Bowfin
RareFreshwater
A primitive, air-breathing survivor that hits topwater lures aggressively in shallow, weedy water and fights far harder than its size suggests. Handle it carefully at the net — its sharp teeth and thrashing make release tricky.
Profile
- Fight: 7/10
- Trophy: 3/10
- Wariness: 2/10
- Abundance: 4/10
- Aggression: 8/10
- Table: 1/10
- Typical weight
- 2.2–6.6 lbs (1.0–3.0 kg)
- Record
- 20.9 lbs (9.5 kg)
Season
- Jan: 15%
- Feb: 15%
- Mar: 30%
- Apr: 55%
- May: 70%
- Jun: 70%
- Jul: 60%
- Aug: 55%
- Sep: 50%
- Oct: 35%
- Nov: 20%
- Dec: 15%
Seasonality shown is typical for temperate North America — your local waters may vary.
Time of day
- 12 AM: 8%
- 1 AM: 6%
- 2 AM: 5%
- 3 AM: 5%
- 4 AM: 6%
- 5 AM: 15%
- 6 AM: 35%
- 7 AM: 55%
- 8 AM: 70%
- 9 AM: 80%
- 10 AM: 85%
- 11 AM: 85%
- 12 PM: 80%
- 1 PM: 78%
- 2 PM: 80%
- 3 PM: 82%
- 4 PM: 78%
- 5 PM: 65%
- 6 PM: 45%
- 7 PM: 25%
- 8 PM: 15%
- 9 PM: 12%
- 10 PM: 10%
- 11 PM: 9%
Conditions
Temp68–82°F (20–28°C)
Depth2–10 ft (1–3 m)
PressureAny
LightAny
Lures
Tips
- Topwater lures worked through shallow weeds draw aggressive strikes.
- Use pliers or a lip grip when unhooking — bowfin have sharp teeth and thrash hard.
- Warm, weedy shallows in summer hold the most active fish.
Live bite index for your spot
Vobbl scores today’s weather against this species’ profile, hour by hour, wherever you fish.