A Big Fin From Last Summer

30" Spinnerbait (chart)

16" Golden Rule

This doggy was caught on a chartreuse spinnerbait on Kroon Lake by Matt Filla.

A Beautiful Fin

This fish was caught during a high school bass tournament  on Clearwater Lake.

Sport Smith With a Hefty Barker

Sport was fishing in a bass tournament when he got this fin on a wacky rigged worm.  No measurement so it doesn't count for the Derby.

Speaking of the Grand Championship Tournament.  Today is the last day to catch a bowfin.  I am putting off the notification deadline until Friday.  Get your catches into me ASAP at basspastor@hotmail.com.

President's First Landed Fin of the Year

24.5" Custom Jigs & Spin Glow Demon with a minnow

I had one on about the same size as this the night before, but the hook came out before I could land it.  Seeing as how I got it with live bait it doesn't count as an entry for the Grand Championship.

It didn't quite wreck my Demon

They have been biting pretty good on Platte Lake the last couple of days.

Here is beauty that the guy wouldn't throw back because he believes it is against the law to do so.  It's against the law to throw back a dead bowfin.  Releasing them alive is just fine.  I tried to tell the guy that, but he started to argue with me.  So I backed off on trying to get him to release it.

5th Fish For Me

23" Lunkerhunt Lunker Frog color Croaker

I got my 5th fin of the year on May 28th at Bulldog Lake.  I know 23" isn't big enough as Chuck Steinbauer has one that is bigger.

4th Fin Of the Year for Me

20" Stanley Phantom topwater lure

Just a little guy and my first ever out of Bulldog Lake.  1st one that counts for the Grand Championship this year.  I don't think 20 inches is gonna hold.

Andrew Osowski With A Nice Little Fin

 About 14" on a hair jig.

I believe Andrew Osowski of Team Yukon Outdoors got this fish on May 5th.  Get out there the fish are active.

Dave Maas 1st Two Fins of the Year

I think it's a fin.

Yep, it's a bowfin!

About 27" Caught on a Custom Jigs and Spins Glow Demon with a stickleback minnow at about 2:30AM on April 29th at Sullivan Lake 

On the next night I had to two dogfish on, but due to the difficultly of landing them on rip rap I only got 1 of the two in.  I actually had my claw grippers on the first fish a couple of times, but as soon as I touched him, it went berserk.  I ended up breaking that fish off.  It was slightly bigger than the one I did catch on the 30th.

Dogfish Selfie

23" on a Glow Demon and crappie minnow

Stripped the glow right off of the Glow Demon

Seeing as how they were caught with live bait, these bowfin aren't eligible for this years Grand Championship.

The warm weather is definitely getting the bow wow's active.  This first weekend in May just may be your best shot at getting a Grand Championship winning fish.

Please remember to release your bowfin alive so someone else can enjoy the fight.

MT's Fall 14 Fins

Tom Whitehead North Long Barker

Possible MN State Record???

I don't know if this fin that was caught by Jana Olson was weighed or not, but it was obviously huge.  I don't have any details on the catch.

Poopy The Puppy

Nicole Michel kept this fish for the aquarium and named it Poopy The Puppy.

Got My 3rd Of the Year

23" hit on a green pumpkin Texas rigged craw tube on June 24th

Got My 1st Fish Of the Year Today

21.5" 

Hit on a Strike King Pure Poison with Grass Pig trailer

Looked like he was beat up from spawning

Time To Be Thinkin' 'Fins

Photo from Chad Christianson

I saw my first Bowfin caught this past Friday.  It may have hit me about 15 minutes earlier. The Grand Championship for 2014 is on!   

Please Note- Starting this year Bowfin caught at anytime day or night are eligible to be entered.

Black & Decker Tackle Wrecker Strikes Again

I was pre-fishing for my next tournament on Rush Lake near Ottertail when I had a big dogfish hit my Aruku Shad.  Can you tell?  Can't say I've ever caught a bowfin on a rattlebait before.  It was raining so I didn't get a picture of the fish.  I would say it was about 26.5 inches long.  It put up a tremendous fight and got all tangled in the net.

It was raining so I didn't get a picture of the fish.

Happy 4th of July!

This nice fin was caught last summer by Nate Dykes in the Brainerd area.  I had forgotten I had the photo.  Better late than never I guess.

Bowfin From Lake Ida

This was caught by Patrick Gibbons of Terre Haute Indiana with a jig and a dead leech on June 14th of this year.  The fish had been hanging around a dock in the grassy shallows.  Patrick and his daughter Molly have been after a bowfin ever since Molly had one break her line a few years ago.  They come out to Lake Ida once a year.

Congratulations on your catch!

I think I Caught The Same Fish Again Last Week

This is the guy I got on May 30th and here is the fish I got May 18th

I think the tear in the pectoral fin is the reason.  It may not be though.

I got the 2nd fish on a Berkley Powerbait Chigger Craw.

First Fin of the Year for Me

I had been hearing reports of people catching them at the "Grumpy Old Man Hole" and today  I got me this little one on a parrot X-Rap.  I don't think it will win me the Grand Championship this year but you never know.  Anyone else getting any fins.  If you are I would love to put a pic or you and your fish on the blog.