![]() Probably the most popular and sought-after monster fish in Missouri is the flathead catfish. ![]() Someday, MDC hopes to remove them from Missouri’s endangered species list. If caught, lake sturgeon must be immediately returned to the water unharmed because they are still endangered in Missouri. It is now fairly common to get reports of lake sturgeon up to 80 pounds being caught from those early stockings. Since that time, Blind Pony and Lost Valley hatcheries have been raising lake sturgeon and then stocking them into the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. In 1984, MDC began a restoration program to try and reestablish fishable populations of lake sturgeon in Missouri waters. Lake sturgeon feed on the bottom, and their diet consists mostly of aquatic insects, crayfish, and small fish. Instead of the body being covered by typical fish scales, the lake sturgeon’s body has several lengthwise rows of bony plates called scutes. Lake sturgeon have a shark-like tail, a sucker-like mouth underneath the head, and four large barbels (or whiskers) that dangle under the nose. The current Wisconsin lake sturgeon spearfishing record is 212 pounds. Since that time, however, it has become very rare in Missouri and is listed as a state-endangered species. Prior to the 1900s, lake sturgeon was a common and important commercial fish in Missouri waters, especially in the Mississippi River, where lake sturgeon weighing over 300 pounds were fairly common. ![]() ![]() The department still encourages catch-and-release for alligator gar as well as the reporting of any sightings. However, alligator gar can be caught throughout the rest of the state by a variety of methods. No gigging or bow fishing is permitted on the refuge. On Mingo NWR, alligator gar must be released unharmed immediately after being caught. The goal of those stockings was to restore alligator gar to some of its native range in Missouri. Since that time, nine other conservation areas have been added to the stocking program. In 20, alligator gar were stocked at Mingo National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in southeastern Missouri by MDC and the U.S. The alligator gar has become rare over most of its former range mainly due to habitat loss and changes. Alligator gar can be found throughout the lower Mississippi River system upstream to Missouri, Illinois, and Ohio. To capture prey, they quickly snap their head to the side and grab it with their large teeth. These fish often rest quietly near the water surface, resembling a log, waiting in ambush for their prey. They eat mostly nongame fish but are also known to eat water birds. That fish was determined to be 99 years old! The alligator gar is a long, heavy-bodied fish with a somewhat short, very wide snout that resembles an alligator’s snout. In 2011, a Mississippi commercial fisherman caught a 327-pound alligator gar in his net. The current Missouri record is 127 pounds. Alligator gar can reach lengths of up to 10 feet and weights up to 350 pounds, although most large adults range from 5–8 feet long and weigh between 100 and 300 pounds. ![]() In fact, it is the second largest freshwater fish in North America next to the white sturgeon. This is the largest of the monster fish found in Missouri. Included on the monster fish list are alligator gar, lake sturgeon, paddlefish, flathead catfish, and blue catfish. These species are the only fish in Missouri that are capable of attaining weights of 100 pounds or more. Most Missourians don’t know our state is home to five species of fish that have the potential to become monster fish. Exaggeration, you say? Not hardly! The fish my friend caught was a blue catfish that tipped the scales at 81 pounds. After a few agonizing minutes and two strained backs, we finally wrestled the fish into the boat. After a 15-minute battle, we brought the fish to the side of the boat - and realized our landing net was way too small. Tackle boxes, rods and reels, seat cushions, and bait buckets went flying as we scrambled around the boat to pull up the anchors and find the dip net. We knew this fish had to be big! The line started screaming off his reel, and we quickly realized we needed to follow this fish if we were going to land it. All of a sudden, my friend’s pole bent over double and nearly jerked out of his hands. After we baited the lines and cast them out at our favorite fishing hole, we leaned back in our chairs to enjoy the cool breeze and the warm sun on our faces. We hoped to catch a few small channel catfish for dinner. It was a warm spring day, so my friend and I headed to the river to do a little fishing. ![]()
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