The Largest Bowfin Ever Caught in Wisconsin Was the Size of a Terrier

Bowfin are popular and large bony fish native to North America. They are common in the United States and are very old fish, often nicknamed primitive fish, like longnose gars. Bowfin, also called dogfish, are favorites for many anglers because of the fight and challenge they bring. In Wisconsin, some of the best places to fish for bowfin include Little Green Lake, Puckaway Lake, and Willow Reservoir. Can you guess the size of the state’s record catch? Continue reading to discover the largest bowfin ever caught in Wisconsin and other great record catches!

What is the Largest Bowfin Ever Caught in Wisconsin?

On July 19, 1980, an angler caught a hefty 13-pound and 1-ounce bowfin in Willow Flowage in Oneida County. The bowfin measured a whopping 31.6 inches long. A slightly longer bowfin was also caught in Wisconsin, but using alternative methods. In the Mississippi River, an angler caught a 32.75-inch bowfin. It weighed 12 pounds and 4 ounces. This is about the weight of a Jack Russell Terrier.

About Bowfin

Bowfin are very widespread North American freshwater fish. They go by many names. Sometimes, bowfin fish are also called grinnel, swamp trout, mudpike, choupique, and grindle. Bowfin are very unique. They share many morphological characteristics of their early ancestors. Are you interested in learning more about this bony, long fish? Keep reading.

Appearance and Size

Bowfin have a distinct appearance. They have long and cylindrical bodies and are generally olive to brown. On their sides are patterns that help them camouflage. Bowfin have very long dorsal fins with horizontal bars. These fish are generally about 20 inches long, although can reach as long as 43 inches. Interestingly, female bowfin are slightly larger than males.

Distribution and Habitat

Bowfin are very widespread fish in North America, especially in the United States. They are even found in non-native freshwater bodies of water. However, their native range in North America is the eastern United States. These fish also live in southern Canada. Bowfin live in the St. Lawrence River and the Great Lakes.

Bowfin aren’t picky about their habitats, but they prefer vegetated and murky lakes, rivers, and swamps. These long fish are found under cover either under roots, logs, or fishing piers.

Diet

The diet of a bowfin changes as they age. Young bowfin usually eat insects and other microscopic animals. However, when they reach 4 inches or longer, they start eating small fish. Mature bowfin consume fish, frogs, aquatic insects, and fish eggs. They are excellent hunters and are opportunistic feeders. Sometimes, anglers use live bait to capture bowfin, like minnows, salamanders, and frogs.

Predators

The main predator of a bowfin is humans, however, they are also hunted by other larger fish, mammals, and birds. One of the most common bowfin predators is the American alligator when they live within the same body of water. Although humans are the main predators, anglers typically prefer other fish like bass or trout. Although bowfin meat is edible and safe, they don’t taste the best and can have an almost jelly-like consistency. To hide from predators, bowfin find cover in thick vegetation or underneath submerged roots. You can also find them underneath fallen logs or branches.

Other Fish in Wisconsin

While bowfin are common in Wisconsin, they aren’t the only fish species you can find lurking in the water. Listed below are a few other common fish species in Wisconsin lakes, rivers, and ponds, and their state records.

Black Crappie

The first fish on our list is the black crappie. It’s currently listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Black crappies are vibrant fsh. Although they are known for their dark mottled color, they have silvery-green bodies with seven or eight spines on their dorsal fin. With few differences, they closely resemble white crappies. Black crappies are typically about 4 to 8 inches long and can weigh as much as 5 pounds and 7 ounces. Although nowhere near as big, Wisconisn’s state record black crappie is still impressive. In 1967 in the Gile Flowage in Iron County, a lucky angler reeled in a 4-pound and 8-ounce black crappie. It was 19.75 inches long!

Largemouth Bass

The next fish on our list is the largemouth bass. This freshwater fish is a member of the Centrarchidae family. Typically, largemouth bass are 2 to 4 feet long. The average weight of a largemouth bass is 1 to 4.5 pounds, although the maximum recorded weight of a largemouth bass is 22 pounds and 4 ounces. Can you believe that the largest largemouth bass ever caught in Wisconsin has held the record since 1940? One very lucky angler caught an 11-pound and 3-ounce largemouth bass on October 12, 1940, in Lake Ripley. In Wisconsin, you can find these tough and fast fish in nearly all bodies of water!

Lake Whitefish

Also commonly found in Wisconsin is the lake whitefish. They are native to North America and have a wide range in the northern United States and Canada. You can find these long silvery fish in all of the Great Lakes. They are generally about 20 inches long but can grow up to 31 inches long. They weigh about 1 to 3 pounds but can get larger. The largest lake whitefish ever caught weighed 42.67 pounds. It’s held the record for over 100 years! The largest lake whitefish caught in Wisconsin was less than a third as large as the world record. An angler impressively caught a 12-pound and 6.4-ounce lake whitefish in Lake Michigan in 2013. This fish was 31 inches long.

Longnose Gar

Another common fish in Wisconsin is the longnose gar. In Wisconsin, you can find longnose gars in the St. Croix River. According to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, longnose gars can be found in Island Lake Chain, Big Sissabagama, Lac Court Oreilles, Grindstone, and Big Sand lakes. These very long and hard fish are members of the Lepisosteidae family. They are listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Longnose gars are about 2 to 4 feet long but can reach as long as 6.5 inches. In Wisconsin, the largest longnose gar ever caught, hook and line, weighed 21 pounds and 4 ounces. This large gar was caught on June 14, 1990, in the Wisconsin River in Richland County. The gar was 52.5 inches long, making it over 4 feet long.

Muskellunge

Last but not least is the muskellunge, one of the largest fish ever caught in Wisconsin. The muskellunge is a freshwater predatory fish native to North America. It’s a member of the pike family, Esocidae. This large fish is common throughout the United States. It’s similar in appearance to the northern pike. Muskellunge ranges a lot in size. They can measure anywhere from 24 to 48 inches long but can grow as much as 6 feet long. So, how does the largest muskellunge ever caught in Wisconsin compare? The Hook and Like state record muskellunge weighed 69 pounds and 11 ounces. The angler caught this massive 63.5-inch freshwater fish in 1949 in the Chippewa Flowage.