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The legal sportfishing season in North Dakota for paddlefish begins May 1st and continues through May 31st. An
"in season" early closure may occur, depending on the overall harvest, with a 60 hour notice given by the ND
Game and Fish Department. Mondays and Tuesdays are set aside as "snag and release" days while Wednesday through
Sunday is designated as mandatory "catch and keep" fishing.
All paddlefish snaggers must obtain and have in their possession a paddlefish tag in addition to other licenses
and certificates that are required. Consult current paddlefish snagging regulations
online or call the ND Game and Fish Department at
701-328-6300.
You won't need bait to snag a paddlefish, but you will need saltwater gear. Rods are a minimum of 10 feet
long. A spinning reel with at least 200 yards of 30 pound line is also suggested. Equip the line with at
least a 5 ounce weight and a large (8/0 or 10/0) shanked treble hook usually placed about 10 inches above
the weight
Anglers line the riverbank, casting over and over into the fast running current in hopes of snagging a passing
paddlefish. It is a test of endurance. The experience has been likened to standing along the highway waiting
for a semi to go by, snagging it, and then hanging on! Some catch their fish in the first few casts, but the
average effort requires about 15 hours spread over 3 ½ days.
Most anglers in our area bring their freshly caught paddlefish to our cleaning station located right at the
Confluence of the Missouri and Yellowstone Rivers, where the fish are cleaned free of charge in exchange for
the donation of any roe. An average of 15% to 18% of the paddlefish weight is returned in meat fillets.
Several local retail stores carry paddlefishing equipment and sell the necessary licenses and tags.
Current season's catch report.
Last season's catch report.
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