Was NOT Expecting This...

[Adrian]

Out doing some offshore fishing in the mouth of Station Camp Creek by our house when I hooked into a Monster! We had been catching some bass & white bass deep cranking when a ski boat cruised by. Annoyed at how close the boat came to us, I chunked my lure right behind the boat into their wake as to say, "I was fishing there jackass". :p Well, that's where things got interesting. My line started following them at Blazing speed. I knew I had thrown at least 20 yards behind them, but thinking I had hooked the boat did cross my mind with the amount of line screaming off the reel. Their silhouette now fading off into the distance my line headed into the opposite direction. I jumped on the trolling motor at full speed and started chasing this sucker down. I knew there was NO WAY I could horse it in with what I holding. We chased it around for about 10 minutes, many times thinking I was hung up until it would take off again. Eventually we were able to bring him to the surface. I said, that's a Paddlefish! Now what? Happy was able to get the bill into the net and I grabbed his tail and hoisted it on deck. Holy Cow! That was Fun! Sorry to be so long winded, but I had to tell somebody :) BTW, Gear used: 12lb Fluorocarbon, 7'-10" Ike Series rod, & Lews Speed Spool, & 6XD. *The Fish Was Released Alive*

http://i.imgur.com/xS2XHGe.jpg (https://imgur.com/xS2XHGe)

[CFrockfish]

WOW! what an incredible fish, nice job man too cool.

[CreekWalker]

Dinosaur!! Cool story, too

[Adrian]

WOW! what an incredible fish, nice job man too cool.

Thanks Man! It'll be hard to top that this year...

[Adrian]

Dinosaur!! Cool story, too

Absolutely. That's what my wife said. Prehistoric! :)

[fairweatherfisherman]

Wow great job getting it in the boat.

[CFrockfish]

Thanks Man! It'll be hard to top that this year...

That's a fish your going to be talking about years from now. Side note, how was the bass/whites biting out there?

[Adrian]

That's a fish your going to be talking about years from now. Side note, how was the bass/whites biting out there?

Offshore the Bass bite has slowed down in the last couple of weeks. We see them, but it's 30 minutes between boated fish. The white bass are plentiful. They come up in the jumps and we pull them in 2 at a time on a Double Grub setup.

[jaybird]

Wow great post. I will bet that dude had your heart pumping!

[Texas_Rig]

That's amazing. Goes to show you just never know what your gonna catch. Where was the fish hooked?

[TroutFiend]

Thats awesome, did you get any measurements?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Adrian]

Wow great post. I will bet that dude had your heart pumping!
I had to sit down afterwards and collect myself :)

That's amazing. Goes to show you just never know what your gonna catch. Where was the fish hooked?
2 hooks outside the mouth. How lucky is that?

Thats awesome, did you get any measurements?
We flagged down another boat, but they didn't have a scale or measuring tape. When I was holding him on the deck, his tail was touching and the bill went above my head quite a ways. I estimate 6'2" from snout to tail.

[Texas_Rig]

I have a funny story about a shovel bill. I was fishing a bluff wall on OH and one of those things came up and breached the surface about 5 feet in front of my trolling motor. It scared me so bad I almost fell out of the boat.

[Texas_Rig]

It's probably a good thing you didn't hook it inside the mouth. It would probably have been one of those monsters that get away stories. Congrats on a very cool catch.

[Adrian]

I have a funny story about a shovel bill. I was fishing a bluff wall on OH and one of those things came up and breached the surface about 5 feet in front of my trolling motor. It scared me so bad I almost fell out of the boat. If you were down by Cairo, I would not be surprised. Those things are constantly jumping out there. Fishing with my buddy, we kept saying they sound like humans falling from the sky. What a racket they make!

[tkwalker]

As per TWRA Fishing Regs. Page 8. The season for paddle fish is April 24th thru May 31. With no culling in all river fisheries ...Exceptions are three land locked lakes, Center Hill, Watts Bar, and Cherokee. They are primarily fished for with nets in rivers..

In the 80's I use to commercial fish for Paddlefish during the Russian Embargo on Cavier .. Which is harvested from Sturgeon... Contrary to belief Paddlefish are not of the catfish family .... They are of the Sturgeon family. They primarily are plankton feeders that is the reason for the large gills. They very seldom strike or eat any large bait ... Mainly on a small percentage, minnows. But paddlefish do get foul hooked quite frequently...

The meat is great tasting as long as the red muscle is removed. This fish would have about 30 pounds of eggs after screening and processing it would be $24 a pound in 1980 ($720) Note: Our fisheries were raped by out of state commercial fisherman during this time... This is what brought on our season of two per day ... In the 80's there were no regs. or limit on these fish..

So Beware ... The reason for no culling because they very seldom survive after being caught... You did not say that it was released ... You may want to reconsider this post :eek: <'TK><

[Adrian]

So Beware ... The reason for no culling because they very seldom survive after being caught... You did not say that it was released ... You may want to reconsider this post :eek: <'TK><


This is a screen capture of the video of me releasing the fish "Alive". I sent this video to the Tennessean after the phone interview I did tonight. I'll say, for all my past and future posts, I NEVER, I mean, NEVER keep a fish over 10lbs. That's something a newbie would do. The second photo is of me fishing Old Hickory exactly 45 years ago. What's the opposite of newbie? :D hehe! I guess oldie would work. I should probably edit the post to say Released. I'll go do that if it will let me.

http://i.imgur.com/aUxUddU.jpg (https://imgur.com/aUxUddU)

http://i.imgur.com/DYNf5ac.jpg (https://imgur.com/DYNf5ac)

[SAMBOLIE]

Congrats on catching that monster. Had to be a thrill.

BTW, It looks like you are pulling the fish in the boat by the tail. Is that legal? :D

[Buccaneer]

They are beasts and I have caught one on a crankbait, hooked outside the mouth and likely just an impact hook up but man what a fight. Not as long as Adrian's but solid muscle. Have you guys ever seen them free jumping in the main channel? I don't know why they do it but I have seen it a bunch and on a couple of occasions pretty close to the boat. Freaky when it happens.

[tkwalker]

"This is a screen capture of the video of me releasing the fish "Alive". I sent this video to the Tennessean after the phone interview I did tonight. I'll say, for all my past and future posts, I NEVER, I mean, NEVER keep a fish over 10lbs. That's something a newbie would do. The second photo is of me fishing Old Hickory exactly 45 years ago. What's the opposite of newbie? hehe! I guess oldie would work. I should probably edit the post to say Released. I'll go do that if it will let me. "

Adrian, thanks for the additional info ... If you have any trouble with the edit let me know ... <'TK><:)

[Adrian]

Congrats on catching that monster. Had to be a thrill.

BTW, It looks like you are pulling the fish in the boat by the tail. Is that legal? :D LMAO! :)

They are beasts and I have caught one on a crankbait, hooked outside the mouth and likely just an impact hook up but man what a fight. Not as long as Adrian's but solid muscle. Have you guys ever seen them free jumping in the main channel? I don't know why they do it but I have seen it a bunch and on a couple of occasions pretty close to the boat. Freaky when it happens. I see it all the time up river where it's nice and quiet except for the loud crashing sound every few minutes. It's exciting.


Adrian, thanks for the additional info ... If you have any trouble with the edit let me know ... <'TK><:)
It let me without an issue, That's Good! Thanks...

[SalmonDaze]

Your secret is safe here on fish'n TN

https://www.tennessean.com/videos/sports/2018/08/24/nashville-fisherman-catches-monster-paddlefish-old-hickory-lake/1085061002/

[Adrian]

Your secret is safe here on fish'n TN

https://www.tennessean.com/videos/sports/2018/08/24/nashville-fisherman-catches-monster-paddlefish-old-hickory-lake/1085061002/

Haha! For sure. Don't tell anyone :)

[wormdunker]

Wow! Congratulations. That is a catch to remember!

[Adrian]

Wow! Congratulations. That is a catch to remember!
Thanks Wormdunker! It sure was :)

[luckystratos]

Congrats Adrian. Any guess what that old hickory shark weighed.Awesome looking critter.

[Adrian]

[QUOTE=luckystratos;83848]Congrats Adrian. Any guess what that old hickory shark weighed.Awesome looking critter.[/QUOTE

Thanks Man! All I know is that it was way heavier than the 50+ stripers I've caught. I could only hold it up for a couple of clicks and I'd have to take a break. Let's just say I have a lot of grimacing photos to delete off my phone :)

[Shaugh]

You’re a freakin fish magnet. Start a guide service man.

[Adrian]

You’re a freakin fish magnet. Start a guide service man.
As soon as I get a Boat Endorsement I will :)

[huntertn]

Nice. I beat that was a chore to get in the boat too.

[Heiny57]

Outstanding, they do look prehistoric. Congrats for sure.

[Adrian]

Nice. I beat that was a chore to get in the boat too.Yessir! Especially holding a bass rod with 12lb test. Didn't actually think I'd get a picture.

Outstanding, they do look prehistoric. Congrats for sure. Thanks Man! Very odd looking creature. Looks like shark skin, but is smooth, unlike a shark! Hope I catch another one someday!

[YETI-14]

Adrian
Fantastic catch and what a great day to remember! Are you sure there wasn't a BAMA hat somewhere on that boat tucked away in a locker?

[Adrian]

Adrian
Fantastic catch and what a great day to remember! Are you sure there wasn't a BAMA hat somewhere on that boat tucked away in a locker?

Certainly NOT! :) But I can guarantee there was my wife's Buffalo Bills hat. Regardless, we still caught fish haha!