Paddlefishing in Nebraska

[Gary_C]

This is not exactly a new report or anything, but I thought AFO might like to see this one.

This was a trip I was so happy to be able to make.

Paddlefish are by permit only in Nebraska. The way they weight the winners is really interesting; people who have never before applied have a higher chance of receiving one than people who have been awarded one before or applied the year before and did not receive one but on your 3rd year, if you have never been awarded one, you are guaranteed.

So, here is the story:

In July, I went online, applied for my permit, and dropped the $20 application fee. 6 weeks later, my permit arrived in the mailbox and I was stoked. I immediately went to Cabela's and picked up the biggest fishing pole I'd ever owned along with a reel (you saw them if you were at the Wavebreak Social).

A couple of weeks later, the season opened and I told my wife that I was going to leave her with the truck while I took the car fishing to save on fuel. She of course thought this a supremely gentlemanly gesture and the next morning I left at 3:30am. What I knew, and my wife didn't, was that I had a 3 hour drive ahead of me to get to the Nebraska / South Dakota border where the paddlefish congregate. :whistle:

The thing with paddlefish is that you cannot catch them on bait. They have a very wide mouth and just swim with it open eating krill and plankton in the rivers and lakes where they live. So, to catch a paddlefish, you have to tie on a treble hook, then about a meter and a half beneath it, tie on a sinker. You then cast it out as far as possible (you score extra points if you hit the cheaters in the boats), let it sink, then just start ripping the hook through the water hoping that you snag a paddlefish. They get MUCH larger than mine (which was just a couple of inches over legal) and can be a great fight. For legal measuring though, you have to go from the eye to the fork of the tail and before you leave the area, you have to cut off the paddle, attach a tag, and drop it in a specific bin so they can do research on them.

As far as eating them goes, the white meat is great; throw anything pink colored out; and their roe will fetch a pretty penny as a substitute for sturgeon caviar.

So, here are some pictures and hope you enjoy!

[Jords]

That is quite possibly the oddest way of fishing I have heard! So basic intention is to foul them? I bet that would give a solid yet odd fight!

Nice one mate

[Gary_C]

That is quite possibly the oddest way of fishing I have heard! So basic intention is to foul them? I bet that would give a solid yet odd fight!

Nice one mate

Got it in one

Yeah, it is an interesting fight with the whole foul hook method. My first one hooked was by the tail. The second on was midway up the body and was actually wrapped in the line. The one in the picture was by the paddle, so a completely different fight altogether. The entire fight, where you set your drag, etc. is all dependent on how you foul hook them.

And, you are right about an odd way of fishing, my ribs were so sore I could have sworn I was the beef in the meat locker of the Rocky movies by the time I was done.

[crazywalrus]

Thanks for the report Gary - Great to see the pics

[Surfingant]

Wow, that's a really interesting way of catching them and also an interesting fish. Thanks for sharing that.

[Jords]

Wow, that's a really interesting way of catching them and also an interesting fish. Thanks for sharing that.

Maybe this way you'd actually catch fish ant :whistle: :silly:

[Rocket75]

Wow, that's a really interesting way of catching them and also an interesting fish. Thanks for sharing that.

Maybe this way you'd actually catch fish ant :whistle: :silly:

nasty :evil: I like it

[Surfingant]

Wow, that's a really interesting way of catching them and also an interesting fish. Thanks for sharing that.

Maybe this way you'd actually catch fish ant :whistle: :silly:

nasty :evil: I like it

Well that's the end of you getting our business, I had the old man on side too :whistle: :evil:

[Surfingant]

Wow, that's a really interesting way of catching them and also an interesting fish. Thanks for sharing that.

Maybe this way you'd actually catch fish ant :whistle: :silly:

Don't you worry buddy, we are gonna see about that over the coming couple of weeks

[Jords]

Wow, that's a really interesting way of catching them and also an interesting fish. Thanks for sharing that.

Maybe this way you'd actually catch fish ant :whistle: :silly:

Don't you worry buddy, we are gonna see about that over the coming couple of weeks

keen!