Hello I need help finding out what mysterious fish is toying with my mind! The other day, my girlfriend and I went to the local lake to fish from the dock, we were fishing for bluegills, and about an hour after we started fishing i noticed something moving about 15-20ftu from the dock. then a large fin emerges from the water and starts waving at me for about 5u long seconds! It was a dark round fin, and quite large, at least the size of an adult human hand or more. It stayed in the same aream making whirlpools in the water, and ocasionally waving at me again. Later on it got a little closer and I noticed it was at least 3.5ft-4.5ft long, Dark in color, and a round head, it was sitting in one spot again waving at us but im starting to think that it was waving somehow with its tail fin? Odd because when it waved, the fin was completly out of the water straight up in the air? If anyone has seen this before please share! If anyone can tell me what it is that would comfort me knowing its not nessy!

I guess you didn't get a picture in the unlikely event that might be helpful. It might help someone answer your question if we knew what part of the country you are in!

Im afraid not, it didnt get close enough and it was quite bright.
Is was about 12o' clock, warm Florida lake
As far as i know there are large 10lb carp, bass, flathead catfish, many bluegills, and the occasional perch, and i heard of mudfish.

My first guess is a grazing carp. Could this have possibly been a land locked tarpon?

No way it was a carp or tarpon! Its a spring fed lake in central florida, it had a long narrow ish body, dark, big round head, kind of a rounded tail, but still really veiny?

Well then my only other guess is an alligator gar or large Florida gar, they both are native to Florida waters, have large long bodies, and have rounded veiney tails, and are dark olive to brown coloration. Of course, the head is not round but long and tapered. Another possibility is a very large bowfin (mudfish). This seems to best fit your description.

How big do bowfin get?
I think the biggest mystery is just the fact that it waved at us! Haha

I wouldn't go swimming in there if I was you! Scary!

I know theres a 4-5ft gator there, and probbly more big ones too, its a big lake, my dad said he saw a huge soft shell turtle there b4, ive only seen a baby one, and those pet store ones.
Some guy pulled out a 9lb bass on blue gill, theres a 3.5-4.5 huge crazy bowfin apperently, alot of 5-10lb carp, and flathead catfish.

If thats what i see there every day, imagine what i dont see tgere!

If thats what i see there every day, imagine what i dont see tgere!

I'm bettin gar......the hotter it gets here in central florida, the more they keep coming up to the top of the water. Bowfin can get pretty big. My last on was over 6 pounds and over 3 feet.

Posted By Beeler on 13 Jun 2012 03:31 PM
How big do bowfin get?
I think the biggest mystery is just the fact that it waved at us! Haha

Bowfin can attain a weight of just over 20 pounds. 

this is a carp i saw one doing the same thing in a local pond last year its quite cool

maybe a mermaid.lol

I like the mermaid idea...lol!

If it was brown may have been a bowfin AKA mudfish

Sure hope it wasn't a snakehead.

Posted By lunker83 on 17 Jul 2012 05:37 AM
Sure hope it wasn't a snakehead.

I was thinking the same thing. The description sure sounds a lot like a snakehaed.

carp are known to do this in central indiana when it gets hot