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Watch: North Dakota Fisherman Snags Giant Paddlefish, Tying The State Record

On May 3, just two days into North Dakota's brief paddlefish snagging season, Tyler Hughes and his wife were at a prime spot on the banks of the Yellowstone River. They were fishing near Fairview, roughly five miles upstream from where the Yellowstone flows into the Missouri River. They'd spent the morning casting out a big, 10/0 treble hook attached to a 5-ounce weight, but by 10 a.M., Hughes realized he wasn't prepared to land a heavyweight paddlefish if they snagged one. He'd forgotten his long-handled gaff.

"That's when I jumped back in my truck and drove back to our campsite to get my gaff," Hughes tells Outdoor Life. "I returned to the river with my gaff about 30 minutes later and started casting. At 11 a.M. I hooked something big that I thought was a rock or log. But then it started moving, and I knew I'd hooked a big paddlefish."

Using a 10-foot spinning rod spooled with 75-pound test braided line, Hughes battled the fish for around 15 minutes. The fish was snagged in its side, and it ran it all the way across the muddy stretch of river, where it threatened to break off.

"The fish took all 250 yards of my braided line, and the knot connecting it to my 30-pound test monofilament backing line was headed out of the rod guides," Hughes says. "I knew I had to get the mono back onto the reel because the river is full of snags and the fish would break the mono for sure."

The basic snagging rig Hughes used to catch his paddlefish. Photo courtesy Tyler Hughes

After gaining back some line, Hughes walked a short distance upstream. He eventually muscled the fish toward the shore, and he swung it downstream where his wife and several other people were standing.

Video footage recorded that day shows their friends Joe Martino, Kellan Geiger, and Taylor Schwede sticking the fish with two gaffs, then dragging it out of the Yellowstone and onto dry land. It wasn't an easy haul, and the fish lost some blood and eggs in the process.

"I knew it was a big one, but didn't think about a record catch [at first]," Hughes explains. "But we loaded it into my truck, and I took it to a weigh station in Williston where a company cleans paddlefish in exchange for keeping the roe [for] caviar."

Tyler Hughes holds up his paddlefish, which officially ties the state record set in 2016. Photo courtesy Tyler Hughes

Hughes' paddlefish weighed 131 pounds on the certified scales there, and it measured 74 inches long. State officials witnessed the weigh-in, and on Tuesday the North Dakota Game and Fish Department announced that the fish officially ties the standing state record for the species, which was caught in 2016 from the Missouri River near its confluence with the Yellowstone.

Read Next: How To Catch Giant Paddlefish with Giant Hooks

Hughes says he thinks his fish could have been even heavier, as it was three inches longer than the 2016 record. (It's possible that the NDGFD made a record-keeping mistake because it lists Hughes' fish as 53 inches long in the record book but says it was 74 inches long in a press release. The agency did not immediately respond to a request for clarification.)

"The caviar company got about 30 pounds of roe from my fish, and the state folks say it may have spewed some eggs before it was weighed," Hughes says. "The two big gaff holes also caused a lot of blood loss, so it may have weighed more. But I'm so grateful. It was a surreal catch."

The Best Wired Earbuds

Our pickThese earbuds have a neutral sound profile that doesn't overemphasize any particular frequency. The cable is sturdy and detachable, but it lacks a built-in remote and microphone.

The Linsoul Tin HiFi T4 wired earbuds offer pleasing sound, a comfortable design, and a strong cable that's likely to survive the rigors of daily usage. The T4 set also has a balanced sound that's good for all types of music; details are crisp, and bass notes provide support without being overpowering.

Because these earbuds have a closed design, they don't sound quite as spacious as a vented pair of earbuds, but they still offer a decent soundstage with a good sense of instrument placement.

Most people should find the compact, barrel-shaped earbud design comfortable to wear for long listening sessions, and the package includes seven sets of ear tips to help you find a good fit. As with all of our picks, this pair's cable lacks a remote and microphone, but because it's detachable, you can swap in a different cable if you need those features.

Our pickThis pair's sound profile boosts high frequencies to add a sense of detail. Audiophiles will like it, but this tuning may not appeal to a broader audience.

The FiiO FD3 Pro pair is ideal for people who enjoy extra high-frequency detail, a sound profile that's currently popular with audiophiles because it can make the presentation seem more crisp and revealing. But other people may find it fatiguing, especially at higher volumes.

To help balance out that high-frequency intensity, this pair has a broad bass boost that warms up the vocals and upper-bass regions, but bass lovers may wish for more low-end presence. The earbuds have a semi-open design that allows for a more spacious sound than you often get at this price.

The hook-over-the-ear cable is detachable, which improves its longevity and enables you to swap in one with a remote and microphone if necessary. The generous selection of ear tips and accessories ensures compatibility with a wide range of ear shapes and audio devices.

Budget pickA pleasing sound, a comfortable fit, and a replaceable cable make this affordable pair a great entry point for the more discerning music fan—but the earbud shape may not suit every ear type.

The Linsoul Tin HiFi T3 Plus earbuds sound fantastic for the price: Their clear, detailed high frequencies and full, supportive bass notes can handle acoustic music and hip-hop equally well. This pair lacks the sense of space that our top picks can deliver, and we wish that these earbuds offered a touch more energy in the low lows, but otherwise the performance is excellent for a set priced under $100.

The earbuds' chassis design more closely resembles larger, professional in-ear monitors than traditional earbuds. People with very small ears may find the shape less forgiving than a standard barrel-shaped design like that of the Linsoul Tin HiFi T4 set. But the smooth, ergonomic shape does help these earbuds stay securely in place, and the package includes seven sizes of ear tips.

The detachable cable hooks over the ear to add stability. Unfortunately, the included cable uses a less common two-pin connector and lacks a remote and mic, but you can purchase a different cable in either a 3.5 mm or USB-C style.

Upgrade pickThese earbuds offer a more refined, balanced, and adjustable sound than our other picks, along with higher-quality components. But the larger earbud size may not appeal to people with sensitive ears.

If you're willing to pay a lot more money for a clear step up in sound and build quality, we recommend the FiiO FH5s set. This wired pair has the same semi-open earbud design as the FiiO FD3 Pro set and creates a similarly spacious sound, but it utilizes better-quality drivers to deliver a more balanced sonic presentation, with more detail, clarity, and refinement in the highs and mids—although, again, bass lovers might find that these earbuds don't offer the last word in bass impact and definition.

The earbuds' build feels substantial, and the detachable, hook-over-the-ear cable is notably strong. But the cable lacks a remote and mic, and the earbuds' larger, heavier form may be off-putting for people with sensitive ears.

Australia Will Chase Historic Treble At T20 World Cup

Australia will be aiming to become the first team to possess all three of cricket's global titles at the same time, but a bigger success will be if the T20 World Cup next month can help the game crack a lucrative market in the United States.

Australia won a hat-trick of one-day World Cups from 1999 to 2007 and, going by its success in recent global events, it is close to recreating that 'Golden Era.'

Under Pat Cummins, Australia won the World Test Championship title and the one-day World Cup last year — beating a formidable India team in both the finals.

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