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Bowfin?


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I am trying to get a picture collection of different fish I have caught and have decided that the bowfin is next on my list.

Anybody know some good spots and techniques to target this fish? I have heard that they will hit just about anything and see from DNR's lakefinder that a lot of lakes have 'em, but in low numbers.

I am hoping to get some specific spots that might be good. I am guessing that people aren't gonna have much of a problem giving up their "secret" bowfin spots, compared to say.... their "secret" walleye spots wink.gif. Anyway, if you don't want your secret bowfin spot to be broadcast to everyone on the internet, drop me an email at [email protected]

Any help would be appreciated.

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cannon river...I heard there's lots of them in there, but so are the carps and sheepshead. Haven't really fished it since I was a kid.

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I see quite a few in the channel between Chisago and Lindstrom lake. Look on south side shallow and in bays.

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Lake Independence, go chase the bass, and when you catch one that fights like crazy, then you have caught a dogfish. grin.gif

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Locally, I've caught them out of Lake Hiawatha, and the Mississippi.

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Try the Minnesota and Mississippi backwaters including their lakes & ponds. Shouldn't be too hard. Minnows & worms should work. Good luck!

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Try a small to medium shiner or sucker under a float. They like inside weededges and shallow weedy bays too. I have shot several this week that were eating eggs off on sunfish beds.

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There's a spot by the Minnehaha Falls dog park, where a small stream enters the Miss. It's shallow and weedy, and I've caught several there, but not much else. A minnow, alive or dead, should do the trick. Spinner baits are also decent. Don't forget a tough wire leader.

Ben

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I saw a 30" dogfish along the shoreline in Brown's Bay last night.

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Wow! I never expected to get this many responses. Thanks, guys. I let you know when I break the state dogfish record!

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All the chisago lakes area have them in good numbers... Not sure if there are state records? I know a lot of people say that they have caught the state record.. so this will sound like a story, but I did... but didn't register it. I was fishing a bass tournament on Lake Minnetonka. Near Swift point... thrwoing a white spinnerbait. The fish went 39.5 inches and tipped my digital scale at 13.5 lbs.

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There is a state record that was caught during a DNR survey.

It came from Parley over by Waconia. The current survey

(2004), doesn't mention it, but the ealier one did

mention that a state record fish was taken during the

survey.

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Vermillion river out of hastings will produce some bowfin (dogfish) for you. I've caught them on crawlers on the bottom, minnows under bobber, and mepps spinners. In my opinion the vermillion river is your best bet...chisago/south lindstrom is a distand 2nd.

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Go up to Lake Mary in Alexandria, I don't know if it still has the state record, but I know that it still has bigguns there. I've caught the most in Little mary on the west end of it. I've also caught them in the big reed bed on the east end and the shoreline on the north end. good luck in your endeavors.

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Wow Dietz, that is a biggie indeed!!! I bet it bent the heck out of your spinnerbait! They always ruin any hook I catch them on.

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