Paddlefish Season Start In Dredge Cuts
July 1 marks the beginning of the archery-only paddlefish season in the Fort Peck Dredge Cuts below Fort Peck Dam. Archery anglers need to purchase a 2023 blue paddlefish harvest tag to target paddlefish in the Dredge Cuts. As in previous years, harvested paddlefish are required to be reported within 48 hours.
Anglers can self-report their harvested paddlefish and voluntarily submit a dentary (jaw) sample at three self-creeling locations near the Dredge Cuts: Floodplain (Winter Harbor), Nelson Dredge, and Roundhouse Point boat ramps. Anglers can also report online at myfwp. mt.gov, or by calling the phone hotline (1-877-FWPWILD or 406-444-0356).
Anglers need to provide all necessary information about their harvest, including: angler tag number, jaw tag number (if present), length (eye-tail fork), sex, and date of harvest.
In addition, anglers are encouraged to provide a section of their harvested paddlefish lower jaw at the creeling stations. The jaw section is used to age harvested paddlefish and allows biologists and managers to understand age structure of the population and ensure sustainable management of paddlefish in the future.
If anglers fill out all the required information on the envelopes and voluntarily submit a jaw section, they will receive a free unique 2023 Montana paddlefish hat! Anglers should try their best to provide as much info as they can, both on the fish and themselves. Without a legible name and mailing address written on the envelope, it can be difficult to get the correct person identified.
Anglers failing to report a harvested paddlefish within 48 hours will be ineligible to purchase a paddlefish tag in 2024.
Questions regarding the Dredge Cut paddlefish season or reporting paddlefish harvested in the Dredge Cuts can be directed to biologist Jared Krebs at 406-808-7068 or jared.krebs@mt.gov.
