What is a mudfish

On 13 Sep 2003 05:44:03 -0700, (BAGman)
wrote:

I've read this whole thread and I don't understand the aversion to a
fine fighting fish.
Bowfin anglers are sportsmen. We don't cut the heads off bass we
catch just because we were fishing for bowfin.
Thank you
Chuck

To each his own. On Kissimmee, they are VERY abundant and interfere
with my pursuit of my preffered fish. They eat anything...are EASY to
catch often swimming the lenght of my boat looking for a handout and
have to be landed via a net which they screw up in eel like fashion.

PITA big time and not much sport...just pull no jumping..might as well
hook a turtle.

Enjoy!


Later

Grizzl
"LEAD, FOLLOW OR GET OUTA MY WAY!"
'93 FXDL followed closely by Squeaks '96 Hugger

Your damm right Chuck...i have never heard such whining and crying out
of a group of people. I must have forgotten that when you go fishing
that you only want to catch your "target species" Dont get me wrong i
like catching bass just as much as anyone else, but be serious people,
have some respect for the life that you are taking. I fish for the
sport of it, single barbless hooks only with all fish being released
after the catch. Being a fisheries biologist and the knowledge of
fish that i do i have too much respect for how much fish have to
contens with to reach adulthood. Just think of it this way, that fish
you are leaving on the bank to die is one of maybe 50,000 fry which
initially hatched in it's clutch. Out of those 50,000, at best 10
will survive to adulthood, and that is a stretch. Odds are not good
for survival...and all your posts show is you lack of knowledge..you
go ahead and keep throwing the fish on the bank and cutting off their
heads, but maybe someday you will have the sense enough to let the
fish go to be enjoyed by someone else who has half a brain on their
head.

Good luck fishing...try not to get that slime on your boat, otr maybe
you can put some plastic down to keep it off.

Dusty
New York State
Department of Environmental Conservation






(BAGman) wrote in message . com...
I've read this whole thread and I don't understand the aversion to a
fine fighting fish. Bowfin and gar lay claim to the title "America's
Toughest Sportfish For 100,000,000 Years!©" Stop by
www.bowfinanglers.com and www.garfishing.com and educate yourselves.
They've existed in these waters far longer than bass, yet bass were
able to develop and thrive in the same waters. Yes, they share a
niche, but neither will eradicate the other - we have a million years
of evidence. If the conditions favor one species, that species will
do better in a particular locale.

Teeth? You mean like perch, walleyes, pike, and muskies? So what?
They're little teeth, albeit sharp, and if you're careless you'll
bleed a little. Flesh heals. Slime? Well quit wearing your tux
(or your coordinated Abercrombie "outfit") while you're out fishing.
Smell? Smells great - like fish. Better than smelling like work.
Net? We don't need no stinking net! Smaller ones bare-hand quite
easily, and a stout glove lends a better grip on the large ones.
Shoot ? we don't even need a boat. This is low investment fishing.
That just came to me ? you guys are running around in $30,000 bass
boats and you're crying about a $1.50 shiner?

I used to be a strictly bass fisherman. Here in Illinois that means
spending hours chasing sulky 1-3 pounders; 2-3 fish a day was a good
day. A little weather and forget about getting them to hit. Then I
discovered gar and bowfin. How about fifty 3-4 pound gar per angler
in 4 hours of fishing? 3 pound bowfin that hit so hard you'd swear it
was a fifteen pounder? 8-pounders that straighten the best steel
snap-swivels? Acrobatics while fighting that rival bonefish and
tarpon? And best of all, I'm not elbow to elbow with a hundred other
folks targeting the very same fish. I've got to wonder why I'm
telling you this, "They're mine, all mine!", except we don't work that
way. Peruse www.bowfinanglers.com and you'll even find maps
pinpointing where to find this great fighting fish.

I'd like to remind anglers that returning dead or dying fish to the
waters or leaving them on the banks is illegal in most locales. These
regs were chosen at random using the State of Indiana as an example"

"Anglers are responsible for maintaining fish in a healthy condition
if they wish to return that fish to the water. Dead and dying fish
cannot be released back into the water. However, sorting of fish may
be allowed within the bag limit if fish are in a healthy condition at
the time of release. Fish must be released into the water from which
they were taken and be able to swim away normally."

And:

"Wanton Waste of Fish

The intentional waste and destruction of fish is prohibited ? Fish
parts, including entrails, must not be discarded into any state
waters, but should be disposed of in a sanitary manner that does not
pollute the water or become detrimental to public health or comfort. "

Bowfin anglers are sportsmen. We don't cut the heads off bass we
catch just because we were fishing for bowfin.
Thank you
Chuck








"pat2469" wrote in message news:5e56b.29432$Go4.26843@lakeread01...
Is this a garbage fish? My brother was fishing in Florida with a guide and
he said the guide was kind of ****ed about catching a big mudfish. What is
the deal with this fish? Thanks for the input. I looked on the net for
info but it was almost all technical.


Thanks,
Pat