Mandan angler snags record-tying paddlefish

MANDAN, N.D. (KFYR) - Snagging a 131-pound fish doesn’t happen every day, let alone every decade, but that’s exactly what Tyler Hughes of Mandan accomplished on May 3 in northwest North Dakota.

These ancient fish are prehistoric, dating back 125 million years. They are known to grow large, but what Hughes pulled in was massive, taking four men to finish the job. Hughes knew his catch could be significant once he saw it.

“I wasn’t quite thinking record-breaker. We’re always going for that, but I just knew it was a different type of fish than I’ve caught before. And once I saw it, it was just alright,” said Hughes.

According to N.D. Tourism’s website, the record-breaking paddlefish was also a 131-pounder caught in 2016 by Grant Werkmeister of Williston.