 Re: Paddles
I know many people hunt right below the dam for the paddles but IMO down river is the easiest and best place for success. Back when the season was 9 days and one could shoot one paddle a day, and I believe two in possession I would get my one daily and eat paddle every day that week. The tactics immediatley below the dam are a bit different than down river however I have anchored on a hole down river and shot rising fish several times but the most used tactics for me has been the slow troll or drive tactice that give point blank shots.
When the season went to the tag system as Eric said, it was much shorter and I called and wrote a NE fisheries biologist. We talked personally and he wrote a letter back. I basically questioned why it was so short and the tag #'s so few as getting drawn every other year was a bummer. I assumed archery hunters took way less than snaggers and he agreed however with archery there is the breeder mortality rate, what you shoot is what you get, breeder sizes are kept where in snagging they are protected by the slot.
I am glad they finally lengthened the season and I believe it spreads people out over the course of it but this season has been tougher for most, congrats to those who have scored but below the dam is the most visible area with paddles(jumping a lot for all to see,etc, easiest to navigate, and thus attracts the most hunters.
Another conversation I had with a CO when I turned someone in for illegally taking a paddlefish opened my eyes even more to paddlefish mortality. He said the state believes there are at least as many paddles taken illegally on the river than there are legally during snagging season. Hell I over heard a guy in a bar who was bragging how he and his bud archery target them in late May and early June when one could fill their boat with them up and down river.
Good luck the rest of the season.  |