Lock and dam # 5 today.

Mike, did you catch these all on the spoons? Do spoonbills actually bite or do they get snagged. Thanks for sharing trip.

 

Great picture; love the paddlefish! Thanks for posting the picture. Yep, the weather was wonderful today; glad somebody got to go outside to enjoy it!

 

what kind of bait are u using

 

Hey I'm going up to natchitoches next week, can you snag some paddlefish at L/D #4????:roll_eyes:

 

Awesome! thanks! How long are they active for?

 

Also Im guessing on looking at satellite pictures that you are coming in on the west side of the river?? Is there any way to cross besides going all the way around on the highway?

 

I was thinking on putting 65lb. braided line so I can hold more on the spinning reel with less stretch/resistance to the water. What size weights do you use? and are these snagged just off the bottom? I have no clue how to do this snagging and haven't even seen a paddlefish before, so any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

 

I thought is was illegel to keep Paddle fish or spoonbill cats, they are the same, right? If you want to catch them go below the lock on Catahula lake. They reel them in by the hundreds. I never saw anyone keep one.

 

Actually it is legal to keep up to two spoonbill/paddlefish below 30 inches. It isn't however ok to snag them. Below is an excerpt from the La fish and Wildlife site. I don't know whether they actually bite. Anyway here is the quote.

Catfish may be taken by means of snagging devices. Paddlefish,commonly called spoonbill catfish are not catfish and cannot be legally harvested by means of snagging.

 

I couldn't find it on the site anywheres, all I could find was this for recreational fishing,

"Paddlefish: two daily. All paddlefish greater than 30 inches (lower jaw fork length) must be returned to the water immediately. The taking or possession of paddlefish is closed in all saltwater areas of the state and in border waters shared with Texas. All possessed paddlefish must be dead. The possession or transportation of live paddlefish is prohibited. All paddlefish possessed on the waters of the state shall be maintained intact. No persons shall possess paddlefish eggs on the waters of the state which are not fully attached to the fish."

And this for commercial fishing,

"Paddlefish (Polyodon spathula), commonly called spoonbill catfish: taking or possession of whole or any body parts, including roe (eggs) is prohibited."


They filter feed, so you have to snag them to catch them on rod/reel.

 

"No person shall take or possess game fish taken by means of snagging devices, not including bow and arrow. Catfish may be taken by means of snagging devices. Garfish may be taken by means of spears and bows and arrows."

I guess catfish are not a game fish according to WL&F. :sad2:

 

Stu, I found the info this afternoon and was surprised. Here is the link. If you go on the "regular site" you get summary info that says snagging is ok for cats. If you look on pg 13 (portion copied on the earlier post), paragraph 2 it distinctly says that paddlefish are not "catfish" and cannot legally be snagged. By the way, Jstall, I found that spoonbills (paddlefish) posession was made legal last year after about 15 year moratorium on catching them. In any case, I really don't understand why the typical website dies not offer complete info!!:angry:
I'd just would not like to see anyone get into trouble due to postings.

http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/pdfs/fishing/2008_Regulations_Fishing_Regs.pdf

 

Nice looking mess of fish you caught congrats on your catches

 

Well I dont know then, the only way to catch them is by snagging....so it would be pretty self-contradictory to have the regulation book say one thing, then the website say something totally different. It's like they just threw in that little clause for some reason.

Also when I was snagging I saw one guy snag a 6" gizzard shad...so if anything I was just trying to snag little shad and ended up with some big paddlefish.:tounge_out:

 

Stu,
I think you are absolutely right in that the only way to catch em is to snagem. Every other state I researched online indicates snagging as the means of harvesting. I sent a note to the Wildlife and Fisheries for clarification. I'll post their response.:dribble:

 

They will not respond. I sent them several emails asking questions and never gets replies.