“The best way that I have found to eat paddlefish is to cut it up into steaks and chunks and then smoke it,” he said. “Just like I do when I fry it, I’ll put it in a brine and leave it for a couple of days though.”

Paddlefish is a large fish that can be cut into steaks and broiled as a nutritious way to get the protein, vitamin and mineral benefits it has to offer without additional fat.

It is harvested primarily for its caviar, which closely resembles that of sturgeon. Its meat is of secondary importance, but is also delicious fresh or smoked. The flavors of the best paddlefish caviar are long lasting, balanced, warm, buttery rich, slightly nutty, with no metallic notes or other off-flavors.

Instructions

1. Stir-fry the green and red pepper in water over high heat. Mix in the onions, ginger, and garlic.
2. Mix in the parsley, tomatoes, and paddlefish, and bring the mixture to boil.
3. Reduce the heat once it starts bubbling. Cover and then let it simmer for 15 minutes.

The American paddlefish is a highly derived fish because it has evolved with adaptations such as filter feeding. Its rostrum and cranium are covered with tens of thousands of sensory receptors for locating swarms of zooplankton, which is their primary food source.

Despite their large size (some can get as long as 7 feet and weigh as much as 200 pounds), paddlefish are good candidates for fish farming. Farmed paddlefish and sturgeon caviar may help reduce the demand for wild caviar.

164 pounds
We have a new WORLD- and state-record paddlefish that was snagged at Keystone Lake on Tuesday, June 22. The beast weighed 164 pounds! Congrats to Grant Rader (left) of Wichita, Kan., on his great catch!

In addition to concerns that overfishing and the destruction of their natural habitat continue to put paddlefish at risk, the group warns that both wild paddlefish and sturgeon, “… may have high levels of mercury and PCBs that could pose a health risk to adults and children.”

It swims with its mouth open in the water using comb-like structures called gill rakers to filter zooplankton. They are large yet gentile creatures that live their lives filtering the water for zooplankton. Paddlefish can hurt you if you’re trying to handle them improperly and you get thrashed around by it.

Thus, a 40-pounder can yield 10 pounds of caviar, making it an extremely valuable prize—but only for ODWC. Regulations prohibit individuals from possessing more than 3 pounds of roe, and the private sale of eggs is strictly forbidden. A biologist tags the jaw of a Missouri River paddlefish.

The paddlefish is a type of sturgeon , which is also a healthy source of phosphorus and potassium, as well as vitamin A. While the caviar from paddlefish is high in protein and omega-3 fatty acids, it also contains a significant amount of sodium and fat.

Paddlefish are filter feeders mainly eat zooplankton they strain from the water, making them nearly impossible to catch with bait. Snagging is the only way to catch them. Kyle said that harvesting paddlefish means some good eating. “They’re amazing as long as all of the red meat is taken out,” he said.

Pre-heat the oven broiler; Grease 9×13″ baking dish with thin coat of butter. Mix together Parmesan cheese, butter, mayo, lemon juice, green onion, salt, pepper, dill, & Tabasco in small bowl until well blended. Arrange fish in a single layer in baking dish. Broil fish for 8 minutes or until it flakes with a fork.