Anglers towed half-mile by giant paddlefish; ‘Is that a dinosaur?’

A pair of Tennessee anglers last week hooked a giant paddlefish that towed their boat more than a half-mile before it could be landed.

The anglers, identified by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency only as Matt and Jason, hoisted the 5-foot, 55-pound paddlefish long enough to snap a few photos before releasing it back into the Caney Fork River.

They anglers had been fishing for striped bass when they snagged the paddlefish.

The TWRA began its Saturday Facebook post with the introduction, “Is that a dinosaur?” That was in reference to the fish’s primitive appearance and the fact that American paddlefish are prehistoric, dating back millions of years.

They’re endemic to the Mississippi River Basin and inhabit systems throughout the Mississippi Valley and Gulf slope.

According to the TWRA they can measure more than 5 feet and weigh 200-plus pounds.

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, American paddlefish are endangered or threatened in most states within their historic range. The fish, which are highly migratory, can live 50-plus years.

Their diet consists mostly of plankton, small plants and animals.

–Images courtesy of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency