Spoonbill Float?

[MeatintheFreezer]

Anyone ever try snagging spoonbill out of a kayak?

A few summers ago I was floating from Hootentown to Galena in June and noticed several different pairs of spoonbill in the water. I didn't know they stayed in the river after the spawn - maybe just a fluke deal, but it got me thinking. How much fun would it be to scale down your gear and try to snag a spoony from a kayak in the spring when they are running?! My idea would be to put in at Galena or even down at Rollie's and give it a shot this spring.

My question is how many bank fishermen an I going to encounter in this area? The water is small enough there I don't want to A) be in the way, & become an tempting target for someone's next cast.

[Feathers and Fins]

Probably be as much fin as a Sailfish or Tarpon out of one both a heck of a lot of fun.

[Fishslayer88]

I fish that section out of a canoe every spring pretty regular for white bass and sometimes bring my snagging rod but when I was 14 I caught a 46Lb spoonbill on a 6wt flyrod and it took close to an hr to tire it out chasing it up and down the river in my canoe so as long as your line is strong enough to drag your yak around a bit it is doable. I never had any big problems on that foat just the occasional bass boat trying to swamp me and other boat traffic.

[Old plug]

I snagged one by pure luck off my dock on a wiggle wart. It was not running straight and i was casting in out into the lake try to tune it. What must have happened is the spoon bill got the line over his bill and the wiggle wart slipped up the bill to the place where they have those three small soft spots between the bone and got stuck. He weighed 49lbs.

As long as you got open water and do not try to horse him it is really not to hard if he is well hooked. Just let him have his head and after a fight of manybe 10 minutes or so you got him. I think I caught this one on either 10 or 12 lb test. To me it was a bit like fighting a big blue cat and maybe not that much.

[Seth]

If the water get's really high during snagging season, those fish will run up as far as they can. When they do that, any hole of water 10+ deep should have paddlefish in it. When people start hitting them at the Shoals Motel by Galena, you can pretty well follow the fish up the river the rest of the season as long as the water stays high enough. The later it gets, the farther up the will go. During years when it stayed really high for most of April, you could catch them at Springfield Dam. Snagging is great when Tablerock is either really high or really low. If it's low, you never have to leave the Walnut Springs area. When it's high, just keep following them up the river to Springfield Dam. When it get's high long enough for them to make an early run but then drops the rest of the season, it makes for some tough snagging because you can't get to the fish by boat. A kayaker could have all of the fish to themselves if they knew where they holed up. That could be anywhere between Hootentown and Blunks though.

[MeatintheFreezer]

Thanks for the detail Seth, I have snagged a few in my time, but usually only go on the opener if it is on the weekend. As soon as the crappie bite even thinks about starting, that is all I can focus on!

I did smoke a spoonbill last year for the first time ever. It was the best way I had ever ate it!

[Seth]

I catch a lot of paddlefish for fun but usually throw them back or give them away. I'd much rather eat white bass or crappie in the spring time. The majority of the people I know that really like it say to smoke it so I guess I need to try it. Maybe that is the secret!

[Hog Wally]

Could a jet boat get up that river Seth? If so would it be worth the drive for me? My buddy goes there every year in a pontoon boat. He has bugged me to go every year but it's so far a drive

[MeatintheFreezer]

Smoking it is the only way to go.

I was once at a big 4th of July party/cookout. I had offered to bring a bunch of spoonbill meat to fry for everyone. It was a pot-luck style deal, so there was tons of food....along with probably to many adult beverages. We deep fried the fish and everyone loved it. We had so much we sent some home with everyone.

The next day, I woke up and went to the kitchen to find something to munch on. First thing I saw was a big tupperware bowl of left over spoonbill. I warmed a few pieces up and popped one in my mouth........ it tasted like I was licking the bottom of a boat dock!

That was probably 10 years ago, and I swore I would not harvest another spoonbill if I wasn't going to eat it. Last year I had the opportunity to try a piece of smoked bill, and it was delicious (no beer involved). It is similar to smoked salmon, but not as flaky. It has more of a grain like meat does.

Anyway, I am back on the hunt since I now know how to prepare it to where I enjoy eating it.

Hog wally - I have seen jet boats above Hootentown, which is 20 miles or so above Galena. I all depends on water level.

[Hog Wally]

Roger that. Seth- thanks for the PM. I will be acting on your info. Last time I did I ate fish that night