87-lb paddlefish tagged in 2007 caught again at 98 lbs, 18 years later
An impressive paddlefish, initially tagged in 2007, made headlines when an angler recaught it after an astonishing eighteen years. This ancient species revealed invaluable long-term growth data to scientists, adding eleven pounds and increasing its length by three inches. Such recaptures are pivotal, offering critical insights into fish survival and migration, underscoring the necessity of…
In 2007, a North Dakota fisheries biologist tagged an 87-pound paddlefish in the Yellowstone River near the Montana border. This female fish was then transported to the Garrison Dam National Fish Hatchery, where she served as a brood fish before being released into Lake Sakakawea two years later. Measuring 48 inches and weighing 87 pounds, the paddlefish remained in the Missouri River system for nearly two decades.
Recently, on May 2, 2025, during North Dakota's annual paddlefish snagging season, an angler caught the same fish 98 pounds upstream of Williston. Now measuring 51 inches, the fish had grown significantly in both length and weight, providing researchers with unprecedented data on the life of an individual paddlefish. This 18-year journey showcases the resilience of these ancient fish, commonly known as "living fossils," which can live for over 60 years under suitable conditions.
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