Snagging These Giants Next Week

[Seth]

Umm, can a fish with a size 15/0 treble run through its side survive and heal acceptably after release? I only ask because if these fish are being released with a possibly mortal wound, isn't that unethical?

I would like to catch a couple bills but honestly, I can't say the work for them is worth it. I have tried snagging and caught a few trees on the Osage below Truman, but no fish...

Most spoonbill when snagged are hooked just barely under the skin. Unless it's a very small spoonbill, there's no way a hook is going to hurt a big fish like that. The meat is over an inch thick on the big ones down on the James. It's just a flesh wound on them. When the fish are stacked up in the holes up river, it's not uncommon to catch spoonbill that already have hook holes in them. They aren't effected by this at all. In Oklahoma you catch and release spoonbill as long as you want but as soon as you keep one you are done. They do require barbless hooks in OK though and not in MO. If I'm really in to the fish then I mash down the barbs.

To each there own. I think it's unethical to keep any catfish over 15 pounds personally but most people don't agree with catfish conservation. Why not keep a bunch of small ones to eat versus killing a big one that produces tons of baby catfish compared to the little ones? You can replace a smaller catfish much sooner than a big one.

Good fishin everybody! Spring is almost here!!

[Don House]

Wow...all different kinds of opinions. I can appreciate each and every one of them. My wife calls them Gentle Giants. And yes they look like dolphins racing next to your boat. She does not like the fact I have to Snag them either. I never have returned one injured, but how many bass are returned not so good. However...no matter how they are caught, no matter how fun it is or how much work it is. God did not put these fish here just to swim around and eat microscopic organisms. And the MDC did not start a season for them just for the heck of it. There is a purpose for everything and I feel blessed to be able to HARVEST such a beast. Whether it be a 100# Paddlefish, 10PT Buck or a 12lb Bass. They all Cook up just nice in my oven, grill or skillet. And I am just as proud to have the privilege to enjoy it all.

Thanks to God and thanks to MDC.

Hell let's just go snagging!!! See you out there next week..

[Predator1]

Looking forward to it Don. We will be running radar Monday looking for them. Hopefully catch a mess of Crappie or White Bass on Monday. Make for a nice meal and some extra fun.

Don't forget everyone...your Life Vest only works when you wear it. Dont leave them at home.

Good Luck and SAFE FISHING.

[drew03cmc]

Just out of curiosity if you where fishing a tournament with $400.00 dollars of your on money with a chance to win 5000.00 and you snagged a 8 pd LM that would more then likely win it you would trow it back or keep it

Throw it back.

^^ This. Keeping an illegally hooked fish is unethical, not to mention illegal, especially in a black bass tournament.

here's the explination. snagging is not sport fishing, I don't agree with it or taking fish by hand, neither are ethical and being as paddlefish are borderline endangered throughout their range because of man's mindless and greedy policies, in which the native reproducing populations are brushed aside in the name of $$$, I think it's of very poor sportsmanship to snag them or any fish. not to mention the irony of stocking a species because man has destroyed it's ability to naturally reproduce... either you are part of it or you aren't.

my opinion.

Man hasn't completely destroyed their ability to spawn. They still reproduce in the Missouri and Mississippi.

Wow...all different kinds of opinions. I can appreciate each and every one of them. My wife calls them Gentle Giants. And yes they look like dolphins racing next to your boat. She does not like the fact I have to Snag them either. I never have returned one injured, but how many bass are returned not so good. However...no matter how they are caught, no matter how fun it is or how much work it is. God did not put these fish here just to swim around and eat microscopic organisms. And the MDC did not start a season for them just for the heck of it. There is a purpose for everything and I feel blessed to be able to HARVEST such a beast. Whether it be a 100# Paddlefish, 10PT Buck or a 12lb Bass. They all Cook up just nice in my oven, grill or skillet. And I am just as proud to have the privilege to enjoy it all.

Thanks to God and thanks to MDC.

I won't go into my opinions on the God matter, but the scientific purpose of a paddlefish is to eat plankton. They are filter feeders and that is what they do. Did "god" put trout here to eat caddisflies? Are bass here just to eat crawfish and minnows?

So, you don't return paddlefish to the water after snagging them? If it is legal, nobody here will have much of a problem with you keeping what you catch.

[Predator1]

The only time I have returned one was because it was less than 34" from the eye to the fork in its tail. MDC Regulation...Paddle Fish must be 34" from the eye to the fork in its tail to be a legal fish to keep.

[drew03cmc]

Most spoonbill when snagged are hooked just barely under the skin. Unless it's a very small spoonbill, there's no way a hook is going to hurt a big fish like that. The meat is over an inch thick on the big ones down on the James. It's just a flesh wound on them. When the fish are stacked up in the holes up river, it's not uncommon to catch spoonbill that already have hook holes in them. They aren't effected by this at all. In Oklahoma you catch and release spoonbill as long as you want but as soon as you keep one you are done. They do require barbless hooks in OK though and not in MO. If I'm really in to the fish then I mash down the barbs.

To each there own. I think it's unethical to keep any catfish over 15 pounds personally but most people don't agree with catfish conservation. Why not keep a bunch of small ones to eat versus killing a big one that produces tons of baby catfish compared to the little ones? You can replace a smaller catfish much sooner than a big one.

Good fishin everybody! Spring is almost here!!

That's the answer I was looking for. Thanks Seth.

[Don House]

Check these out.... Here are some pictures that I took last year with my Humminbird SI units.. Fish everywhere, In these pictures look at all of the white lines everywhere, those are all spoonbills.... Will be out on Monday looking and setting GPS waypoints.. See me stop by will be in a All White G3 boat.. Look for the guy driving in circles.. Hope for even better shots on Monday.. See you out there..

Capt. Don

[Seth]

Those SI's are so dang cool! We took a guy down there last year that had a 997 on his boat and I spent most of the night driving the boat and watching the graph because it was so much fun! There's no mistaking a spoonbill on them things if they are suspended and throw a shadow.

I will be down the first two weekends and staying at Bridgeport. I'll be in a blue Legend SS boat. I'll keep and eye out for you. We'll most likely be up in the Ashercane Bottoms area a few miles up from point 15.

[duckydoty]

Here is a great article put out by the MDC on Paddle Fish.

Missouri Paddle Fish

I also read somewhere that the current Missouri State Record Paddle Fish, which was caught on Table Rock in the James River Arm was thought to have been a fish that had survived from the original stocking of Table Rock Lake, which would have made that fish right around 25 years old at the time it was caught.

I have caught several spoonbills that have had thier bills chopped off by boat motors, giant scars across thier backs and even missing most of thier tails from run-ins with boats.

Good luck to all you fellas going out next week. I'm gonna wait till the water is right around 50 degrees and the first swell that comes down the James, I'll be over at Blunk Hole or Taylor shoals waiting for them with the fly rod!

[drew03cmc]

They do eat flies, just not predictably or often. Enjoy that one DD!

I wish I knew how to read that darn SI. All I see are stripes.