The following are press releases by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, shared as a courtesy to our followers:

FWP announces new tagging options for paddlefish harvest

GLASGOW – Starting this year, paddlefish anglers will have new options for tagging harvested paddlefish. There are no more colored plastic tags to attach to the harvested fish.

Paddlefish tags now mirror big game tag options and validation requirements. When a paddlefish is harvested, the angler should complete the tagging requirements before the carcass is tied up to shore, stored in a cooler, cleaned or filleted, removed from the harvest location, or the angler leaves the harvest site.

When purchasing a tag, anglers have the choice of a paper tag or an e-tag. The paper tag needs to be validated by cutting out the correct month and day the fish was harvested. The e-tag is validated electronically.

The validated tag (paper or e-tag) must accompany the angler while the paddlefish or carcass is in possession. Make sure all e-tags are downloaded before going out of service.

Mandatory reporting varies by tag area:

In addition to tagging, anglers are required to report the harvest of any paddlefish according to the specific reporting time and methods for each tag area.

• White tag: within 48 hours via onsite check station, phone hotline or myfwp.
• Yellow or green tag: before transporting fish or by 9 p.m. the day of harvest via phone hotline or myfwp only. Note: self-check stations are for biological data submission only for the yellow and green tag.
• Blue tag: within 48 hours via onsite check station, creel staff, phone hotline or myfwp.

Anglers lacking cell service can transport an unreported paddlefish, and once they are back in service have 48 hours to report the harvest. However, as mentioned above, anglers with an e-tag must validate their e-tag or notch their paper tag immediately upon harvest of the paddlefish, regardless of cell phone coverage.

The phone hotline number is 1-877-FWP-WILD or 406-444-0356, and the online reporting option is through myfwp.mt.gov.

Paddlefish dashboards 

• FWP introduced an online paddlefish dashboard for the blue tag area in 2025 that tracks harvest rates and other information.
• Dashboards are now available for the yellow and green tag areas. 
• A paddlefish dashboard is not available for the Upper Missouri (white tag). The dashboards will only be active for the yellow/green tag and blue tag areas.
• Anglers interested in paddlefish harvest updates can check the dashboards (fwp.mt.gov/fish/regulations/paddlefish) or continue to check the regional Facebook pages or call the regional offices. 

Special information for 2026

• FWP creel clerks will not be onsite to assist anglers with paddlefish harvest.
• Four self-reporting boxes have been placed at various locations: FWP administration site at Kipp, the entrance to Jones Island, entrance to Slippery Ann and Rock Creek campsite. Instructions on how to report and submit a jaw section are detailed on each box. Anglers who report their fish and submit a jaw sample (4-inch section of lower jaw) will receive a 2026 paddlefish hat. Anglers must also provide their name and mailing address to receive the hat. 

For more information on paddlefish, including season dates and harvest dashboards, go to fwp.mt.gov/fish/regulations/paddlefish.

-fwp-

Paddlefish seasons on lower Yellowstone, lower Missouri opens May 15

May 13, 2026 12:18 PM

MILES CITY – Both the yellow tag paddlefish season on the lower Yellowstone River and the green tag paddlefish season on the Missouri River downstream of Fort Peck Dam open May 15. For complete details on these seasons, anglers should refer to the paddlefish regulations or visit FWP’s paddlefish page.

Reminders for yellow tag season:

• Paddlefishing is limited to two sections of the Yellowstone River: 1) from the upstream edge of the Tongue River confluence to the Sullivan Creek confluence (1/2 mile downstream of Calypso Bridge); and 2) from Glendive Black Bridge to the North Dakota line.
• The Powder and Tongue rivers are excluded, along with the Missouri River downstream of Fort Peck Dam (now green tag area), and the Intake bypass channel.
• Catch-and-release is expanded to the two Yellowstone sections on designated days, but anglers must have an unused harvest tag for the current season to participate.
• Paddlefish snagging is prohibited within the 2-mile intake bypass channel.
• Paddlefish can be snagged from a boat only when the boat is beached on shore or on an exposed island, but once a paddlefish is snagged, the boat can follow the fish to land it.
• The season is shortened to May 15-June15.

Reminders for green tag season:

• Catch-and-release is not permitted.
• Tag is not valid on the Fort Peck Reservation.
• Snagging in the Milk River is not permitted.
• The season is shortened to May 15-June15.

Paddlefish season on the Upper Missouri River, from Fort Peck Dam to Fort Benton (white tag), opened May 1 and will close June 15. Archery season for the Fort Peck Dredge Cuts (blue tag) will open July 1 and close Aug. 15.

-fwp-

^{Feature photo by FWP}