swimbaits

[MuskieBait]

What I find interesting is bowfin hitting a swimbait in April. Most of the bowfin I see in April are hunkered down on the bottom not very willing to bite at all. I have fished whole live nightcrawlers and moved the bait in front of their faces and they just sit there and stare at it, or they get spooked and bugger off. The odd times I'll have a bowfin show interest in the nightcrawler and take the worm.

I've tried to fish lures for bowfin before and early spring usually is a fail for me with lures. Summer (after June) is usually much better with lures when fish are much more active.

I would love to hear more about how you work these lures on bottom to get them to hit.

On the other hand, bullheads can be aggressive during spawning time. They will chase and remove intruders into their nests. Although...April is still very early for spawning bullhead in most years.

I do realize that 2012 was exceptionally warm in late March and early April...but then got back to a cool spring by mid-April to May/June.