# The Paddlefish is magic



## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

I've caught them accidentally several times below the dam on Livingston and, of course, released them as quickly as possible unharmed. 

This week while taking a brief break from striper fishing and going after those magnificent crappie below the dam, I hooked this beauty...and landed it on 8 pound test. In order save the fish for a healthy release, I had to get the jigs out of it and the line off that was wrapped around its paddle. This required lifting it onboard where I could remove the hooks and untangle the line. 

This one was easily over 6 feet, weighing something around 50 pounds, and possessing an impressive paddle. I didn't take time to get a good picture...just concentrated on a safe release....but did snap a view of it. 

They are alive and well in the river....a magnificent, prehistoric relic. It is indeed a privilege to see this great creature up close and personal.


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## Crusader (Jan 31, 2014)

Meadowlark said:


> It is indeed a privilege to see this great creature up close and personal.


That would be $50, please


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## PhotoFish (Aug 9, 2015)

I've never even heard of such a fish, let alone seen one. I wouldn't know what to do if I would catch one! Are they in Lake Livingston? And are they common???


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## PhotoFish (Aug 9, 2015)

Interesting!! Thanks for sharing your photo.


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## lite-liner (Mar 15, 2005)

I've snagged a bunch in the Red while striper fishing, but never a fish over 40"
great catch! congrats on the release. very cool to know they're in the trinity.
they fight like marlin in shallow water, by far the most powerful fish I've caught in freshwater.
they are plankton-feeders, so accidental snagging is pretty much the only way you'll see one in person


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

They are in the Trinity river below the dam on Lake Livingston. 

Not sure how common they are...but I have accidentally hooked several over the years of fishing there. 

Normally I would release them without ever getting them out of the water....but this fish had line wrapped around its paddle and in my judgment the highest probability of a successful release meant getting that line off the fish and the jigs out of it.


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

lite-liner said:


> I've snagged a bunch in the Red while striper fishing, but never a fish over 40"
> great catch! congrats on the release. very cool to know they're in the trinity.
> they fight like marlin in shallow water, by far the most powerful fish I've caught in freshwater.
> they are plankton-feeders, so accidental snagging is pretty much the only way you'll see one in person


 I'll go to the boat and measure that distance from the photo...but it was easily 6ft IMO.


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

PhotoFish said:


> Interesting!! Thanks for sharing your photo.


 Thank you for posting that very cool video.

I have actually fished the Osage for them in that special season...many years ago...so it was great to see that video. They are a true wonder...a magnificent fish..


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## lite-liner (Mar 15, 2005)

Meadowlark said:


> I'll go to the boat and measure that distance from the photo...but it was easily 6ft IMO.


man, that's awesome! I love the mystery of these fish. I've seen them in OK.
& AR. over 100#, but never caught one. that one has a pretty unique bill, too.


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## brucevannguyen (Oct 21, 2012)

Awesome. When I see one of those remind me how similar it looks to a sword fish. Wonder if it taste like a sword fish.LOL!!! A true prehistoric fish. 2cool gater gar hooked one last month right next to my boat but lost it at his boat. Looks big too but they never got a chance to measure it.


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

lite-liner said:


> man, that's awesome! I love the mystery of these fish. I've seen them in OK.
> & AR. over 100#, but never caught one. that one has a pretty unique bill, too.


 Yes I have never seen one with a bill like that one...but have caught one that was almost without a bill years ago....see attached. The photo is in my "Best of Livingston" album if you are interested.

I measured this latest one out from the photo in the boat and that distance is right on 6 ft.

I've been fortunate to catch some big fish in my lifetime and I'm very confident that fish was at least 50 pounds


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## Ducktracker (Aug 1, 2011)

So cool, you are the man thanks for sharing


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

brucevannguyen said:


> Awesome. When I see one of those remind me how similar it looks to a sword fish. Wonder if it taste like a sword fish.LOL!!! A true prehistoric fish. ....


 LOL...just to be sure everyone knows, according to TP&W "No harvest allowed"

Yes, it is a true prehistoric fish...again according to TP&W:

Paddlefish are the oldest surviving animal species in North America. 
Fossil records indicate that it is older than dinosaurs (300 million years).
https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/species/pad/

We should all do everything within our power to protect these magnificent fish, IMO.


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## essayons75 (May 15, 2006)

It would be cool to have a replica mount made.


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

essayons75 said:


> It would be cool to have a replica mount made.


 That would be cool...but no room and with a king salmon on the way, LOL.


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## dbullard (Feb 13, 2008)

brucevannguyen said:


> Awesome. When I see one of those remind me how similar it looks to a sword fish. Wonder if it taste like a sword fish.LOL!!! A true prehistoric fish. 2cool gater gar hooked one last month right next to my boat but lost it at his boat. Looks big too but they never got a chance to measure it.


Nice fish Larry. 
Bruce that was neat seeing one at the boat. I would guess3-4 ft on it.


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## Sunbeam (Feb 24, 2009)

In the early 90's a friend gave me a huge filet off a fish he caught in the special season at Miami Oklahoma.
I tried frying some. Not very good. Sort of slimy even when very brown. Next tried broiling with lemon and butter. Even worse.
The TP&W has done a great job of restoring a fish that was near extinction in its native habitat.
If you accidentally snag one do as Larry and release it quickly. You might be tempted to keep it but I can assure you my experience with one as table fare was not good.


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## brucevannguyen (Oct 21, 2012)

essayons75 said:


> It would be cool to have a replica mount made.


It be cool if they have a live one at the zoo for all to see up close. Even with low water condition I saw a big one flip completely out the water yesterday catching shads.


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