Fishy Story

[Oldtimer]

My son-in-law with the 120lb paddlefish he snagged while fishing on the Missouri River at Robinson Bridge...While it was larger then the normal 60-80 lb size usually caught there- it was still 22 lbs short of the Montana record...

 

[Kingfisher]

What was he trying to catch?

 

[Oldtimer]

What was he trying to catch?

He was fishing for paddlefish... He was lucky enough to be one that drew a tag- which allows you to keep what you catch...They fish for them by snagging- casting out into the river and hopefully snagging one on a big treble hook- as they won't bite on a hook... He snagged this one near the tail fin- so it put up quite a fight..

 

[Muddy]

Are you going to smoking it?

 

[Oldtimer]

Are you going to smoking it?

Yep- he said he got quite a bit of meat off it..

 

[Deepsouth]

Wow that's a big paddle fish!

 

[Jogeephus]

Nice fish

 

[Oldtimer]

Ricci was having a pretty good day... Just after he caught the paddlefish- he hooked into this 23 lb. Missouri river catfish...

 

[kenny thomas]

We have never snagged them although some here do. We gig them but have never gotten one nearly that big. Strange thing about them is there are no bones except the backbone. Biggest one I ever gigged was about 60lb. We go upriver with a boat motor in idle and they come to the top of the water and we gig them. But of course that is not legal here so I am not really telling you the truth. :hide:

 

[Oldtimer]

We have never snagged them although some here do. We gig them but have never gotten one nearly that big. Strange thing about them is there are no bones except the backbone. Biggest one I ever gigged was about 60lb. We go upriver with a boat motor in idle and they come to the top of the water and we gig them. But of course that is not legal here so I am not really telling you the truth. :hide:

Yeah- in certain areas of the river up here (below Fort Peck Dam) they allow a certain number to be taken with bow and arrow out of a boat with lights at night ... But those below the dam aren't normally that big either...

 

[BRYANT]

I have snagged several but the regulations have gotten so hard in Oklahoma till I don't snag them much any more. Never got one that size, that is a nice fish. have you ever ate them before , they are not on my list as a favorite fish to eat but I know some people that think they are the best fish to eat.

 

[kenny thomas]

I have snagged several but the regulations have gotten so hard in Oklahoma till I don't snag them much any more. Never got one that size, that is a nice fish. have you ever ate them before , they are not on my list as a favorite fish to eat but I know some people that think they are the best fish to eat.

I don't really like m either my wife's stepmother loves them. But she likes carp also.

 

[Oldtimer]

I have snagged several but the regulations have gotten so hard in Oklahoma till I don't snag them much any more. Never got one that size, that is a nice fish. have you ever ate them before , they are not on my list as a favorite fish to eat but I know some people that think they are the best fish to eat.

I never have- but several of the relatives have- and love it when its smoked.... That's going to be what happens to this fish- so maybe I'll get a chance to try some..

 

[BRYANT]

I don't really like m either my wife's stepmother loves them. But she likes carp also.

My Grandma would take them big carp and buffalo that we would tangle net and pressure cook them then make a patty and I think she would fry the patty ???? now that was some good eating :lol2:

 

[Commercialfarmer]

I've hooked 2, one was 70 lbs and the other was ~30 lbs. That kind of fishing will wear you out for sure. And if the fishing doesn't wear you out, dragging those things back to the truck will.

I have snagged several but the regulations have gotten so hard in Oklahoma till I don't snag them much any more.

Yeah, and they don't mess around with the regulations. I've heard told that they put a lot of man power in trying to catch poachers, not just state guys but feds as well. The fellow that got me started said that at the hot spots, you can almost bet that one of the guys fishing down the bank from you isn't trying to catch fish. I believe it was the Russian mob that they have frequent problems with because they can turn a good female into several thousand on the black market.

 

[Oldtimer]

I've hooked 2, one was 70 lbs and the other was ~30 lbs. That kind of fishing will wear you out for sure. And if the fishing doesn't wear you out, dragging those things back to the truck will.

I have snagged several but the regulations have gotten so hard in Oklahoma till I don't snag them much any more.

Yeah, and they don't mess around with the regulations. I've heard told that they put a lot of man power in trying to catch poachers, not just state guys but feds as well. The fellow that got me started said that at the hot spots, you can almost bet that one of the guys fishing down the bank from you isn't trying to catch fish. I believe it was the Russian mob that they have frequent problems with because they can turn a good female into several thousand on the black market.

Yeah the Fish and Game are really rough here... You can only catch and keep if you are lucky enough to get a special tag in a drawing.. Otherwise you have to catch and release.. You have to tag the ones you are going to keep before you pull them out of the water- if they catch you with an untagged one on land you are ticketed...