Man spent 47 minutes reeling in rare fish — then released it, Missouri officials say

Man spent 47 minutes reeling in rare fish — then released it, Missouri officials say

By Kaitlyn Alanis

Source: miamiherald

4/21/2022

Credit: Missouri Department of Conservation/Facebook Screengrab

A fisherman in Missouri was trying to snag paddlefish when his tackle wrapped around the tail of a different fish species, officials say.

Troy Staggs then spent 47 minutes fighting the 50-55 pound fish, according to a Facebook post from the Missouri Department of Conservation.

He managed to reel the fish in and pull it up onto the boat — making it the second time he caught a lake sturgeon while fishing at the Lake of the Ozarks.

Lake sturgeons are listed as “rare and endangered in Missouri,” and with that protection, anglers are required to release their catches after capture.

Staggs did so after taking a “quick measurement” and a few photos with the fish, wildlife officials said.