Finally...the elusive Paddlefish

[O'Malley]

OK, it's only taken me 12 months of diving our local quarry to finally encounter one of the eight resident Paddlefish and this past weekend was the charm. Although the quality is blah, based on the frequency of sightings...I may never see another. He did give us a great show, encircling us for approximately 15 minutes, wide-mouthed and feeding. One thing I've learned, diving a drysuit adds a new dimension to underwater photography. But then again, this is all still so new to me.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

WOW! Very cool to get any img captured, I've seen so few pictures... and never one on an actual dive. Although, I don't think they frequent my area.

 

[H2Andy]

holy cow, i didn't even know such a thing existed

 

[do it easy]

I posted this in another thread where we were talking about your photo!

http://www.america-dreamz.com/texas/...thens00-02.jpg

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/species/pad/

The second website contains some facts- they can grow to 7' long and 200 lbs! They are the oldest surviving species in North American and predate the dinosaurs. Crazy stuff, huh?

I couldn't find any pictures so you could see the mouth open. It looks like you could fit a basketball through there where it opens it's mouth- even on smaller fish.

I saw one from behind while it had it's mouth open, and I could see right through it's gills. O'malley took a great shot since it had it's mouth open- you can compare the picures to see how much real estate there is on one of those. They used to scare the you know what out of me, especially when they pop out of the low vis, with their gaping mouth coming right at you!

 

[occrider]

I couldn't find any pictures so you could see the mouth open. It looks like you could fit a basketball through there where it opens it's mouth- even on smaller fish.

Pic of one with its mouth open:

http://www.tnaqua.org/Newsroom/HighRes/paddlefish.jpg
http://www.umesc.usgs.gov/aquatic/fish/paddlefish/images/faq6.jpg

 

[ScubaJW]

which quarry?

 

[do it easy]

O'Malley took that picture at Haigh Quarry in Kankakee, IL.

I know that they stock them at Mermet Springs in Metropolis, IL (Yes, the home of superman!) Mermet has lots! of paddlefish On a clear day, you can float around 30'-40' in midwater and see them in abundance.

 

[Ben_ca]

wow... who needs whale sharks

 

[justleesa]

Lucky catch!

hmmm...I'm trying to figure the picture out as it does not look like the critters that are in the pictures of the other links that were provided...what am I seeing where? To me it looks like two paddles on either side of it's head...and like it ran into a bus.

 

[kapula]

How cool is that! Excellent stuff and educating as well. Didn't know that this guy even existed. Maybe not the most beautiful of fishes but he sure has a paddle