Fishing Species
Paddlefish Fish Species Information
Paddlefish bigfishtackle PM
| Label | Details |
|---|---|
| Scientific Fish Name: | Polyodon spathula |
| Other Fish Name: | |
| Regions Fished: | Mississippi River, Missouri River, Des Moines River, Yellowstone River, Ohio River and Oklahoma River systems (and was historically found in the Great Lakes) |
| World Record: | |
| Common Tackle: | Taking paddlefish is done with a bow and arrow, a spear, or by snagging--because paddlefish are filter feeders, they cannot be caught with conventional lures. For snagging, typically, anglers use a large treble hook (2/0 to 4/0 in size), weighted heavily |
| Additional Information: | These fish are not closely related to sharks, but they do have some body parts that resemble those of sharks such as their skeletons, primarily composed of cartilage, and deeply forked heterocercal tail fins. |