Fishing for Polyodon spathula. 11-1-08

[toehead11183]

Finally got a chance to do some snagging. Here's my fishing trip to Sardis Lake, Mississippi with my Wife and Father. If you've never eaten Spoonbill, it's the T-Bone steak of fish!

I think my wife wanted to go the most and she didn't get to catch one but she's just happy being in the lake. My dad caught the one shown in the pictures after we cleaned it. The two i'm holding in the boat were mine and I threw mine back. The big one was too big and I let the little one go because it was so small.

 

[toehead11183]

more

 

[PirateOscar]

never caught/had spoon bill before, looks like ya had a blast. I need to get out and wet a line myself.

Awesome looking fish

 

[Druu]

Interesting fish, but the concept of catch and release snagging disgusts me.

 

[JD7.62]

Druu, its illegal to snag and release in KY but honestly I do it. The fish will be fine. They get more injuries in the current behind the dam bouncing off rocks and stuff.

toe, how do you cook them? I kept one to eat last year and to be honest it wasnt that good. Whats the secret?

 

[toehead11183]

Interesting fish, but the concept of catch and release snagging disgusts me.

I agree. we normally catch our limit and go home, keeping anything we catch but this year they put a 30" max on size limit so we had to let the big ones go.

 

[toehead11183]

Druu, its illegal to snag and release in KY but honestly I do it. The fish will be fine. They get more injuries in the current behind the dam bouncing off rocks and stuff.

toe, how do you cook them? I kept one to eat last year and to be honest it wasnt that good. Whats the secret?

Fillet the skin and fat off, never leave fat. I cut it into fish sticks. because they cook quicker.
Aunt Jemimas Buttermilk Cornbread mix as batter and NEVER EVER throw out your frying grease! I use the same grease for fish, fries and hush puppies and I just top off the pot.

 

[JD7.62]

I left the fat and grilled. You just fry?

 

[Irbanjaxed]

awesoooome fishing pix

 

[Druu]

Druu, its illegal to snag and release in KY but honestly I do it. The fish will be fine. They get more injuries in the current behind the dam bouncing off rocks and stuff.

toe, how do you cook them? I kept one to eat last year and to be honest it wasnt that good. Whats the secret?

Ah, I remember reading that in the pamphlet you get with your license. Forgot about it though b/c a few times I was down there I had to dodge snaggers. I didn't get caught, but a guy about 15 feet from me did. That was time to leave.

Are they down by the dam? It may be fun to catch one.