World record spoonie from LOZ

[Quillback]

A biggun:

EFFERSON CITY, Mo. –  The 2024 paddlefish snagging season is off to a great start after an angler reeled in a world record fish at the Lake of the Ozarks. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) congratulates Chad Williams of Olathe, Kansas for snagging a 164-pound, 13-ounce paddlefish at the Lake of the Ozarks March 17. The fish not only breaks the previous state record of 140 pounds, but also the previous world record of 164 pounds.

“I was lucky enough to get invited to go out snagging with friends,” Williams said. “I’d never been snagging before. Never seen a paddlefish – didn’t even know what it was!”

Shortly into the snagging trip, Williams hooked into something massive.

“I was thinking I was extremely weak because it was taking so long to reel in. My body was aching,” he recalled.

After the fish made it onto the boat, the group immediately knew it was a record. They later met MDC Fisheries and Protection staff at Three Brothers Meat Company in Montreal to weigh the fish on a certified scale. This makes the second state record caught in 2024.

[FishnDave]

Wow, that IS (was) a BIIIGGG shish! 

[Johnsfolly]

Thanks @Quillback I thought about posting this MDC article but then got busy.

[Seth]

I've seen a ton of spoonies in the 80-85 pound range and I thought they were huge. It's hard to fathom one that is twice the size of those!

[fishinwrench]

Did they do an autopsy or X-ray to be sure it didn't have any lead in it? 

No? 

Why not?   🤔 

I thought that was the standard protocol now.