04-21-2005, 03:49 PM
North Dakota's 2005 paddlefish snagging season is set to open May 1, and regulations for the upcoming season are identical to last year.
The snagging season is scheduled to run through May 31, with legal snagging hours from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. One tag per snagger will be issued. A harvest cap of 1,000 fish may result in the season closing prior to May 31.
Snag-and-release of all paddlefish will be required on Mondays and Tuesdays. Those planning to participate during the snag-and-release-only days will need to have in their possession a current season, unused paddlefish snagging tag. Since all fish on the two catch-and-release days must be released, the use or possession of gaffs is prohibited on Mondays and Tuesdays.
During the other five days of the week, mandatory harvest of all snagged paddlefish is required. The use or possession of a gaff within one half mile in either direction of the Highway 200 bridge on the Yellowstone River is illegal at any time during the snagging season.
Snagging is legal in all areas of the Yellowstone River in North Dakota, and in that 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).
Maps of the open and closed areas are available at all paddlefish tag vendors, and can be accessed on the game and fish website. The map is available in two formats:
Paddlefish map graphic (201Kb jpg) or
Paddlefish PDF map (434Kb):
Requires Adobe® Acrobat® Reader™. Download a free copy at [url "http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readermain.html"]http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readermain.html[/url]
If you already have Reader™ download paddlefish map (434 Kb) here.
Cost of a paddlefish tag is $3 for residents and $7.50 for nonresidents. Refer to the 2004-2006 North Dakota Fishing Guide for additional information.
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The snagging season is scheduled to run through May 31, with legal snagging hours from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. One tag per snagger will be issued. A harvest cap of 1,000 fish may result in the season closing prior to May 31.
Snag-and-release of all paddlefish will be required on Mondays and Tuesdays. Those planning to participate during the snag-and-release-only days will need to have in their possession a current season, unused paddlefish snagging tag. Since all fish on the two catch-and-release days must be released, the use or possession of gaffs is prohibited on Mondays and Tuesdays.
During the other five days of the week, mandatory harvest of all snagged paddlefish is required. The use or possession of a gaff within one half mile in either direction of the Highway 200 bridge on the Yellowstone River is illegal at any time during the snagging season.
Snagging is legal in all areas of the Yellowstone River in North Dakota, and in that 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).
Maps of the open and closed areas are available at all paddlefish tag vendors, and can be accessed on the game and fish website. The map is available in two formats:
Paddlefish map graphic (201Kb jpg) or
Paddlefish PDF map (434Kb):
Requires Adobe® Acrobat® Reader™. Download a free copy at [url "http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readermain.html"]http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readermain.html[/url]
If you already have Reader™ download paddlefish map (434 Kb) here.
Cost of a paddlefish tag is $3 for residents and $7.50 for nonresidents. Refer to the 2004-2006 North Dakota Fishing Guide for additional information.
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