A Kansas man set a world record by catching a 164-pound, 13-ounce paddlefish at the Lake of the Ozarks on his first “snagging” trip.
Paddlefish are considered “living dinosaurs” and are prized for their size, uniqueness, and black-market caviar. To catch paddlefish, fishermen drag hooks through the water in a technique called snagging.
Chad Williams of Olathe, Kansas, snagged the giant five-foot fish early in his chartered fishing trip and spent 10 minutes reeling the record-breaker in. “As soon as it hit the boat, everybody’s jaws dropped,” said the charter captain.
Williams shared the paddlefish meat with the fishing group and preserved the head to mount on his wall.