Also known as
- Dogfish US
- Grinnel US
- Mudfish US
- Cypress Trout US
- Choupique US
- Grindle US
- Swamp Trout US
Identification
A prehistoric muscular ambush predator of SE US and Mississippi-drainage swamps and backwaters — long cylindrical build delivers explosive strikes from cover. Males boldly patterned.
- Dark olive-green back with lighter mottled reticulated pattern, yellow-green belly
- Extremely long undulating dorsal fin running more than half the body length — diagnostic profile
- Males show a yellow-to-orange bordered black eyespot on the upper tail base; absent in females
- Males display bright green fins, mouth, and tongue; females faded
- Large scaleless armoured head with a bony plate between the lower jaws
Where it holds
- Wetlands
- Lakes
- Rivers
Behaviour
A solitary ambush predator holding tight to dense vegetation, submerged timber, and weedmat edges in 0.5-3m. Hunts by smell more than sight, rooting prey from cover with explosive lunges. Tolerates very low-oxygen warm water by gulping atmospheric air at the surface. Strongly dawn-dusk and night active; opportunistic through the day. Most active 15-30°C (59-86°F). Spring-spawning males guard nests aggressively and strike anything entering the territory.
Diet: Bluegill, Shad, Minnows, Small Carp, Crayfish, Frogs, Salamanders
How it's caught
Line Fishing
Bottom Fishing
The dominant SE US backwater approach — anchor or hold tight to vegetation edges and submerged timber and present a fresh chunk of bluegill, shad, or carp on a Carolina rig with a 60cm leader and a 3/0 non-offset circle hook. 40lb fluorocarbon leader to handle the abrasive jaws. Place the bait within 30cm of suspected fish position — they smell more than they see and won't move far for it.
Spinning
A productive cover-fishing approach — work topwater frogs across weedmats, chatterbaits along submerged-timber edges, spinnerbaits in the warm water, and Texas-rigged creature baits or finesse jigs through dense pads. The lure must pass within 30cm of the fish to draw a strike. 7ft medium-heavy rod, 40lb braid, 40lb fluorocarbon leader for the abrasive jaws.
Live Lining
An effective drift or still-fishing approach in vegetated shallow water — free-line a live crayfish, minnow, frog, or salamander on a 3/0 non-offset circle hook with a small split shot to keep the bait in the strike zone tight to cover. 40lb fluorocarbon leader. Productive year-round but particularly so during the spring spawn when males guard nests.
Float Fishing
A precise approach for placing live bait in pockets within dense vegetation — suspend a live minnow, crayfish, or nightcrawler under an adjustable slip float at 0.3-1.5m on a 3/0 non-offset circle hook and 40lb fluorocarbon leader. Cast tight to weed edges and hold the float in the strike zone.
Fly Fishing
Streamer
A challenging but rewarding sight-fishing approach in shallow clear water — strip a large Woolly Bugger, leech pattern, or weighted Clouser past a holding fish with very slow short pulls. The fly must pass within 30cm of the fish. 8-9wt rod, 30lb fluorocarbon shock tippet for the abrasive jaws.
Bow Fishing
A productive approach during the spring spawn and warm-water summer months when fish surface to gulp air in low-oxygen backwaters — sight a fish in clear shallow water and shoot. Compound bow with 50-65lb draw, fibreglass arrow, and a barbed fish-point with retriever reel. Polarised glasses essential for spotting fish through the surface glare.
