ecologically important predator. The long dorsal fin rippling the length of the back, the bony gular plate under the lower jaw, and the rounded tail fin are instantly recognizable. Bowfin can breathe atmospheric air through a primitive lung-like swim bladder, allowing them to survive in oxygen-depleted swamps and backwaters where few other large fish can live. Males guard nests aggressively, and then herd fry schools that can number thousands of young fish.

Bowfin is a freshwater species.

Habitat

Swamps, sluggish rivers, oxbow lakes, and heavily vegetated lake shallows throughout the eastern US from the Great Lakes south to Florida and west to Texas. Tolerates extremely low oxygen levels, high temperatures, and highly acidic water — conditions that are lethal to most other large predatory fish.

Diet

Apex predator consuming fish, crayfish, frogs, aquatic insects, and almost any moving prey — a true generalist hunter. Bowfin pursue prey with sustained effort rather than ambush, using smell and lateral line detection in low-visibility water.

Fishing Techniques

• Large swimbaits near vegetation
• Live golden shiners
• Topwater lures at dawn
• Large weedless spoons

Best Seasons

Summer, Spring

Size & Records

Average weight: 5 lbs. World record: 21.8 lbs (Florence, South Carolina, USA (1980)).