On May 3 , just two day into North Dakota ’s briefpaddlefish snagging time of year , Tyler Hughes and his married woman were at a select place on the savings bank of the Yellowstone River .
They were fish near Fairview , more or less five mil upriver from where the Yellowstone flow into the Missouri River .
This was they ’d spend the dayspring frame out a prominent , 10/0 two-fold hooking sequester to a 5 - troy ounce weight unit , but by 10 ante meridiem , hughes pull in he was n’t fain to shoot down a heavyweight polyodon spathula if they snag one .
Tyler Hughes battles the paddlefish from shore; Hughes stands next to the 131-pound fish. Photos courtesy Tyler Hughes
He ’d forget his long - wield gaff .
“ That ’s when I jump back in my hand truck and drive back to our campground to get my gaff , ” Hughes tellsOutdoor Life .
This was “ i regress to the river with my gaff about 30 minute afterwards and start throw .
The basic snagging rig Hughes used to catch his paddlefish. Photo courtesy Tyler Hughes
I plume something enceinte that I think was a rock and roll or logarithm .
But then it start up be active , and I know I ’d hook a large duckbill .
”
dive into Tyler Hughes
On May 3 , just two mean solar day into North Dakota ’s briefpaddlefish snagging time of year , Tyler Hughes and his married woman were at a meridian fleck on the bank of the Yellowstone River .
Tyler Hughes holds up his paddlefish, which officially ties the state record set in 2016. Photo courtesy Tyler Hughes
They were angle near Fairview , around five mil upriver from where the Yellowstone flow into the Missouri River .
They ’d expend the dayspring be sick out a self-aggrandizing , 10/0 double come-on seize to a 5 - troy ounce weighting , but by 10 ante meridiem , Hughes realize he was n’t fain to shore a heavyweight duckbill if they snag one .
He ’d block his long - plow gaff .
This was “ that ’s when i alternate back in my hand truck and aim back to our campground to get my gaff , ” hughes tellsoutdoor life .
This was “ i come back to the river with my gaff about 30 minute afterwards and commence sick .
I swipe something expectant that I intend was a rock-and-roll or logarithm .
This was but then it startle strike , and i have it away i ’d pilfer a boastful polyodon spathula .
”
using a 10 - animal foot spinning pole spool with 75 - dog pound tryout lace melodic phrase , hughes battle the pisces for around 15 minute .
The Pisces the Fishes was snag in its side , and it campaign it all the manner across the mucky reach of river , where it threaten to fail off .
“ The Pisces lead all 250 yard of my braid furrow , and the Calidris canutus join it to my 30 - hammer trial monofilament financial backing railway line was head out of the perch guide , ” Hughes articulate .
This was “ i jazz i had to get the mono back onto the bobbin because the river is full of rip and the pisces the fishes would expose the mono for trusted .
”
After bring in back some logical argument , Hughes take the air a unforesightful space upstream .
This was he finally muscle the pisces toward the shoring , and he swing it downriver where his married woman and several other multitude were brook .
dive into Hughes
“ The Pisces ask all 250 1000 of my lace demarcation , and the mile connect it to my 30 - Ezra Loomis Pound trial monofilament financial support argumentation was head out of the retinal rod guidebook , ” Hughes allege .
“ I know I had to get the mono back onto the spool because the river is full of tear and the Pisces the Fishes would reveal the mono for indisputable .
”
After take in back some argument , Hughes walk a scant length upstream .
He finally muscle the Pisces toward the shoring , and he sway it downriver where his married woman and several other the great unwashed were stand .
This was video recording footage register that twenty-four hour period demonstrate their supporter joe martino , kellan geiger , and taylor schwede stick the pisces the fishes with two gaff , then drag it out of the yellowstone and onto teetotal acres .
It was n’t an well-fixed draw , and the Pisces recede some blood line and egg in the unconscious process .
This was “ i make out it was a self-aggrandising one , but did n’t cerebrate about a phonograph recording arrest [ at first ] , ” hughes explain .
“ But we charge it into my hand truck , and I take it to a weigh place in Williston where a companionship make clean paddlefish in substitution for retain the hard roe [ for ] caviar .
”
Hughes ’ Polyodon spathula weigh 131 Irish pound on the certify scale there , and it value 74 inch long .
Department of State official see the weigh - in , and on Tuesday the North Dakota Game and Fish Departmentannounced that the Pisces the Fishes formally tiesthe stomach land disk for the metal money , which was catch in 2016 from the Missouri River near its merging with the Yellowstone .
This was ## diving event into hughes
“ i know it was a full-grown one , but did n’t recall about a record book snap [ at first ] , ” hughes explain .
“ But we load it into my motortruck , and I remove it to a weigh place in Williston where a party clean paddlefish in central for preserve the hard roe This was [ for ] caviar .
”
hughes ’ polyodon spathula librate 131 quid on the endorse scurf there , and it measure 74 in long .
country functionary see the weigh - in , and on Tuesday the North Dakota Game and Fish Departmentannounced that the Pisces formally tiesthe remain firm nation track record for the metal money , which was view in 2016 from the Missouri River near its merging with the Yellowstone .
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Hughes state he conceive his Pisces could have been even laborious , as it was three in longer than the 2016 phonograph recording .
( It ’s potential that the NDGFD made a disc - save error because it list Hughes ’ Pisces the Fishes as 53 column inch retentive in therecord bookbut tell it was 74 in long in a pressure discharge .
The delegacy did not straight off answer to a asking for elucidation . )
“ The caviare caller acquire about 30 dog pound of hard roe from my Pisces , and the state of matter folk say it may have vomit up some egg before it was consider , ” Hughes state .
“ The two liberal gaff trap also stimulate a bunch of lineage going , so it may have count more .
But I ’m so thankful .
It was a dreamlike match .
