Why can bowfins affect game fish populations?

The bowfin (Amia calva) is a holostean fish that can affect game fish populations because it is a voracious generalist predator.123

As a predator, the bowfin feeds on a wide variety of prey, including invertebrates, amphibians, crustaceans, insects, snakes, and other fishes. Because they consume other fish species, they are sometimes considered destructive to populations of game fish.123

Beyond their predatory nature, bowfins are highly adaptable, capable of surviving in low-oxygen environments by using their swim bladder to inhale air. While they are sometimes targeted by sport anglers, they are rarely sought as food fish, which may contribute to their continued presence in the slow-moving waters they inhabit across eastern North America.132