JAWS

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]We get a few discussions about the dental equipment of different species and how to rig to prevent cutoffs...or how to handle the fish to prevent "sudden weight loss" by amputation. I have always had a fascination with toothy species, and have caught most of the worst available in our country.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]In Utah our three worst candidates for the JAWS award are tiger muskies, northern pike and walleyes. I am attaching a pic I posted awhile back of the walleye jaws, but I have never taken a good pic of either muskies or northerns. Anybody have a good one to share?[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I am also posting pics of needlefish and of a dried set of halibut jaws. The needlefish are pesky critters in many temperate and tropical waters. They shred lures and baits without being caught easily because of their bony tooth-filled jaws.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]


[#0000ff]I was talking with Fuzzyfisher and Coldfooter at Utah Lake the other day and the conversation turned to the nasty teeth found in halibut, so I dug out this pic.[/#0000ff]




[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I have also caught both the great barracuda of the Florida reefs and hundreds of the Pacific barracuda off California. But, some of the nastiest teeth and aggressive dispositions go to some of the members of the mackerel family...like tuna, bonito and wahoo. Those babies can chomp through a wood or plastic hardbait in one chomp.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Anyone who has fished the east coast is likely familiar with bluefish too. Their nickname is "chopper". They earn it too. They munch a baitfish in the middle as they breeze through and the head and tail float away, cut as cleanly as with a razor. They do the same thing to expensive lures.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Of course, anybody who has ever tried to "lip" a large trout also knows that some species develop the teeth to help them in feeding on smaller species. I have donated blood on more than one occasion when I got careless in removing a hook from toothy troutskis. Anybody else got any nominees for the nasty teeth award?[/#0000ff]
[signature]

[maddawg]

I guess Piranha is to odvious a choice. What about tiger muskie?

Maddawg
[signature]

[Utcatman]

i had no idea that halibut had teeth like that.. all of the smallish ones i have caught didnt seem to have a tooth problem or maybe i am blind... sheepshead have some ugly teeth as well. maybe not sharp but ugly!
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Sheepshead have big teeth, but they are members of the wrasse family. They are grazers and munchers of crustaceans. They don't have the sharp fish-eating dental work of some of the other predators. They look more like your buck-toothed uncle. As you probably know, their nickname is "goat".[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]

[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]What a lot of people do not know is that sheepshead are the ultimate change artists. They all hatch out as females...kind of a pale pink color. Then, when they reach a certain size and age, they change into males. Besides developing the striking black and pink vertical stripes, the males also grow a big hump on their heads. They are great fighters and good eating. [/#0000ff]
[signature]

[polokid]

I will have to find the picture of the needle fish that mrs. polo caught down in Cancun. THey are definitely a interesting fish, they played in the wake behind the boat all day we were fishing.
[signature]

[ocean]

Heres a pic of one of the toothy critters i have caught ! I have caught those needle fish in the keys also.
[signature]

[Red-head]

TubeDude your right about the sheepshead. I got to speargun one this summer. However I was surprised that even though they are toothy, they aren't as sharp as you'd think. Most sea-going fishies have mouths that you'd think twice about sticking a finger in.

Ocean, is that an anchor you have tied to a rope in that picture? I suppose that its a grapleing hook, either that or you got one monstorous hook and are fishing for something bigger than a perch.[sly]
[signature]