A Fish Story

The kids are finally feeling better, so we decided to take an evening trip to our favorite local fishing hole.  Matt was out there last night and caught a couple of Bowfin (Dogfish).  These fish aren't really very good to eat as they are a bottom feeding rough fish, but they put up a good fight and are fun to catch.  Plus, they are predators who eat other small fish and can take over a lake if left to their own devices.   

After all the recent rain, the lake level is still up enough to allow us to take our small boat through the normally narrow channel to the back part of the lake.  There is a pretty good size stream that runs into the lake back here, and a beaver lodge.  Lots of activity to keep everybody entertained.

Tonight we came in during a feeding frenzy.  When the dogfish are feeding, they stir up the bottom of the lake and release air pockets.   The lake was just boiling with air bubbles from feeding fish.  

Not ten minutes after we got settled, Matt hauled in a Largemouth bass roughly the size of his boot.  Everybody got a good look at him then we let him go.

We could see a large fish feeding at the surface and making a heck of a ruckus.  Matt was pretty sure it was a Dogfish.  This monster made a huge splash at my line and Matt's before Matt got him on the hook right as the sun went down.  The Dogger (as they are known in our house) put up a good fight.  We finally got him into the boat and he was a whopper!  We decided he looked like a nice meal for our chickens so we brought this one home.  

I finally snapped a picture of it once we got home.  I sure picked a lousy night to not bring my camera in the boat.  Missed out on plenty of live action tonight!

Matt holding up the big dogfish for the kids.  You can see that Joey is very impressed.