last night i caught a paddle fish at the tail waters, on a rapala.i know it hit the bait cause i had to unhook it. the fish was about 20" or so. the question i have is,i thought that these where stoked in the reservoir and not the river?
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last night i caught a paddle fish at the tail waters, on a rapala.i know it hit the bait cause i had to unhook it. the fish was about 20" or so. the question i have is,i thought that these where stoked in the reservoir and not the river?
You are correct, they did stock them in the Res but they slip through the gates and enter the river every now and then. I found 2 dead last year along Dixon Island and we photographed a 45-50 incher this summer swimming along the surface.........she was beat up pretty badly from her trip through the gates, I assume.
I managed to hook one last summer on a nightcrawler tipped jig fishing from the landing at the tailwaters at night. Neat fish, 35-40" didn't have a tape on me though.
Snagged it close to the mouth, it came up head first, but the hook popped out just as I pulled it up on the landing, so I never could tell where it was hooked exactly. I'm still looking for the kid from Philly who took a picture of it and never bothered to email it to me, lol.
They are filter eaters, they do not chase baitfish or nibble on a nightcrawler. In areas where permissible, the only way they fish for them is by snagging.
I don't know if they are still asking for info, but I did give the PA Fish Com. a call after landing mine. They didn't seem to really care about anything other than "did you release the fish successfully?".
the one i caught was hooked close to the mouth also right in the under side of its bill. i guess i could have snagged it. i know i read that they don't case down bait fish, that is another reason i was surprised i caught it. i wonder if they are curious and that is way they get caught. cause it sure felt like a hit to me.