Wv mike Loc: Parkersburg area. Wv

I got another one today fun fun

ranger632 Loc: Near Yosemite Park Ca.

Never seen or heard of one before, Thanks

Harris T. Fudpucker Loc: Lafayette, Louisiana

Not as large as the invasive 'snake head', which can grow to 5' or larger. They are in the waters in Florida. I can't even imagine hooking on to one of those.

HenryG Loc: Falmouth Cape Cod Massachusetts

5' really WOW 🇺🇸🎣😳👍

RuffplayOR57 Loc: Klamath Falls, OR

Glad he gave you some fun, looks like it would have! Nice unusual catch for you Mike. Interesting fish

RuffplayOR57 Loc: Klamath Falls, OR

Very Interesting MNMud. Great info

Jim Kay Loc: Franklin, Virginia

Bowfins/Dogfish are caught up the entire East Coast and west to the mid-west. Maybe even more widespread.

HenryG Loc: Falmouth Cape Cod Massachusetts

Check off another species on the list Mike ! Nice going🇺🇸🎣😂👍

Bigmark Loc: Lower Alabama

Hi H. T. Fudpucker,
Do they taste anything like a garball when cooked like that? If so I will try um.

Bigmark

E.pa.al Loc: Martin's Creek

Up here Mike the Bowfin is being mistaken for the Snakehead & being killed

DCGravity Loc: Fairfax, VA (by way of Cleveland OH)

This is happening in VA as well. It's a darn shame.

Jim Kay Loc: Franklin, Virginia

They are actually easy to distinguish from one another and Snake heads are good to eat. Anyone who wants an ID can look them up online.

MNMudminnow Loc: MN (MSP metro/Alexandria) & FL (Ft.Myers)

Yes, that is unfortunate.

I would be willing to bet the "Bowfin" might be one of the very few fish that could act as a sort of control for "Snakehead" invasives..?

I kept a couple of young of the year Amia calva in an aquarium a number of years ago. To be clear, the couple that I maintained were not maintained together in the same tank...I had a single specimen on 2 different occasions. Both of them were kept by themself simply because whatever I may have placed into their tank was quickly swallowed whole or torn into more manageable sized pieces. Quite entertaining to watch but keeping them satisfied with enough food is a job in itself. A "scoop" of bait shop minnows might last them overnight, depending on the size of minnow and the "Bowfin," but that can get to be expensive.

The point I was wanting to convey here by my response of it being unfortunate, is because I am in agreement with the position of "Bowfin" being needlessly removed due to misidentification by misinformed removers is a shameful occurrence. Knowing a little about the dietary habits of "Bowfin" tells me they may be able to put a significant dent in the "Snakehead" numbers. I'm not a licensed Biologist of any sort, but if the "Snakeheads" are becoming so numerous they're replacing native fish species to where natives are growing scarce, they should be easy to locate simply due to their high density in that particular environment. If that environment is also home to "Bowfins" their tendency to be heavy feeders would undoubtedly be compelling them to prey on the "Snakeheads" because that's what is there to be eaten compared to the reduced numbers of any other fish species in that habitat. The reputation of "Snakehead" behavior is not that of the calm and friendly variety, but my money is on the native Amia calva to come out the winner of such a challenge.

To summarize, I think it is an unfortunate shame for people to be erroneously removing "Bowfins" for many reasons. What would those people think and feel if it was discovered that "Snakeheads" turn out to be a favorite food of the "Bowfins" they ignorantly have been intentionally killing? What if the "Bowfin" becomes the best method of controlling the expansion of the "Snakehead?" I do not know if there is any possibility of this scenario playing out as I have stated or if it has ever been considered by anyone previously. Hell, the "Bowfin" might even come out to be the loser, regardless of what I may think, I don't know. If someone should happen to conduct a study or experiment using these two species, I would be very interested in the detailed result(s) of such a study or experiment. Of course, I'd expect to at least be credited in the literature somewhere. On the serious side, if you find yourself in a position to assist, please do what you can in order to prevent such disrespectfully wasteful treatment of our resource(s).

If you believe that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction, even if not yet discovered, then you must believe there is a cure, antidote, remedy, solution, etc. for everything that exists.
Therefore, every problem has a fix existing somewhere. The only issue we have is if and when it can be found(out). I say this to appeal to the question(s) of uncertainty within the realm of Human knowledge in order to provide the impetus to take a step back, a deep breath, and then look at the world with a slightly more open view that allows you to see further and wider than just to your own immediate horizon. Look for what you cannot physically see in front of you. If you find out you are able to see further than what your eyes permit, then you will understand there is possibility for even the most incredible results to come from the most unexpected of locations.

What if some fungus in that ant hill in the back of your house cures Brain Cancer & you dug into it last week, killed the ants, filled it in with fresh dirt and planted grass over it? Not your fault the cure for Brain Cancer hasn't yet been found, right?

You never know, you know?

DCGravity Loc: Fairfax, VA (by way of Cleveland OH)

Here's a good site detailing four different invasive snakehead species now in the US (most appear to be east of the Mississippi) + the bowfin, which is native. The one in FL is the bullseye snakehead.
https://panfishnation.com/bowfin-vs-snakehead/

DCGravity Loc: Fairfax, VA (by way of Cleveland OH)

Northern snakeheads are quite prolific, esp. in the Chesapeake watershed. These I caught in the retention pond behind my house, both on the same whopper plopper 10 min. apart. And yes, they are tasty. These guys ended up breaded and fried that evening.