Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Caught a weird fish in my pond today, what is it?

Hello all,

I caught this fish in my pond today and not sure exactly what it is. I hope it's not a northern snakehead. Any ideas?

Thanks,
Louis

The pictures just do not show enough detail for me to identify the fish. My first thought is that it is a member of the bowfin family. The coloring doesn't seem right for a snakehead.

A better picture, head to tail, would really help.

Looks like a snakehead to me, I'm no expert though

Not the best shots for ID, but I would say bowfin. If it was a snakehead, the first open mouth shot would show a bunch of teeth. Bowfin don't have noticeable teeth like snakeheads do. The morphology and coloration of the fish also match a bowfin.

Definitely a bow fin. Up here in Michigan we call them "Dog Fish." See the picture below. Beautiful coloring on that one. I have had many a spinnerbait mangled by them when I am fishing for pike. They are good fighters.





Snakeheads have nasty teeth and are colored very differently.

I agree. See what you think.


http://www.cnr.vt.edu/efish/families/amiidae.html




Greg Grimes electrofished this out of one of our renovation ponds.

Thanks, I agree it has to be a bowfin. The anal fin is short compared to the snakehead with 18 rays. I uploaded a video of it..sorry the pics and vid was taken with a cell phone so not the best quality.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xf7oka_bowfin_animals

Like I said I'm no expert lol

those pictures are awful -

I don't know - could be a bowfin - Did it have an eyespot on the tail - that would be definititive

Bowfin vs Snakehead

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/species/exotic/snakehead_bowfin.phtml

Most certainly a bowfin.

Here is SW Louisiana we call those a choupique or a grinnel. Quite a fighter but filled with bones.

@ewest and CoachB, awesome pics! It's interesting how the coloring is so different.

Don't know how I caught the bowfin with a small size 12 hook and a piece of corn, guess luck played a part.

Good source and info GAC !

What is really interesting about bowfin is the neon green (see my second picture) that they get on the belly and bottom fins when spawning. The first one I caught wit it had me concerned.