The celebrated three-week paddlefish (Polyodon spathula) fishing season in North Dakota has ended, to protect the local fisheries.

The harvest period lasted between May 1 and 15, after which followed a snagging and releasing week ending May 21, 2024.

Fishermen have not yet divulged the sizes of their catches to compare with recent weight records. So far, the largest recorded paddlefish came out in March 2024 in the neighboring state of Missouri, at 164 pounds.

Paddlefish are Sturgeon Lookalikes

Paddlefish are “living fossils” that have inhabited American waters for 125 million years. They have a striking resemblance to sturgeons and their caviar is as costly as sturgeon’s at $320 per pound.

According to Andrew Branson, a specialist at the Missouri Department of Conservation, the fish has a paddle-like rostrum or snout similar to a sturgeon’s.  However, it has a streamlined mostly scale-free cartilage body like that of a shark. 

Paddlefish inhabit the Lake of Ozarks in Missouri as well as Yellowstone and Missouri Rivers in Dakota territory. They also thrive on fish farms, especially around the Missouri river delta. 

Conservation and Licensing

For preservation reasons, the state of North Dakota only offers a limited fishing period of two weeks per year. 

Harvesters buy a tag to stick on their harvests that cost $10 per resident fisherman. Out-of-state harvesters have to apply for a $25.50 licence to fish.

The North Dakota fisheries authorities also monitor catch-and-release reports from recreational fishermen to ascertain paddlefish numbers.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service keeps a track of the number of releases to denote seasonal conservation status. In 2021, for instance, 40,398 paddlefish from a South Dakota hatchery were released into rivers.

Fishing for Free in ND

Interestingly, North Dakota’s paddlefish season ends with a gift for residents, who will fish other species for free from June 1 to 2.  

According to North Dakota Game and Fish (NDGF), residents aged 16 and over can fish that weekend without a licence.

U.S. Paddlefish Statistics

What is the biggest size of paddlefish that fishermen have ever caught in American waters? A 164-pound paddlefish in March 2024 and a 131-pound specimen in 2016. How much caviar do paddlefish produce? Paddlefish can produce roe and eggs that make caviar equal to 15% of their body weight. 

What are the other common names of American paddlefish? The sturgeon-like fish is also known as Mississippi paddlefish, spoonbill and spoon-billed cat. How many species are in the genus of paddlefish? Only the American paddlefish (Polyodon spathula) species remains in the genus Polyodon, making it a “living fossil.”