You might have heard that Custer Country is pretty well known for its prehistoric inhabitants.  No, no, I’m not talking about the ones you have to dig for – as awesome as those fossils may be – I’m referring more to the primitive water dwellers known as paddlefish!

If you haven’t had the opportunity to lock your eyes on a paddlefish you’re really missing out.  On average these fish reach 5 feet in length and weigh roughly 60 pounds, but it’s not uncommon for one of these guys to tip the scales at over 100 pounds!  Paddlefish received their unique name because of their large, bill-like snout.  This snout usually accounts for 1/3 of their entire body length.  Some research suggests that the bill contains receptors that act as an antenna and helps them detect food sources which largely consist of microscopic plankton.

Paddlefish are found in only 2 places in the world, the Yangtze River in China and the Mississippi River drainage system – better known as the Missouri and Yellowstone Rivers of Montana.  Every year anglers flock to the banks of the Yellowstone near Glendive, the Paddlefish Capital of the World, in attempt to reel in one of these giants.  But it’s not as easy as you might think; catching these elusive creatures is a lot of work.  Because paddlefish feed by filtering plankton they don’t chase bait like other fish.  Rather, you have to snag them using very large tackle. 

Besides being the oldest resident in the Yellowstone River, paddlefish have another interesting attribute.  Their eggs are often harvested for what is considered a luxurious delicacy – caviar!  Yellowstone River caviar is packaged right here in Montana and orders come in from around the world.

The paddlefish season runs May 15 through June 30.  Make sure you have a Montana fishing license complete with the special paddlefish tag.  Planning your trip to Glendive will be well worth the experience - hope to see you on the river bank!

Excerpt from Go RVing E-Newsletter as posted on www.gorving.org

2010 Is the Centennial Celebration of the RV Industry
America was founded by adventures.  Early Americans arrived by sea, but quickly set out across the country by horse-drawn wagons, which gave way to the advent of the automobile.  Soon a motorized carriage with seats was not adequate for those with wanderlust, and the auto camper or RV was born.  Historians agree the first commercially produced RVs debuted in 1910, so this year we celebrate the Centennial of the RV industry. 

An American Journey Continues
Is it any wonder why RVs first captured the hearts of Americans? In the great land of opportunity, early auto campers and trailers were allowing the adventurous to travel farther, more comfortably and at their own pace. No longer confined to the railway routes, there were out-of-the-way places to be discovered. Car parks, the first campgrounds, sprung up across the country to provide travelers with safe places to stop, rest and converse with fellow travelers.

As more and more motorized travelers took to the growing roadways, they formed groups for camaraderie. One of the first was the Tin Can Tourists, which flourished in the 1920s and ‘30s. How they got their name is not known, but one popular thought is that they carried with them mostly tinned food that wouldn’t spoil on the road. Another theory is that the name came from the practice at that time of tying tin cans to the trailers just above the road level. When a tire would go flat, which happened several times a day, the cans would start clinking on the roadway to alert the driver to the problem.

Yesterday, today and tomorrow, it is the call of the open road and the ability of RVers to answer that call at a moment’s notice that have made RVs a staple in America’s pursuit of quality leisure activities.