28 Nebraskaland • October 2022
addlefish are a group of
ancient fish species with
fossilized records dating
back approximately 125 million
years. They are one of the largest and
longest-living freshwater fish species
in the world, with a lifespan of 30-plus
years, and are easily recognizable by
their elongated rostrums — beaklike
snout — and lack of scales.
Filter feeders, paddlefish swim
with their large mouths open and
filter the microscopic plankton,
mainly zooplankton, out of the water.
Therefore, conventional fishing
methods of baiting are ineffective.
Paddlefish are generally captured
by snagging, which requires casting
and forcefully pulling a hook through
the water until you "foul hook" a
paddlefish. Paddlefish in Nebraska
can, on rare occasions, exceed 100
pounds, and the current snagging
state record stands at 113 pounds and
4 ounces.
Today, the American paddlefish
(Polyodon spathula) is the only
remaining paddlefish species
worldwide, and one of Nebraska's
most fascinating fish species.
A Natural History
American paddlefish are native to
the Mississippi River basin, inhabiting
A History of a
Unique Fishery
By Kirk Steff ensen, Missouri River Program Manager
P
Paddlefi sh
Snagging
Fertilized paddlefish eggs photographed at Gavins Point Fish Hatchery.
ALEX WILES MEDIA
