Photo: North Dakota Game & Fish Department

BISMARCK, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – After a different year surrounding paddlefish snagging, Game & Fish has announced a somewhat normal approach when the season begins May 1st.

Game & Fish Wildlife Biologist Doug Leier reports the season will run through May 21st, but depending on overall harvest, an early in-season closure may occur with a 24-hour notice.

Legal snagging hours are from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central Time daily. One tag per snagger will be issued. Snagging is legal in all areas of the Yellowstone River in North Dakota, and in the area of the Missouri River lying west of the U.S. Highway 85 bridge to the Montana border, excluding that portion from the pipeline crossing (river mile 1,577) downstream to the upper end of the Lewis and Clark Wildlife Management Area (river mile 1,565).

Leier added that non-residents can also participate.

Mandatory harvest of all snagged paddlefish is required on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. On these days, all paddlefish caught must be kept and tagged immediately. All paddlefish snagged and tagged must be removed from the river by 7 p.m. of each snagging day. Any fish left at the Confluence fish cleaning caviar operation after 8 p.m. the day they were snagged will be considered abandoned and the snagger is subject to a fine.

Snag-and-release of all paddlefish is required on Sundays, Mondays and Thursdays. Participants during snag-and-release-only days need to have in their possession a current season, unused paddlefish snagging tag.

You can catch Doug Leier every Thursday at 7:35 AM on Big Dog Country 95.5 FM.