July 4th Bowfin action

By David Graham - July 4, 2021

Erin and I took the boat out on the Caloosahatchee River on July 4th and did manage to put a few lines in the water. The Caloosahatchee River fascinates me.... because here there is a very weird mix of species from both fresh and saltwater that have to compete.

In the same stretch of river you might catch snook, tarpon, jack crevalle, redfish, bullsharks, sawfish, stingray, and various catfish species from saltwater.... but also largemouth, striped bass, bowfin, gar, and other typical freshwater species.

There is a very unique balance of fresh and salt that allows all of these fish to coexist... and compete. This is interesting because I feel it FORCES the freshwater fish to get bigger, faster, and stronger in order to be competitive. I have found that in the Caloosahatchee River there is a greater number of quality sized bowfin than other nearby creeks where the competition isnt as fierce.

Today though - we lost atleast one giant, but still caught some respectable fish.