Paddlefish fishing
Polyodon spathula. Long, paddle or spoon-shaped snout (rostrum) that can reach nearly a third of the fish's total body length.
Paddlefish fishing uses a large barbless treble hook on 30 to 100 lb line. South Dakota's Missouri River reservoirs (Lake Sharpe, Lake Francis Case) rely partly on hatchery stocking: the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Gavins Point hatchery rears American paddlefish stocked into the Missouri River.
Published by Fishypedia · Sources last checked September 21, 2026
Drafted by AI from the cited sources and checked before publishing.
- Active times
- –
- Line
- 30–100 lb
- Hook sizes
- Large barbless treble hooks, roughly size 8/0 to 14/0
- Stocked in
- 3 states
- Peak in SD
- September
Identification
- Long, paddle or spoon-shaped snout (rostrum) that can reach nearly a third of the fish's total body length.
- Smooth, scaleless skin, unlike the bony plates (scutes) covering a sturgeon, the other big fish sharing these reservoirs.
- Deeply forked, shark-like (heterocercal) tail fin.
- Wide mouth that gapes fully open while feeding and has no teeth, unlike a sturgeon's small sucking mouth.
- Small, laterally placed eyes; bluish gray to blackish back grading to a white belly.
Sources: fws.gov, accessed September 21, 2026 , en.wikipedia.org, accessed September 21, 2026 , gfp.sd.gov, accessed September 21, 2026 , fws.gov, accessed September 21, 2026
Top lures
Cast cross-stream, swept side to side with the rod tip, reeling up slack between sweeps.
Sources: wildlifedepartment.com, accessed September 21, 2026 , wildlifedepartment.com, accessed September 21, 2026 , gfp.sd.gov, accessed September 21, 2026
Top baits
Sources: wildlifedepartment.com, accessed September 21, 2026 , gfp.sd.gov, accessed September 21, 2026
Line & tackle
- Line
- 30–100 lb
- Rod power
- Hook sizes
- Large barbless treble hooks, roughly size 8/0 to 14/0
Sources: wildlifedepartment.com, accessed September 21, 2026
Stocked behavior
South Dakota's Missouri River reservoirs (Lake Sharpe, Lake Francis Case) rely partly on hatchery stocking: the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Gavins Point hatchery rears American paddlefish stocked into the Missouri River.
Common mistakes
- Waiting to feel a bite; paddlefish are caught by snagging, with the angler sweeping the rod tip across the water.
- Spooling up with line too light; paddlefish tackle is 30- to 100-pound test line, a large treble hook (size 8/0 to 14/0) and a 2- to 8-ounce weight.
- Making sweeps within 20 feet of the bank; the tackle can fly out of the water toward those on the bank.
Best time to fish Paddlefish
Most commonly stocked in September in South Dakota, based on 57 stocking events on record.
Where it's stocked
State records
| State | Weight | Angler | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | 106.00 lbs | William Chumbler Calvert City, KY | Ohio River | 2004 |
| Montana | 142.5 lbs. | Larry Branstetter | Missouri River Near Kipp Park | 1973 |
Common questions
What lures work for Paddlefish?
Large barbless treble hook, bank sweep-cast: Cast cross-stream, swept side to side with the rod tip, reeling up slack between sweeps.
What bait works for Paddlefish?
No bait, bare hook. Casting weight ahead of the hook.
How big do Paddlefish get?
The Kentucky record is 106.00 lbs from Ohio River in 2004. The Montana record is 142.5 lbs. from Missouri River Near Kipp Park in 1973.