140-Pound Paddlefish Breaks Missouri State Record By A Single Ounce

Jim Dain, An Illinois angler fishing on Lake Of The Ozarks, just set the Missouri paddlefish state record with the 140-pound, 10-ounce fish caught on March 18th. Jim's fish outweighed the previous record by a single ounce, according to the Missouri DNR. Anglers enjoy chasing paddlefish both for the fight and their delicious table fare. Here's what Jim has been doing with his catch:

“We got 16 one-gallon bags of meat out of this catch,” laughed Dain. “We’ve fried it, grilled it and made paddlefish tacos the other night. We’ll be having paddlefish for a while!”

Jim Dain, Missouri Paddlefish State Record Holder

Prehistoric Paddlers

Paddlefish are prehistoric filter feeders who eat plankton and tiny organisms by opening their giant mouths and sucking them in like a vacuum. Paddlefish are not interested in lures or live bait like other fish, so anglers snag them by aggressively jigging weighted treble hooks with the hopes to jam a hook into the fish. Stringent regulations and seasons are set in states that allow paddlefish harvest to help ensure the species can continue to swim in our waters in the future.

Congrats Jim, enjoy sharing the fish with your friends and family!