Angler reels in prehistoric fish with ‘dark suntan’ in Oklahoma. See the ‘rare’ prize
An angler recently reeled in a prehistoric fish with a “rare” and eye-catching appearance during a fishing trip in Oklahoma, photos show.
Aidan Miller was visiting Kaw Lake with friends when he and a friend, Chance, both hooked something on their lines, the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation said in a Feb. 27 Facebook post.
They reeled in the same type of fish “at the exact same time,” the department said, but what Miller pulled out of the water looked very different — a 28-pound lake dweller with a body like an oil slick.
It was a paddlefish, officials said. But unlike the friend’s 30-pound gray-and-white catch, Miller’s prize was entirely black, photos show.
“All paddlefish have the ability to be pitch black in coloration but we rarely see this in the wild,” the department said.
Two things can be responsible for this unusual coloration, according to wildlife officials. The fish may naturally have traits that cause it to have darker skin pigmentation, or it could be getting a lot of exposure to sunlight — or both.
“Effectively, these fish are getting a dark suntan,” wildlife officials said. “When adult paddlefish spend extended time in shallower tailwater habitats where water clarity may be greater, they will take on a darker coloration.”
After snapping a few photos, the fish were released back into Kaw Lake, which is roughly 120 miles northeast of Oklahoma City.
“We’re sure they’ll be telling this fishing story for years to come,” officials said.
Paddlefish, also called spoonbills due to their spoon-like snout, are a prehistoric species and the oldest fish species in North America, with fossil records dating back further than 300 million years ago. They can be found across much of the U.S., from New York to Montana, and as far south as Texas, experts say.
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