Paddlefish
Species Facts

Science Name: Polyodon spathula
Other Names: spoonbill, spoonbill cat, shovelnose cat, spadefish
Ideal Temp: 50 to 68
Environment: rivers
Techniques: Snag fishing, bow fishing
Description

Polyodon is a Greek word meaning "many tooth," and refers to the species' many gill rakers; spathula is Latin for "spatula" or "blade," and is an obvious reference to the fish's snout. The paddlefish may be distinguished from all other species by the broad, flat, bill-like snout (paddle). The paddle may be half as long as the body. Minus the long snout, the paddlefish superficially resembles a shark. The tail is deeply forked, and the color is gray. However, paddlefish skin is smooth and scaleless. Underneath the snout the mouth is large and dangerous looking, but has no teeth.

Paddlefish spawn from early spring through early summer. Fish move upstream into spawning areas when the water temperature reaches about 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Fast flowing water (floods which last several days), and clean sand or gravel bottoms are required for successful spawning. During spawning paddlefish gather in schools. Details are not well understood, but it is believed several males accompany a female. Eggs and sperm are released as the fish swim over suitable habitat. The eggs are sticky and adhere to solid objects (such as rocks). Incubation takes about nine days at 57 degrees Fahrenheit. The snout does not become prominent for several weeks after the fry hatch. Young fish grow quickly. Growth of six inches or more has been reported in several months, 12 to 14 inches is typical for the first year, but growth potential is even higher. Fish less than one and a half years old have attained lengths of three feet in controlled pond situations. Generally, fish become sexually mature at 5-10 years of age, and may live to be 20-30 years old.

Where to Find
Paddlefish are native to Lake Erie, the Mississippi River drainage including the upper stretches of the Missouri and Ohio rivers, and adjacent Gulf slope drainages from the San Jacinto River in Texas to the Mobile Bay area in Alabama. Once common throughout their range, overfishing and habitat degradation have led to drastic declines in recent years (e.g., although once reported from Ontario the species has been extirpated from Canada).

Table Quality The firm, white meat is very good eating, either fresh or smoked. The eggs make excellent caviar. Some commercial caviar contains both sturgeon and paddlefish eggs.

Sporting Qualities Paddle fish are. strong fighters; their large size and the strong current in which they are usually found demand very heavy tackle. They rarely take a baited hook, but can be caught with snagging gear. Snag-fishermen use stout rods, heavy line with a big sinker at the end, and several treble hooks tied 1 to 3 feet apart.

Habitat Most common in slow-moving stretches of large rivers and in adjoining backwaters, particularly where the bottom is muddy. Paddlefish can survive in reservoirs if they have access to a free- flowing section of river that meets their spawning requirements. They prefer relatively cool water, from 55 to 60F, and stop feeding when the temperature exceeds 68.

Food Habits A paddlefish feeds by swimming about with its mouth open wide, filtering plankton from the water with its closely spaced gill rakers. As it feeds, the bill sways slowly from side to side. Contrary to popular belief, the bill is not used to root organisms from the bottom, but rather to feel for concentrations of plankton. The huge gill chamber enables paddlefish to filter enormous quantities of water. Fish occasionally are found in paddlefish stomachs, but probably were swallowed by accident.

Age and Growth Paddlefish grow rapidly in their early years, then growth slows considerably. They reach ages of 30 years or more.