I knew I had tied into a good one by the solid tug on my line. I was dunking minnows in Duck Creek's Pool 1, hoping to hook any weak-minded fish silly enough to bite my hook. The line jerked so solidly I felt the need to bolt rather than walk over to the pole. I watched as the line began to move to one side and knew it was time to set the hook. A good tussle with a worthy fish is something I enjoyed and this fish had my attention.

After two runs the fish failed to surface, leading me to rule out largemouth bass. The prize-winning fight gave me thoughts of a large catfish on the other end. A third run was all this fish was able to muster before I was able to land it. Upon landing this fish I was surprised to see a grinnell in place of a bragging-sized catfish. I was impressed with how hard the fish fought for its size.

This was my first experience with a fish that goes by many names.

Known by many names

Although their proper name is bowfin, Bootheel residents are more likely to call it a grinnell, mud dog, dog fish or even cypress trout. Despite many names, this is a highly distinctive fish. Grinnell are an ancient fish that swam in the same water dinosaurs stomped through. They have a long, wavy, soft dorsal fin down their back that moves with a snake like rhythm. From their nostrils come two soft tentacles, used in detecting scent. The cylindrical body is a power house of muscle complimented by a stout head with powerful jaws. The tail is rounded and well suited for propelling the fish after its favorite prey. Grinnell even possess something that no other fish does: a gular plate. Only certain fossil fish possess this plate on their chin. Bowfin are the only living example.

If the fight does not impress you, perhaps their teeth will. Small, sharp predatory teeth line a grinnell's firm jaws. A carelessly placed finger or thumb will bear the marks of those teeth as well as the pain.

Because the water in Pool 1 was so clear, my first grinnell had a dark, net-like pattern over the light brown or green body. A large dark spot surrounded by yellow adorned the tail section. I have observed some grinnell from muddy sloughs and ditches that were metallic gray, absent of any pattern. Clear water brings out the best color in these swamp dwellers.

Grinnell are found in Southeast Missouri and along slow moving backwaters of the Mississippi River. They can be found all the way up into Minnesota but are most common in the lower Mississippi Valley.

People who are looking to tie into the infamous cypress trout should fish ditches, oxbows, sloughs and river chutes. Log jams and root wads are great places to target. While grinnell will bite readily on live bait like minnows, worms or crayfish, they are also known to hit artificial baits like spinner baits, jigs, spoons or pork rinds.

Another choice is to use items from the frozen food section of the grocery store. Hot dogs, shrimp and chicken livers work well as bowfin bait.

My first grinnell fought just like every grinnell I have caught since: hard! I usually think I have a bigger fish than I actually do.

This is sort of like catching a smallmouth bass, which fight like a largemouth bass twice their size. That kind of fight is addictive.

Some residents of Southeast Missouri love the fight so much they actually hope to catch grinnell. Although some sport fish anglers consider the bowfin a rough fish and even unworthy of pursuit, grinnell anglers are happy to tie into one.

Know your grinnell

Negative attitudes toward grinnell come from rumor and a lack of knowledge on how to prepare grinnell. Most people will snarl their nose at grinnell as if they have been offered a bloated opossum. It is a common myth that grinnell are boney and poor-tasting. I know from experience the grinnell are not bonier than any other fish I have cleaned, and are well flavored. I have actually eaten grinnell without knowing what I had.

Anyone who catches a grinnell should try to keep it alive until they are ready to clean it to freeze or cook. The flesh on a dead grinnell will get soft and loose its nice flavor quickly if left in a cooler for too long. In fact, that good flavor may be replaced with one that is less than desirable to go along with the mushy flesh.

Cleaning grinnell should be done without delay and it is even a good idea to have cornmeal and hot grease ready after you finish filleting them. The only exception to immediate cooking is to bread freshly cut fillets, then place them on cookies sheets covered in wax paper.

After the fillets are frozen, transfer them to storage bags until you are ready to cook. I have not tried this but it seems that you would need to cook immediately after thawing.

Anglers who wish to try their luck with bowfin have numerous opportunities in Southeast Missouri. Grinnell are a neat fish that fight hard and taste great.

A.J. Hendershott is the Outreach and Education Regional Supervisor for the Missouri Department of Conservation