Where Does Bowfin Live?

Bowfin lives in specific habitats. Knowing where to look helps you find and identify it.

Where to find Bowfin

Water type

freshwater

Depth

Typically found in shallow to moderately deep waters, often less than 10 feet (3 meters).

Environment

Prefers slow-moving or stagnant waters with abundant aquatic vegetation, such as swamps, backwaters, oxbow lakes, sluggish rivers, and canals. Tolerant of low oxygen conditions due to its ability to breathe air. Often found near submerged logs, weed beds, and other cover.

Geographic range

Native to eastern North America, ranging from the St. Lawrence River and Lake Champlain in Quebec and Vermont, west through the Great Lakes basin (excluding Lake Superior), and south to Florida and the Gulf Coast states, extending west to Texas and Oklahoma.

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