Paddlefish snaggers have dreams that are just as enormous as the massive fish they hunt. Anglers refer to paddlefish—also known as spoonbills—as creatures that have withstood the consequences of meteorite strikes and the Ice Age. They have been stuck in a time warp. The peculiar-looking fish’s fossil records go back more than 300 million years, or over 50 million years before the earliest dinosaurs.

These archaic fish are still present in good numbers in the Midwest’s main waterways today, especially the Missouri and Mississippi rivers and their tributaries. Feeders of plankton are paddlefish. Fishermen equip themselves with broomstick-like rods, big treble hooks, braided line, and heavy weights in order to catch one. These “snaggers” veer toward fanaticism. Typical reel are spooled with 108-pound snagging braid, and eight-foot snagging rods are used. About two feet above a 10/0 treble hook, weights ranging from six to ten ounces are tied onto the line. Most males require a break every 20 minutes after casting, jerking, and reeling nonstop. Furthermore, snagging is not for the faint of heart.  Typically, the Missouri snagging season lasts from the middle of March to the end of April. There is a two a day limit. The minimum length restriction on Lake of the Ozarks and its tributaries is 34 inches. Prior to fishing, check the restrictions. Filets are the end result.