Bullhead Fishing Season

Going back on my last post, in which I claimed I was only posting once a month, I am posting an article that I wrote for the student newspaper about bullhead fishing. One of my loves besides knitting is fishing, and it's bullhead season right now, so what better topic to write about?

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Spring is finally here, and bullhead fishing season is still in full swing. Although bullheads can be caught at any time of the year, they are most often found and caught in April and May along rivers and streams, ponds, and lakes.

What are bullheads, anyway? A bullhead is part of the catfish family; they have slimy, scaleless skin and whiskers on their chin and around their mouth, also known as barbels. There are three varieties of bullhead found in New York State; black, yellow, and brown. The most common variety in New York are the brown bullheads. As fish go, they don't get as big as trout or bass; they average around 8-14 inches and can weigh up to two pounds. However, sometimes these fish can reach larger proportions—the state record for one of these fish is seven pounds. They are nocturnal bottom feeders, their diet being mostly insects, leeches, snails, and smaller fish. The best time to catch bullhead is at night during the months of April and May, due to their feeding habits before spawn season, which is usually in June or July. Right now is the best time to catch these fish, as they are more plentiful now and harder to catch other times of the year due to the change in their feeding pattern.

Luckily, bullhead fishing doesn't require a lot of expensive equipment or difficult set up. The basic equipment you need are a typical fishing rod and reel (with plenty of hooks), a place to fish for them, needle nose pliers, a lantern or flashlight, a nice stick or stand to place your pole on, and maybe a bucket to put all your equipment (and fish, if you're keeping them) in. When fishing for bullhead, it is advisable to bring plenty of hooks and maybe a pair of needle nose pliers because bullhead are notorious for swallowing hooks. If you've ever gone fishing before and had a fish swallow a hook, you know how much a pain in the neck it is to get the hook out. A pair of need nose pliers can be helpful in getting the hook out of the fish, but sometimes you cannot save your hook without injuring the fish. If that is the case, or you get too frustrated,

it's best to cut off the hook and put on a new one. Sinkers are also a good thing to have, since you want your hook and bait to be at the bottom of wherever you are fishing. However, you don't need particularly heavy sinkers to catch bullhead; split shot sinkers are usually effective. You may also want to use a bobber, that's up to you. Lanterns and flashlights are a necessity if you're night fishing, and since after dark is the best time to catch bullheads, it's advisable to take one with you. As for bait, there are a variety of bait types to choose from when fishing for bullhead. You can use anything from night crawlers and leeches, to bacon, hot dogs, and cheese. A bait that is also effective (but not for the faint of heart) is chicken liver. From both my experiences and research, the top two best bait to use when catching bullhead are old fashioned night crawlers (earthworms) and chicken livers. It's also useful to note that it doesn't matter how simple your pole is or what kind you choose to use; as long as you have good bait and your line is on the bottom of the lake, pond, or river, bullhead will bite.

When casting out, if you're on shore, you don't have to cast out very far. At this time of the year, bullhead will feed both far and close to shore. Once you've baited your hook and cast your line, feel free to set your pole down on your stick or stand and relax. If you don't want to set your pole down, holding your pole in your hands is fine as well (it is also helpful when you get a bite). When watching your pole, keep an eye on the tip of it; if it jerks, or your bobber moves (if you're using one) that's the best time to set your hook. If you're holding your pole and feel the line move, you're generally supposed to wait until the second nibble to yank your pole. Any method works, however, and how you choose to set your hook is up to you.

Once you've finally caught a bullhead, it's time to take it off the hook. Handling a bullhead can be difficult and even dangerous—these fish have sharp spines on their front and top fins that can pierce flesh and give you a nasty cut. However, if you handle a bullhead properly, it won't be able to hurt you. To properly hold a bullhead when you're taking off the hook, wrap your hand behind the gills of the bullhead, flattening the spiky fins. When you are taking the hook off, you may be alarmed by a squeaky sound the fish makes—don't worry, this is normal.

Bullhead are very good for eating—however, if you're not up to gutting and preparing your own fish to cook, don't be discouraged. Bullhead fishing can still be great fun, whether you're eating the fish or not.

When it concerns fishing, catching bullhead is a great experience. So grab your pole and get out there before bullhead season is over!

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The semester is almost over; when it's finished for good, I'll probably be posting hopefully a little more frequently.