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Jan. 23, 2024Des Moines, Iowa |  By: Jeremy Werner

Iowa DNR offers advice for upcoming paddlefish season

paddlefish

DES MOINES, Iowa - The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says anglers are getting ready for the paddlefish snagging season.

It opens on February 1 and continues through April 30 on the Missouri and Big Sioux rivers, from sunrise to sunset.

The Iowa DNR says you should make sure you have a valid Iowa fishing license, a special paddlefish license, and unused transportation tags.

Anglers are urged to keep track of their catch and effort, participating in an electronic survey after the season to aid the Iowa DNR in evaluating its success and making any necessary changes.

If you happen to catch a jaw-tagged fish, report the tag number, date of capture, location, and eye-to-fork length to the phone number on the tag.

This information helps the DNR and other fisheries agencies in understanding and managing paddlefish populations. Be aware of ongoing drought conditions, potentially affecting Missouri River boat ramp access.

For more information, visit iowadnr.gov/paddlefish.