GLASGOW – Starting this year, paddlefish anglers will have new tagging 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 taken into possession (harvested), the angler shall 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.
Anglers will get the choice when purchasing the tag for their desired paddlefishing area whether to have a paper tag, which needs to be validated by cutting out the correct month and day the fish was harvested, or e-tag, which will be 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 the 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 a paddlefish, regardless of cell phone coverage.
The phone hotline number is 1-877-FWP-WILD or 406-444-0356, and the online reporting options is at myfwp.mt.gov.
Additional paddlefish info can be found on the FWP website: https://fwp.mt.gov/fish/regulations/paddlefish