choupique!!

Comment

Comment by Cliff Hilbert on April 7, 2011 at 8:00pm

In Texas they call them bowfin, I call them great fighting fish! I was fishing with my 8 1/2', 4-wt rod a few years when I lived in Tyler and hooked what I thought was a big catfish. I fought that thing for probably ten minutes, only the second fish I have ever fought off the reel. Finally I got it to the boat and I saw what it was - I definitely didn't try to lip it!! I netted it and had a new state fly fishing record @ 7.26#. That thing fought like an angry wet tiger!

 

The next day the tendonds in my right wrisr were hurting me form fighting that fish. A few days later I went to the doc and he gave me a shot in my wrist and told me not to use it for six weeks. Well, I wasn't about to quit fishing so i taught myself how to cast with my left arm for a few weeks. Even thought my casting wasn't that great (heck, even right-handed my casting isn't that great) I still caught a lot of fish.

Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on April 7, 2011 at 7:12pm

Another great article on the bowfin here: http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/sports/outdoors/article/Spring-is...

Comment by jacob wilson on April 7, 2011 at 5:58pm

ikr!! oh and just say "shoepick" lol!! thats a pretty kool website they got some awesome recipes!!

Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on April 7, 2011 at 4:11pm

Well, alright then. Fishing is an end to itself, but at some point it becomes moot if you don't or cannot eat what you catch.

Like you, Ive found that almost every fish has someone who enjoys it and has a way to prepare it. That "chokypeek" or whatever it's called is what we call a bowfin here in South Carolina. The first time I ever saw one, I though it was gonna come out of the water and eat my hat!

They get big...

 

You might enjoy www.bowfinanglers.com, too. Lots of good info there.

Comment by jacob wilson on April 7, 2011 at 1:37pm

YESS!!!! u can eat it it!! fillet it put the fillets in a baking pan and season with tony chachere's, salt, pepper, some kind of fish rub if u like, and lemon juice. add little water so it doesnt stick. add dollops of butter along the fillet. put in a 350 degree oven and bake untill its done or to the doness of how u like ur fish!! idk why people always say u cant eat sertain fish cause they taste bad if u havent tried it how can u say anything!! lol

Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on April 7, 2011 at 1:23pm

Dunno what it is, but the inevitable question: Can you eat it?

Comment by Rob Garner on April 7, 2011 at 12:50am

Dogfish here in the north.Nasty looking but great for keeping runt fish in check.