What is the best way to remove this fish/animal from the hook. Where do you grab them? In the gills? Ever eat one?

I never grab them. I usually net them and bring them on board. Then get the needlenose pliers to remove the hooks. Don't plan on eating one anytime soon either..

they are kinda cool fish...they jump alot

lip 'em!

Buddy caught one last year at Fork and we weren't sure what it was or what to do with it either. I think he just brought it up beside the boat and grabbed the spinnerbait hook with the pliers and got the hook out w/o touching that fish. It is one ugly fish but it did fight well.

Aren't they supposed to be killed if caught. Maybe I heard wrong but, they are very ravinous eaters is was I heard. And like to eat, a lot!

I had to look up a Grinnel and found that there is a fish simular to the Grinnel called a SnakeHead and if you catch one you are supposed to report it to TPWD.

Small Read:
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fish/infish/regulate/snakehead-bowfin.phtml

Snakehead is way different - non native species

used to catch them all the time in Lake Champlain up to 10#. we called them bowfins. they are good eating.

Hey; try what spiveyrat said and I bet you wont do it again.

The first one I ever caught was about 15 years ago on sandlin and not knowing what it was I tried to lip it. For those who have not tried it its like trying to lip a gar.

Caught one on a jug line about a year ago, get out wooden boat ore- Have friend hold over the boat: Swing ore like baseball bat- Aim for head.

After inital thud, get a knife cut airbladder blow gills.

Take out hook, throw in water.

A good practice that will take you far in life....

If you dont know what it is....Dont put your fingers in its mouth!

Sounds like words to live by!

ScottB

Nope, don't lip 'em. They're good eating but a pain in the hiney to clean since the skin and scales are like armor. The meat is very light colored and falls apart a little too easily. It's quite tasty and doesn't have a heavy fish smell at all.

I eat 'em any chance I get to catch a nice sized one.

I've known those as "Bowfin" everywhere in Texas. They do tend to be very good fighters though, and while I've not eaten one myself yet, I hear that they make very good eating.

No, you are not supposed to kill them.
The only fish in the entire state you are supposed to kill is the Grass Carp, and only if it's not permitted in those waters. If it's stocked by TPWD, and you kill it, that's very illegal.

Everything else that's edible, including most rough fish, are supposed to be returned alive, or kept and eaten, just killing them and wasting them is usually illegal. Grass carp are one of the few exceptions since they can be such a danger to the vegetation. As for Bowfin, they don't eat any more then a bass will, but they're just as aggressive and pretty interesting looking too, sort of prehistoric, and strong fighters. Smaller population then bass too so no worries about them in the lakes.

Also lots of sharp teeth just like Gar, Northern Pike, Pickeral, and Walleye, so don't stick your fingers or thumb in their mouth. They also get to be pretty big and will readily take just about anything.

Also on an unrelated note, Grass Carp are supposed to be excellent eating, especially baked, so if you catch one where it's not allowed, rather then just dumping the corpse, try icin' it down and cooking it later. Might enjoy it. I'd suggest the same with other rough fish you "don't want", buffalo and drum make excellent eating fish, some of the most wildly eaten and sold commercial fish in the country.

Grenil or "bowfin" are very aggresive fish and fight as hard if not harder than l/m bass. I caught one about 2 years ago in a private lake in east texas and thought I had a share a lunker on. The fish ended up only weighing 8lbs but fought like a 13lber. No they are not the same as a snake head and you are not supposed to kill them. I have seen them stalk bass when the bass are bedding. I watched a bowfin sit about 3 ft from a bass nest onece and when I pulled the bass off of the nest, that bowfin jumped on the bed. I had to stick my pole down there to make sure that it did nothing to the nest. They can be very pesky to the bass but sure are fun to catch.