Missouri fishermen were trying to catch paddlefish when his tackle wrapped around the tails of various fish species, officials say.
According to a Facebook post from the Missouri Conservation Department, Troy Stags fought 50-55 pounds of fish over the next 47 minutes.
He managed to get the fish caught and pulled it into the boat — a second time he caught the fish Lake sturgeon fishing At Lake of the Ozarks.
Lake sturgeon is “rare” Endangered species in Missouri“And due to its protection, anglers need to release the catch after capture.
Mr. Stags did so after taking “quick measurements” and a few pictures of the fish, wildlife officials said.
The lake sturgeon is 56 inches long, and authorities estimate it to be about 30 years old. This species can live for over 100 years and weighs over 200 pounds, making it “the longest-lived animal and the second largest fish in Missouri.”
“Sturgeon evolved during the Jurassic era and survived where dinosaurs did not survive,” officials said. “Sturgeon is a living connection with the past.”
This unusual catch is the sixth time someone has reported involving a lake sturgeon on Lake of the Ozarks since 2016, officials say Stags has captured two of them.
“now, Things I don’t see every day, “Edgar’s Ozark Bait & Tackle shared on Facebook. “Troy Stags has caught two sturgeons from LOZ instead of one in the last three years. Great!”
According to the post, the Missouri Conservation Department began stockpiling lake sturgeon waterways in the 1980s and continues to do so in hopes of species recovery.
“Despite its name, in Missouri, this fish is most often found in large rivers rather than lakes,” wildlife officials say. “It prefers a hard, silt-free bottom of sand, gravel and rock.”
Fish are considered “bottom-eating predators-scavengers specially suited for life in the rapids of our large rivers” and “their roles cannot be replicated by other fish,” officials say. increase.
Lake sturgeon become adults at about 25 years of age and “move to tributaries to lay eggs,” officials said. This makes them easier to see, as the fish spawn frequently in shallow water. “
If you catch or see a sturgeon, we recommend that you notify your local conservation agency or call the Lake Sturgeon Recovery Leader (573-248-2530).
Lake of the Ozarks is about 150 miles southeast of Kansas City.
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