Paddlefishing in E.Mont

[JCS]

NOT.

If anyone is planning a paddle fishing trip to Eastern Montana you might want to delay it for a few days. The Yellowstone river is above flood stage. It is supposed to be above flood stage until May 26th. They are trying to catch a few fish, but you have to contend with the trees.

The first picture is a before pic.I took that a week ago. I have few others that I just took a while ago. Paddlefishing around trees.

Enjoy

 

[JCS]

Couple more.

Part of the campground is under water.

 

[jore07]

Yeah I came through from Minot on Saturday. The Missouri in Williston was flooded quite a bit as well..and then every creek and stream along the way was flooded and raging. Thanks for the pictures though...puts in in perspective, instead of just driving by at 70mph.

 

[mdunc8]

That's crazy. Wish I could have been out when it was that high.

 

[greatbasin]

I want to get out and fish for them...sounds like fun. Are they any good to eat?

 

[Hem]

So here is a dumb question.How can a paddlefish that has been foul hooked with some over-sized treble hook be safely returned to the river?

 

[1_pointer]

So here is a dumb question.How can a paddlefish that has been foul hooked with some over-sized treble hook be safely returned to the river?

I would guess FWP thinks so. The one year I went, the quota had been met on the Yellowstone, but FWP was allowing folks to snag and release them. There were FWP folks at each of the two spots we fished collecting data on the fish and tagging them. IIRC my pard and I caught about 75 in 1.5days of fishing. Good times.

 

[Hem]

Sure,I'm aware it is closely monitored.It just seems illogical that a fish can be snagged and literally dragged to shore and not sustain major injuries.Not passing judgement here, I have faith in our Fish and Game.

 

[JCS]

I have been doing the catch and release for years. Known the 1 bio for many years. He does most of the tagging. He says he sees no ill effect to the fish. Every year people catch the fish that had been tagged from over the years. You usually cannot see where the fish have been snagged.

Before the catch and release program for the public, the FWP didnt have to much data on the paddlefish. Now they have growth rate, age, etc, etc.

Hope this helps a little bit. Maybe if there is a bio on here they can comment. I'm just a fisherman.

 

[Hem]

Snagging might be the only viable way for record keeping/info gathering.It would be interesting to hear from a Biologist on this process.

 

[mtmiller]

Every year people catch the fish that had been tagged from over the years. You usually cannot see where the fish have been snagged.

Before the catch and release program for the public, the FWP didnt have to much data on the paddlefish. Now they have growth rate, age, etc, etc.

Tagged fish doesn't mean snagged fish.

 

[greatbasin]

So, Catch and release only?

 

[1_pointer]

So, Catch and release only?

It's my understanding that it was that way when I went because the harvest quota on the Yellowstone had already been reached.

The guy I went with, said that in previous years it was catch and keep 1 and you were done.

 

[mdunc8]

150,000 cfs?!?!?!?!?!?!? It must be ripping.

 

[golfer]

I was just informed that they are shuttin intake down for the time being as the water has flooded the campground. there are two campers already partially underwater.

 

[JCS]

Greatbasin-Paddlefishing opens here in Eastern Montana on May 15. Catch and release are on sundays, Mondays and thursdays. Catch and keep are on the other days. When the quota of 1000 kept fish are met it is catch and release for 10 straight days then the season is over or June30th which ever comes first. Most fish on catch and release days are tagged by the Fish and Game.

I was down there this morning and took another picture. Compare the 2nd pic in my original post to this next pic. You can see how much the river came up overnight.

Golfer- The campground is closed due to most is under water, but as of 9am this morning some people were still trying to fish.


Yes, that is a picnic table in the 2nd picture. 3 days ago people were camped there.

 

[putm2sleep]

It just seems illogical that a fish can be snagged and literally dragged to shore and not sustain major injuries.

Seems illogical, but some species are just plain tough i.e. carp and catfish? They get dragged to shore all the time, flop around....no worse for wear. I think when I was a kid, I could stick a catfish on a stringer, ride the 2 miles home (occasional drag along the gravel, the tire rub from switching on the ol' handle bars a few times,) and he'd still be breathing when I got home, but never tried riding back and releasing them?

 

[Hem]

putm,
Very funny,your comments bring back memories from my childhood.My cousins and I used to catch catfish in my grandfathers pond,and we were mostly left alone in our obsessions.I was convinced those whiskers would sting, and spent hours trying to carefully dig out swallowed hooks .Those catfish just wouldn't die.These days fly rodding for carp is an obsession.and I carefully put each fish back,....i guess i have entered a stage of hunting/fishing where I try to avoid needless killings.Just my own thing, I don't pass judgement on others for doing what the law allows. Snag away!