Bluegill - Big Bluegill

Do you love big bluegill?

Since it must be Bowfin Monday, I just thought I'd offer this to any of our BBG members who have ever caught or photographed the powerful bowfin. Southern boys and mid-westerners alike, show us your bowfin!My personal best at 30-inches from the tidal James in Virginia...just made the citation minimum. This was actually my best fish of this particular trip. Powerful fish!

Views: 683

Replies to This Discussion

Awesome.
I love the tenacity and longevity of the bowfin. I've caught one that I know of, and that was years ago.
So I've no real experience. But I suspect "pere choupique" will be around after we're gone - and you gotta admire that.

What a pig of a fish Jim ! Here's my 1st Bowfin caught on a 16th oz. Leech style plastic Grub intended for small mouth . This was quite a surprise ! 21.5"

This was my first Bowfin caught in July of 2013. She was very rough to handle (Nottoway River - VA)

Here is another from June of 2014...a nice young Bowfin (Suwannoochee Creek - GA)

Nice Bowfins Ben! What did  they hit?

Thanks John! If I remember correctly, the first one hit a live minnow and the second one a live nightcrawler. For artificial baits, I have caught them with the Betts yellow/black stripe grub worm 1/32" with gold reflector and the Moxie inverted minnow lure. But quite honestly, Bowfin will strike just about any live or artificial bait that you cast! They are not a picky species when it comes to eating.

Going back to the spot I caught mine at tomorrow .Hope to catch the smallmouths that followed my bait to the boat and get in on some more Bowfin , Crappie ,Bass , Pickerel and Atlantic Salmon action .

From the New Jersey Fish and Wildlife site. New State record Bowfin 

Frank Hubert caught the new state record Bowfin in Mantua Creek on December 17, 2024. The fish weighed 12 pounds, 10 ounces, replacing Pierce Dopkin’s 11-pound, 8.5-ounce record from 2017, which was caught in the same creek. 

Frank was casting from a kayak and using a Sixgill spinning rod with a Shimano spinning reel loaded with 30-pound test Snakehead Outlawz braided line when the fish hit. A Snakehead Outlawz Dragon Destroyer was the lure used for catching this new record bowfin.

RSS

Latest Activity

Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
56 minutes ago
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on DAVID L EITUTIS's photo
Thumbnail

THIS COLOR COMBINATION SEEMS TO WORK THIS YEAR

"Bleeding pink Silent Stinger and all pink jigs work on multi species in brackish water…..I…"
1 hour ago
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a photo

Nice Round Specimen…..7/19/2025

Bleeding 🩸 tail working in the cypress roots……all of the coastal counties in the northeastern part…
5 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
5 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
6 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

Some Bleeding 🩸 Coppernose Behind Last Week’s Buck Moon…7/19/2025

"The busted fins are also a dead giveaway to colonizing gills….."
6 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
6 hours ago
DAVID L EITUTIS posted photos
6 hours ago
DAVID L EITUTIS commented on DAVID L EITUTIS's photo
Thumbnail

AN LATER SHOT OF THIS FISH BEFORE IT WENT IN THE FREEZER FOR A MOUNT

"it won't be back from the taxidermist till this coming winter some time, I CAN'T WAIT TO…"
6 hours ago
DAVID L EITUTIS commented on DAVID L EITUTIS's photo
6 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a status
"Pleasantly surprised with a multi species morning totaling 78 fish…..we've had a week of thunderstorms and triple digit heat index. Wet July"
7 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on DAVID L EITUTIS's photo
Thumbnail

AN LATER SHOT OF THIS FISH BEFORE IT WENT IN THE FREEZER FOR A MOUNT

"Very good! These fish fight so hard……can’t wait to see the art work…."
7 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on DAVID L EITUTIS's photo
Thumbnail

DSCN1061a nice gill on the old fly rod

"On the fly rod…….love it…."
7 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on DAVID L EITUTIS's photo
Thumbnail

PERSONAL BEST FOR ME AN HONEST 11 " RED EAR

"Beautiful Tooty…thanks for sharing….."
7 hours ago
John Sheehan commented on DAVID L EITUTIS's photo
9 hours ago
John Sheehan commented on DAVID L EITUTIS's photo
Thumbnail

PERSONAL BEST FOR ME AN HONEST 11 " RED EAR

"Good Man ,Tooty . Congrats!"
9 hours ago
John Sheehan commented on DAVID L EITUTIS's photo
Thumbnail

DSCN1061a nice gill on the old fly rod

"The Classic Tooty shot ! Love this !"
9 hours ago
DAVID L EITUTIS commented on DAVID L EITUTIS's photo
Thumbnail

DSCN1061a nice gill on the old fly rod

"this was a smaller gill from the Day I got my big one....."
22 hours ago
DAVID L EITUTIS commented on DAVID L EITUTIS's photo
Thumbnail

PERSONAL BEST FOR ME AN HONEST 11 " RED EAR

"This shot was taken as soon as I landed it........"
22 hours ago
DAVID L EITUTIS commented on DAVID L EITUTIS's photo
Thumbnail

AN LATER SHOT OF THIS FISH BEFORE IT WENT IN THE FREEZER FOR A MOUNT

"OF courae I got this on my olf fly rod and it put up quite a battle......"
22 hours ago

© 2025   Created by Bluegill.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service