Anybody Ever Done This?

[BarryBobPosthole]

Or maybe its 'did this'.

I haven't but paddlefish snagging isbig around here. They usually snag them in tailwater areas when they're spawning.
I've never done it myself. It looks like a helluva fight. Second hand, I've heard they are valued for their roe and their meat but I admittedly am ignorant of the real story. I know they (paddlefish snaggers) kill a lot of fish and the Game and Fish folk are busy trying to study the data.
I hired a temp once to manually slog through a bunch of data and got about what you'd expect to get for what we were paying. He was nuts about it and once he figured out I liked to fish, he talked about it to the point I wanted to kill him. He brought me some paddlefish meat in a little dingy six pack cooler, just laying unwrapped in a few ice cubes. And it had quite a bit of grass on it too. The mental pictures of how that went down are inevitable. And pretty comical I'd imagine too!
Needless to say, I've STILL never eaten paddlefish meat!

I know they have them in the big river states like Iowa and Nodak, os maybe HH or Bwana has.

Hidehunter prolly catches them on a fly rod and will say it goes good with coon.

BKB

Kelly Bostian: Hooking unusual fish always adds to the fun

http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/outdoors/bostiancolumn/kelly-bostian-hooking-unusual-fish-always-adds-to-the-fun/article_fc5b8ddd-5c17-563c-9487-ed1c23687491.html

(Sent from Tulsa World)

[Bwana]

I've gone a few times but have only caught one of those prehistoric beasts which was a lot of fun. Thanks BS.

6861

The one above was 60 lbs, as I recall, but that same day BS caught one that was only a few inches longer but it weighed 85 lbs.

Be prepared, unless you get lucky like I did and snag your fish right away, I can guarantee that after hours of chucking a 5 oz weight as far as you can and setting the hook time after time all the way back to shore time and again, the next morning you will hurt in places you didn't know you could hurt. That being said, hooking onto one of those monsters is like throwing your hook into the back of a passing boat.

As for eating them, I'm allergic to fish but I understand others like it whether smoked or otherwise. Up here they harvest the roe for making caviar.

This trip was the first time I met the Road Hunting Master and soon learned what a great host he is. Have to admit though that when he called and asked if it was alright that he had invited another friend to fish with us since three fisherman to one pole was about right I was more than a little concerned. First of all, I couldn't imagine how three grown men could effectively fish with a single fishing pole (was pretty sure he was pulling my leg) and then it dawned on me that I was driving to another state to go fishing who-knows-where with a possible ax murderer that I had never met before and now he was bringing an accomplice so I was outnumbered. Have to admit I had second thoughts about the trip and even considered upping my life insurance before leaving. ;)

[Big Skyz]

Yeah my fish was just a tab bigger than Bwana's. ;) I've probably landed a half a dozen of the things. It's like hooking the bottom of the river and then having it take off. It is without a doubt the most physical fishing I've ever done, and I can't really think of any other type of fishing that would be more physical. It will kick your butt on a slow day when no fish are caught, and kick it even more if you hook one of these prehistoric fish towards the end of a long fishless day.
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh113/Huntzz/Troy%20Paddlefish%20Good_zpscvcuu7l1.jpg

[Bwana]

Regarding the 3 guys/one pole scenario (insert jokes here) I recall the third gent (Mike?) and how sorry I felt for him. After Troy caught the beast above he was the lone snagger so he would cast until he couldn't do it anymore, rest for a while, and try again. As I recall, he bumped several fish during that time but was so spent that he couldn't muster enough umph to get a hook set and ended up going without that day.

One thing I would like to do if I ever caught another would be to put Troy's beetles to work on the head. I have seen a picture of a "european" paddlefish mount and it was very cool though am guessing it would be extremely fragile.

Anyway, be sure to bring your camera and let us know how is going Posty.

[BarryBobPosthole]

Holy guacamole! Those are some dandies!

Big fish too!

I doubt I'll be going paddlefish jerking. I'm more quiet and unassuming and my physical activities reflect that.

So I'll sit in the front of Birddogs boat and fish and complain about his 1 mph Crazy Ivans.

BKB

[BarryBobPosthole]

Troy, have you tried eating one of those? Or part of one anyway.
BKB

[Big Skyz]

I remember that. His name was Dean. He actually lives out here now near me in Great Falls. He did end up catching this one the next day. It wasn't huge, but at least he finally caught one.
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh113/Huntzz/PaddleDean_zpsjkkhtg9j.jpg

This is me casting and snagging. It's way more work that it appears.
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh113/Huntzz/Troy%20Paddle%20Fishing_zpsbxnoh42g.jpg

[Bwana]

Not sure who took those pictures but I like his style. ;)

[Chicken Dinner]

You two were just a couple of pups when those pics were taken. How long ago was it?

[Big Skyz]

Too darn long ago. Bwana did do a nice job behind the lens!

[quercus alba]

We call them spoonbill catfish in southern Arkansas and they have no bones, just cartilage for a backbone. Larrupin

[HideHunter]

I've eat 'em.. thay ain't good.. If I had to eat one - I'd have it smoked.. They are fat and greasy. They tell me the roe makes great caviar.. But you need a lawyer (or game warden) to ride with you to understand the regs. They vary from pool to pool. They pull. Wouldn't say I wouldn't go again - but I don't much bother with them.

[Captain]

Who are those young skinny fellers that sorta resemble Big Sky and Bwana??? ;)

[Bwana]

Not exactly sure but I'm guessing those pics were taken in 1998??

[LJ3]

Can you not catch those dinosaurs with bail? Do you have to snag them? THat prolly makes it even harder to bring them in, I'm sure.

[Thumper]

Can you not catch those dinosaurs with bail? Do you have to snag them? THat prolly makes it even harder to bring them in, I'm sure.

If they jump bail, the bail bondsman will snag them if possible. 'Course it makes 'em harder to bring in 'cause the LEO's may snag 'em first! :D

[BarryBobPosthole]

They are filter feeders. They eat zoo plankton like a manta ray does. I imagine zoo plankton wpuld be hard to keep on a hook.

I know they are related to sturgeon and I've seen Al Lindner use some sort of stink bait for them so maybe there's a wY I don't know.

BKB

[Big Skyz]

I've never seen or heard of anyone ever hooking one in the mouth.

[HideHunter]

Nope - strictly plankton feeders - filtered through their gill-rakers.. Speculated that they will occasionally, and mostly "accidently", swallow aquatic insects or minnows. Like Sky - I've never heard of one being caught in the mouth.