Paddlefish Snagging Season Closes to Additional Harvest

Effective Sunday, May 9, the North Dakota Game and Fish Department has closed the state's 2021 paddlefish snagging season to any additional harvest to provide long-term protection of the paddlefish population.  

An additional seven-day snag-and-release season will begin Monday, May 10 and run through Sunday, May 16. Paddlefish snaggers with an unused paddlefish tag can continue snagging during the additional snag-and-release season but must release all fish immediately. If a snagger has already used their tag on a harvested paddlefish, they are not allowed to participate in the additional snag-and-release period.

Snag-and-release will be open only in that area of the Missouri River starting on the north shore from the Confluence boat ramp then east (downstream) to the pipeline crossing (river mile 1577), and on the south shore from the Confluence with the Yellowstone River then east (downstream) to the pipeline crossing (river mile 1577).

Paddlefish snagging is allowed only from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Central Time during each day of the additional seven-day season. The use or possession of a gaff on snag-and-release days is prohibited.