Anglers should be aware of significant changes to paddlefish regulations this year and carefully review them before buying a tag.

The changes are targeted at maximizing paddlefishing opportunities, while also looking to sustain the fishery for years to come.

Hooks must now be barbless or pinched, and only one treble hook per line is allowed for snagging (harvest or catch and release).

In addition, the use of forward-facing sonar when angling for paddlefish is banned. Side-imaging sonar, down-imaging sonar, and 2D sonar are still allowed. This change aims to protect spawning females, which tend to be larger.

Anglers are still required to report the harvest of any paddlefish, and deadlines and methods vary by tag area. However, anglers lacking cell service now can transport an unreported paddlefish and once back in service have 48 hours to report the harvest.

Anglers now can choose between the yellow tag, new green tag (Missouri River downstream of Ft. Peck Dam), blue archery tag (now E-tag only), or white tag (no changes for 2025).

For complete details on each tag and to be aware of significant changes in some tag areas, anglers should refer to the regulations or to FWP’s paddlefish page at https://fwp.mt.gov/fish/regulations/paddlefish