# Dogfish? Eat'em, Kill'em, or Let'em Go?



## wasilvers

Recently I've been introduced to the lovely dogfish that abound in my local river. Not to brag, but today I caught the ' largest dogfish I've ever seen', so said the local police officer patrolling the park. It was a good 25-27 inches long - caught in 8 inches of river water. 

So some kids are there and they INSISTED on killing the thing. The police officer fully agreed with the kids as did others there. I gave it to the kids to do what they wanted. 

Anyway, *should I be killing each dogfish I catch*? If so, I'll kill at least one for every 30 minutes of fishing this river, today would have been the giant, and 2 15 inchers during lunch. I hate to kill anything without using it. *Are they edibile - if so, anything special to cleaning/cooking them?*

To brag again, the kids kept talking about the bait I was using and how they had never seen anything like it. It was just a 2.5" yellow crankbait with the front hook removed and replaced with a weight - to keep it from getting hung on the rocks. Thanks to the other tinboaters for the suggestion

Will


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## Jim

Eat them! They are awesome!


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## Quackrstackr

I assume you are talking about bowfin (aka grinnel and mudfish). Most people around here whack 'em with a boat paddle when caught.

They are the native equivalent to a snakehead and make life tough on small sport fish.


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## Jim

I think he is talking about the one that resembles (family of) shark? Dad cuts them into nuggest size chunks and lightly fires them...........yummy!


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## Quackrstackr

I thought those were saltwater?

If he's talking about a river, I assumed he was talking about this:


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## wasilvers

Quackrstackr has the right picture. Locally they guys call them dogfish. They hit just about anything I throw in the water. 



Quackrstackr said:


> I thought those were saltwater?
> 
> If he's talking about a river, I assumed he was talking about this:


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## FishinsMyLife

I think they are good sport..fight better than a bass. If you are managing for bass, killing one means one less competitor though.


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## ACarbone624

We call those a "Bowfin" here in NJ


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## dneaster3

wikipedia knows all...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amia_calva


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## Specknreds

Cajuns call them Choupique and in MS we call them Grinnell. They eat them here, but now that I think about, Cajuns eat anything. "If it crawls, flies, or swims you eat it and if it doesn't you season with it."


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## Popeye

wikipedia said:


> The list of local and alternate names the bowfin is known by is lengthy, but common ones include "dogfish", "mudfish", "grindle" (or "grinnel"),"swamp muskie", cottonfish and "*lawyer*". In parts of S. Louisiana they are called "tchoupique" or "choupique".



:lol: They said Lawyer :lol:


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## Captain Ahab

"Lawyer" dogfish look like this:


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## Specknreds

What about these??????


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## angry Bob

Interesting. That's one fish that I've never caught. Maybe I'll have to amble down there and give it a shot sometime.


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## wasilvers

angry Bob said:


> Interesting. That's one fish that I've never caught. Maybe I'll have to amble down there and give it a shot sometime.



It shouldn't take too long, they'll bite on anything that moves or looks like food. If you're around during the day, I'm actually there a few times a week during lunch break (12 - 12:30ish)- just look for the only guy fishing thats dressed like he works in a CPA firm  

Will


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## Quackrstackr

We used to take our old spinnerbaits and target them in river oxbows and sloughs.

Make sure that you are not fond of whatever bait you choose to target these fish with. They have a pretty nasty set of chompers and a mean disposition that will completely destroy a bait.


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## angry Bob

Thanks guys. By the way I like the new avitar Quackrstackr.


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## Quackrstackr

Thanks, Bob.

I'm not sure what my daughter was telling me right that moment but I'm sure the words "faster, daddy, faster!" were not too far behind it.

She's my little speed demon. I guess I have another 12 years or so to prepare myself. :lol:


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## Bowfinville2014

My grandpa and my uncle used to kill these guys when carp spearing and pike fishing. I educated myself before following in their old school footsteps. I learned that bowfin prevent fish stunting(starvation, small fish size, and panfish population explosion). You know those lakes that have butt loads of small panfish, but no big ones? Well they probably have no bowfin, or very few. Also they have lived side by side with bass and other gamefish for literally millions of years and have never shown to impact the bass, musky, crappie, or trout populations, fishermen surely have though. They eat dead vegetation, which helps increase oxygen levels in the water. They eat sick, dying, and dead fish, which help prevent the spread of virus and bacterial infections in gamefish. Bowfin numbers are declining in some wisconsin waters, like by my place they used to be common 20 years ago, now you can only find them in a few cranberry bogs. I talked to the fisheries biologist here and he said he hasn't seen any in their fish census. The worst part is we have a population explosion of small, and sometimes very diseased panfish...some are really good size, but I caught several panfish with sores all over them last year, so I won't eat them. And the bass are usually under 12 inches, with the rare giant here and there. My point is I see first hand what indiscriminate bowfin killing can do to fisheries... Small, and sometimes terribly diseased fish that even the northern pike miss are not being weeded out like they usually are by bowfin and there have been some nasty consequences in my opinion. Last year I caught a 7.5 lb largemouth in a bog that is said to have bowfin....the other spots where I'm sure the bowfin have been decimated because of the accessibility to the public, we tend to catch a lot of bass, but the sizes are much smaller(10-12 inches), with the occasional 13-14 incher. Bowfin, dogfish, mud fish, grinnel, cypress trout are some of the names given to this fish...it has been around for over 100 million years, is completely native to wisconsin waters, does not have any negative impact on game fish population and infact helps weed out the sick ones that spread disease. This fish deserves some respect, so either find out how to properly prepare them and eat them, or throw them back. Us Wisconsinites need to leave behind some of the faulty wisdom our grandparents gave us, like my mine did for me. As the old wisconsin saying goes "smash their heads in and throw them in the weeds". Sounds a tad bit barbaric for a native wisconsin first, hell I bet these guys even would enjoy a brat and a beer...people say they eat anything.


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## lovedr79

We had one in a fish tank for a long time I. College. We usually throw them back. We only catch them swamps around here. Fun to catch.


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## Johnny

*BOWFIN or MUDFISH* - - - 
They both wreak havoc on the SPORTFISH population like Bass, Bluegill and Crappie !!!
throw them on land for the night critters such as possums and raccoons.

OR !!! visit the Florida Bowfin website for more information https://www.bowfinanglers.com/fl.html

Personally, I cut them up and put them in my garden.
Now that I think about it,,,, I think I have never seen a stunted gamefish in Florida due to overcrowding.
Moreover, I am doing my best to relieve the overcrowding issue of salt AND freshwater fish !! LOL


There is nothing more grand
than to be just simply messing
around in an old boat. POGO-1960


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## lswoody

We catch a bowfin or 2 every time we camp on the river on our set hooks. We always kill them. They will tear up a set pole.


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## ccm

I've been trying to catch one for quite some time now. In my opinion there is no such thing as trash fish and all fish have some sporting quality whether invasive or native. Some invasive species are great to eat while others fulfill a specific niche or role into the environment because of other invasive species ( ex. Tilapia & Hydrilla ) and some need to be eliminated because they pose a danger to humans and the ecosystem ( silver & Asian carp ). In my opinion if the fish is native and your not going to eat the fish/use it for bait there is no sense in killing it. Dogfish/Grinnell/Bowfin/Cypress Trout make great catfish bait especially for big blues ( I read this in an In Fisherman magazine where tank studies were done and big blues munched these first) I have not tried it yet as I have not caught one to see if this little experiment rings true.


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## Analog Kid

At my buddy's house on the butler chain in central fl we use to catch good sized largemouth every with every shiner. Now only these. We call them either bowfin or mud fish. They put up a nice fight though


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## Johnny

> on the Butler Chain in central FL we use to catch good sized largemouth every with every shiner. Now only these. We call them either bowfin or mud fish



So Kid - - - in your opinion - - do you think the over population of the Mudfish or Bowfin has
something to do with the dwindling numbers of the Large Mouth Bass ???


IMHO - I think they do.


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## satx78247

To ALL:

Here in TX, we call them "tourist trout". = HARD-fighting & REALLY fun to catch on a light spinning rod.
(The largest one that I've ever caught was @ 12# and he "gave me a fit" for about 15 minutes on a light/conventional spinning outfit, that is one of my "crappie rigs", and struck a white feather/hair jig. - Bowfin/Grindle/"Cypress Trout" will almost ALWAYS hit a WHITE artificial lure/worm.)

As to eating, they taste OK as long as they are SCALDING HOT but taste RAW again if they cool off.
(Personally, I release them, so that I can catch them again. They are LIVING FOSSILS from the Jurassic Period.)

just my opinion, satx


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## SumDumGuy




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## Johnny

on sooooooo many levels, that right there - - - JUST AIN'T RIGHT


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## satx78247

SumDumGuy,

RotflmRao.

yours, satx


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## satx78247

Barefoot_Johnny,

Fyi, bowfins make GREAT cut bait, as they are BLOODY & stay on the hook well. = Channel & blue cats LOVE them - thus they are great trotline bait.

yours, satx


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## JMichael

Everyone around here call them Grinnel, and most everyone I know kills them and feeds them to the turtles just as fast as they catch them. They usually run 3-6 lbs here, and if you hook one of them on a fly rod or microlite rig, it can be a lot of fun.


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## satx78247

JMichael,

When I was in college in SW AR, (LONG, LONG ago) on the Caddo River, my first BIG (over 10#) grindle/grinnel was hooked on a 9ft bamboo fly rod and on a "frog pattern" bass-bug. (Most of the morning, I had been taking a BUNCH of 1-2 pound LM bass out of the edge of the lilly pads, so that that was a SURPRIZE.) = That was a FIGHT to remember!!!
(Seemed like forever till he was netted.)

Btw, the biologist of the AG&FD department said that the "tourist trout" mostly catch/eat carp/buffalo/suckers and SICK fish, as healthy game-fish are USUALLY too quick for them.
(TOO BAD that they aren't common where the Asian Carp are!!!!)

yours, satx


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## BassAddict

[attachment=-1]uploadfromtaptalk1401587922689.jpg[/attachment]

We let it go


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## JMichael

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=354293#p354293 said:


> satx78247 » Yesterday, 14:32[/url]"]JMichael,
> 
> When I was in college in SW AR, (LONG, LONG ago) on the Caddo River, my first BIG (over 10#) grindle/grinnel was hooked on a 9ft bamboo fly rod and on a "frog pattern) bass-bug. (Most of the morning, I had been taking a BUNCH of 1-2 pound LM bass out of the edge of the lilly pads, so that that was a SURPRIZE.) = That was a FIGHT to remember!!!
> (Seemed like forever till he was netted.)
> 
> Btw, the biologist of the AG&FD department said that the "tourist trout" mostly catch/eat carp/buffalo/suckers and SICK fish, as healthy game-fish are USUALLY too quick for them.
> (TOO BAD that they aren't common where the Asian Carp are!!!!)
> 
> yours, satx



Wow! I can't imagine one that large on a fly rod. I be that was fun. My biggest is about 5.5 lb. I caught one the other day on an 11 ft bream pole. He was about 3.5-4 lb and that was fun. I've never heard what the AG&F's take was on grinnel so that's interesting. We are just now starting to see the occasional Asain carp in this area. I don't believe I've been out on any fishing trip so far that I've seen 2 on the same day. But I have no doubt that they will explode onto the scene very soon. 




[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=354320#p354320 said:


> BassAddict » Yesterday, 19:59[/url]"][attachment=-1]uploadfromtaptalk1401587922689.jpg[/attachment]
> 
> We let it go


If thats a dogfish, they sure do look like sharks.


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## Captain Ahab

Shark without teeth! 

They are a PITA


And caught commercially up and down our coast


Filet-O-Fish - hardly more like Filet-O-Doggie


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## satx78247

That photo is of a shark & they DO have numerous small/sharp teeth, though the gums conceal them until they BITE.
(Try putting a finger in their mouth & you'll draw back a bloody stump.)

"Dogfish"/the smaller sharks make GOOD smoked fish, ("fish & chips" in the UK is traditionally shark, though the Brits NOW use other kinds of fish too.) and I've also deep-fried lots of them in that way over the years.
(When we go to "the family place" on Oak Island, NC each year after Christmas, "dogfish" are about all that's biting "off the town pier" & they are great fun on a light rod/reel.)

yours, satx


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## Captain Ahab

Dude - that photo is off a Smooth Dogfish - they have rasp like teeth (the teeth are actually flat) that WILL NOT draw blood - I have caught thousands of them over the years

_Dentition of the smooth dogfish differs greatly from other sharks which have sharp blade-like teeth. The small teeth of the smooth dogfish are flat and blunt, similar in both the upper and lower jaws. They are asymmetrical with a rounded apex or cusp. Large mature smooth dogfish has tooth crowns that are low, hiding the cusps. The 8-10 rows of functional teeth are used to crush and grind prey items rather than bite and tear as with other species of sharks. 
_

As far as food - not that great, but edible

They are loaded in the waters around here (both smooth and spiny types) 

You might be confusing this with a Brown Shark (aka Sandbar Shark) which have a nice set of teeth


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## satx78247

Captain Ahab,

Well, you may well be correct. - That photo LOOKS LIKE what we call a "dogfish" in coastal NC & along the Gulf Coast. = And YEP, the NC/LA/TX "cousins" taste GOOD on the BBQ, smoked or deep fried.
(The ones that we "call" dogfish have numerous SHARP teeth, as I found out when I once tried to unhook a 2.5 foot one, without a hook disgorger/pliers. = I have NOT made that DUMB mistake again. - I still have the 2" scar, where he bit my hand.)

yours, satx


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## BassAddict

satx78247 said:


> Captain Ahab,
> 
> Well, you may well be correct. - That photo LOOKS LIKE what we call a "dogfish" in coastal NC & along the Gulf Coast. = And YEP, the NC/LA/TX "cousins" taste GOOD on the BBQ, smoked or deep fried.
> (The ones that we "call" dogfish have numerous SHARP teeth, as I found out when I once tried to unhook a 2.5 foot one, without a hook disgorger/pliers. = I have NOT made that DUMB mistake again. - I still have the 2" scar, where he bit my hand.)
> 
> yours, satx



Either Ahabs right or my brother got really lucky! Had to lip em to get the hook out. 

Edit : Admitting Ascab is right really hurts!!! Feel so dirty........


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## Dark3

I love catching bowfin. I catch a couple every year. Caught one 5.5 pounder this year already.

Put them back they are a great sport fish and not an invasive issue like a snakehead as they are commonly mistaken for


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## Popeye

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=354399#p354399 said:


> BassAddict » Sun Jun 01, 2014 4:34 pm[/url]"]
> 
> 
> satx78247 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Captain Ahab,
> 
> Well, you may well be correct. - That photo LOOKS LIKE what we call a "dogfish" in coastal NC & along the Gulf Coast. = And YEP, the NC/LA/TX "cousins" taste GOOD on the BBQ, smoked or deep fried.
> (The ones that we "call" dogfish have numerous SHARP teeth, as I found out when I once tried to unhook a 2.5 foot one, without a hook disgorger/pliers. = I have NOT made that DUMB mistake again. - I still have the 2" scar, where he bit my hand.)
> 
> yours, satx
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Either Ahabs right or my brother got really lucky! Had to lip em to get the hook out.
> 
> Edit : Admitting Ascab is right really hurts!!! Feel so dirty........
Click to expand...


:LOL2:


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