North Dakota Paddlefish

[alwayshunting]

I went paddlefishing for the first time this weekend. My friend and I were both able to snag a paddlefish. Mine ended up being 65# and was a blast to reel in after casting the whole day thinking it is impossible to snag one. Now I just regret not going sooner in my life with it being so close to home.

 

[deer_shooter]

Nice fish!!

 

[Mudranger1]

Very nice

 

[mtmiller]

Sweet paddlefish.

 

[Colberjs]

That's something I've never done either. And we have some good spots in OK.

 

[big28hunter]

Seen a show on tv fishing for them. Looks like a blast. Congrats!

 

[huntRme]

How are they on the table?

 

[Z Barebow]

Congrats. Were you at the confluence? I grew up near there (Williston)

As far as table fare, they are awesome. Texture is a little different. But there is a lot of waste. You only eat the white meat. After I left, the caviar folks will clean them for you if I remember right. I doubt you would get 20 pounds from a 65 pounder.

 

[putm2sleep]

That is a JimDandy right there! Congrats.

 

[BlakeA]

Great fish! No luck for me this year on the opening weekends catch and release but always a great time! Congrats on the snag!

 

[alwayshunting]

Congrats. Were you at the confluence? I grew up near there (Williston)

As far as table fare, they are awesome. Texture is a little different. But there is a lot of waste. You only eat the white meat. After I left, the caviar folks will clean them for you if I remember right. I doubt you would get 20 pounds from a 65 pounder.

We were near the confluence on the Missouri. I got 12 pounds of meat. Like you said it tastes good, but has a little bit tougher texture. I was thinking about going to MT to fish there season too. I have been told Intake Dam is where most fish.

 

[fishing4sanity]

Congrats on an awesome looking fish!

 

[1_pointer]

Very nice! The one time I went in MT, the quota had been met so we couldn't keep any. However, they wanted some snagged so they could tag them. IIRC we 'caught' something like 100 of them in just short of two days. The biggest was about 100#s. Good times.

 

[Duck-Slayer]

Congrats. Were you at the confluence? I grew up near there (Williston)

As far as table fare, they are awesome. Texture is a little different. But there is a lot of waste. You only eat the white meat. After I left, the caviar folks will clean them for you if I remember right. I doubt you would get 20 pounds from a 65 pounder.

Born and partially raised in Williston also, we moved in 1999...... been back a few time's, grandparents have a ranch on the Montana side up by Grenora....
Matt

 

[Duck-Slayer]

We were near the confluence on the Missouri. I got 12 pounds of meat. Like you said it tastes good, but has a little bit tougher texture. I was thinking about going to MT to fish there season too. I have been told Intake Dam is where most fish.

saw a couple below Ft. Peck Dam last June when I was there visiting....
Matt

 

[Musket Man]

Congrats! Thats a big fish!

 

[Z Barebow]

We were near the confluence on the Missouri. I got 12 pounds of meat. Like you said it tastes good, but has a little bit tougher texture. I was thinking about going to MT to fish there season too. I have been told Intake Dam is where most fish.

Back in my misspent youth, my uncle from Dickinson used to go to Intake quite often. For whatever reason, he liked it more than confluence.