Observations on the life history, movement, and harvest of the paddlefish, Polyodon spathula in
Montana
by John Wesley Robinson
A thesis submitted to the Graduate Faculty in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
MASTER OF SCIENCE in Fish and Wildlife Management
Montana State University
© Copyright by John Wesley Robinson (1966)
Abstract:
The life history, movements and harvest of the paddlefish in Montana were studied from 1963 to 1965»
Specimens were secured from the Yellowstone and Missouri Rivers by snagging, seining, poisoning,
and gill netting. A total of 486 specimens collected for age and growth were in the-age classes 4 to 28.
About 88 percent of the paddlefish collected at Intake were in age classes 7 -12 and these had an
average total length of $0.4 inches and weighed 23-28 pounds. About 6l percent of those from the
dredge cuts were in age classes 17 - 24 and averaged 30-7 inches and 20.83 pounds while 65 percent of
the paddlefish from the-Missouri River were in age classes 19 - 23 and averaged 39-5 inches and 54.27
pounds. The - same age classes were-represented each year in each area- Females were generally older
and larger than males. The - ratio of males to females was as 'follows: Intake (1,4-03 specimens) -
35.9:1; Dredge-cuts (75 specimens) - 2.5:1; Missouri River (37 specimens) - 1.8:1. The estimated
number of eggs for 4 females ranged from 82,397 to 269,043- Egg diameters ranged from.2.35 to 2.43
millimeters. Of l,l46 paddlefish tagged at Intake, 164 were recaptured one or more times. Four of these
moved about 200 -river miles downstream from' the tagging site, one moved about 100 miles upstream,
and one moved about 70 miles down the Yellowstone River and 190 miles up the Missouri River. The
-harvest for the Intake area was estimated at 2,562 paddlefish or 28 tons in 1964 and 1,143 paddlefish
or 12 tons in 1965. 
OBSERVATIONS ON THE LIFE HISTORY, MOVEMENT, AND HARVEST 
OF THE PADDLEFISH, POLYODON»SPATHHLA; IN MONTANA
by
JOHN WESLEY ROBINSON
A thesis submitted to the Graduate Faculty in partial 
fulfillment of the requirements for the degree
of
MASTER OF SCIENCE
in
Fish and Wildlife Management
Approved:
Chapman, Examining Committee
MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY 
Bozeman, Montana
March, 1966
iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The■writer■wishes to extend gratitude to all who helped in the course 
■of this study. Dr, C. J. D, Brown directed the study and assisted in pre­
paring the thesis. Dr. Richard J. Graham gave■valuable - assistance in 
organizing the study. James Posewitz suggested the problem .and gave 
valuable field assistance along with Richard Johnson, Robert Chesterfield, 
Ronald .Marcoux, Ted Becker, William Hill, and the various sportsmen of 
eastern Montana. I am indebted to my wife, Sandra, for her assistance, 
patience, and encouragement. The Montana Fish and Game Department fi­
nanced the study under Federal Aid to Fisheries Restoration Projects 
OBSSERVSSA F-ll-R-12, and F-ll-R-13-
iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
VITA . . . . . .
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 
LIST OF TABLES . 
LIST -OF FIGDPES 
ABSTRACT .. . . . 
INTRODUCTION . .
e e A » o e " e a o e e e e - a e o ii
iii
v
vi
vii
I
Methods 4
LIFE HISTORY . . . 6
Age and Growth 6
Intake . . . . . . . . . . . .
Dredge cuts . . . . . . . . .
Missouri River . . . . . . . .
7
8 
8
Se2c Ratios . . . . . . .
Fecundity . . . . . . . .
MOVEMENT . . . . . . . . . . .
HARVEST . . . . . . . . . . .
LITERATURE CITED . . . . . . .
10
11 
12 
15 
17
VLIST OF TABLES
Page
1. The age, average total length, and number of paddlefish-col­
lected in Montana . o . . . . - . , .  = _ = . . «  = o ' = .  o , o . »  7
2. Sex ratios: of paddlefish from Montana 11
3. The■age, total length, and weight of paddlefish, weight of
ovaries, estimated number and average diameter of eggs = = = 12
4= Number of paddlefish tagged and recaptured o . = . = = = . =  I4
■5. Paddlefish harvest from Intake. O . . . = = . = . = = = = = =  15
vi
LIST OF FIGURES
Page
1. .Map showing the■study area o e . . . « . o  2
2. The -Intake■study area on the Yellowstone River . . . . . . .  3
.3« The dredge out study area below Fort Peck Reservoir . . . . ' 4
4. Cross sections of dentary bones from paddlefish . . . . . .  6
3. The relation between total .length and age of Montana paddle-
f l S h .  # e e e o o e  e » ® e e e e e o o » o e e e e e e o o o 9
ABSTRACT
The life history, movements and harvest of the paddlefish in Montana 
■were studied from 1963 to 1965» Specimens were secured from the Yellowstone 
and Missouri Rivers by snagging, seining, poisoning, and gill netting. A 
total of 486 specimens collected for age and growth were in the-age class­
es 4 to 28. About 88 percent of the paddlefish collected at Intake were in 
age classes 7 - 1 2  and these had an average total length of $0.4 inches 
and weighed 23-28 pounds. About 6l percent of those from the dredge cuts 
were in age classes 17 - 24 and averaged 30-7 inches and 20.83 pounds 
while 65 percent of the paddlefish from the-Missouri River were in age 
classes 19 - 23 and averaged 39-5 inches and 54.27 pounds. The - same age 
classes were-represented each year in each area- Females were generally 
older and larger',than males. The - ratio of males to females was as 
'follows: Intake (1,4-03 specimens) - 35-9:1; Dredge-cuts (75 specimens) -
2-5:1; Missouri River (37 specimens) - 1.8:1. The estimated number of 
eggs for 4 females ranged from 82,397 to 269,043- Egg diameters ranged 
from.2.35 to 2.43 millimeters. Of l,l46 paddlefish tagged at Intake, 164 
were recaptured one or more times. Four of these moved about 200 -river 
miles downstream from' the tagging site, one moved about 100 miles upstream, 
and one moved about 70 miles down the Yellowstone River and 190 miles up 
the Missouri River. The harvest for the Intake area was estimated at 
2 ,562 paddlefish or 28 tons in 1964 and 1,143 paddlefish or 12 tons in
1965.
INTRODUCTION
The■paddlefish is native to the Missouri and Yellowstone Rivers of 
Montana. The•first authentic record of paddlefish for Montana was in 1946 
(Brown, 1951)• Since that time it has been reported on several occasions 
in the upper end of Fort Peck Reservoir■on the Missouri River and in -the' 
dredge cuts below the■dam. While-unconfirmed reports of paddlefish 
catches exist for the Yellowstone River prior to 1961, the first large 
run was observed in 1962. This occurred below the Intake diversion dam. 
Since the paddlefish has become better known, fishing pressure has in­
creased in several areas. In view of the increased respect given the 
paddlefish as a food and game fish, the Montana Legislature changed its 
status to a game fish effective July I, 1965« The importance of this fish 
stimulated the Montana Fish .and Game Department to finance the present 
study which concerns the life history, movement, and harvest of the 
paddlefish. This study-extended from-May 1963 to December 1965° Field 
collections were -made during .May and June of 1964 and May through August 
of 1965 at two locations on the Missouri River and one-on the Yellowstone 
River (Figure l).
Most data were•collected from the area below the-Intake diversion 
dam, which is located on the Yellowstone River 20.1 river miles down­
stream from Glendive, Montana. Paddlefish were concentrated there proba­
bly because of difficulty in passing over the dam. The river at this 
place has a mean width'of about 800 feet and is very swift and turbulent 
(Figure 2). The bottom is composed of large boulders, rubble, and gravel
MALTA •
MISSOURI R |VERGLASGOW-
DREDGE CUTS SAMPLING  ARE/
SIDNEY
MISSOURI RIVER 
I  SAMPLING AREA
INTAKE SAMPLING AREA
IGLENDIVE
•LEW I STOW N
MILES
BILLINGS
Figure I. Map showing the study areas,
interspersed with sandy areas. Fishing is almost entirely confined to 
the northwest bank, since the southeast bank is inaccessible except by 
boat, during periods of high water.
Collections were also made from two areas of the Missouri River.
One is located about 10 miles upstream from Fort Peck Reservoir and ex­
tends for about 5 miles along the northeast shore of the river. The 
river here has a low velocity without turbulence and has a mean width of
-3-
Figure 2. The Intake study area on the Yellowstone River= Photo by 
Hector LaCasse.
about 350 feet. The bottom is composed mostly of mud and silt. The other 
area is a dredge cut, where earth was borrowed for the construction of the 
dam (Figure 3). This is located about I mile below Fort Peck Reservoir 
and is more or less isolated from the Missouri River. It has an area of 
about 300 surface acres and a maximum depth of 22 feet. The bottom is 
mainly clay with some gravel areas.
Figure 3* The dredge cut study area below Fort Peck Reservoir. Photo by 
Eugene Kuszmahl.
Methods
Four methods of collecting paddlefish were used in each collection 
area; snagging, seining, poisoning, and gill netting. Snagging was 
effective in the rivers where the fish were concentrated but of little 
value in standing water where no such concentrations existed. Seining 
(250 foot 3/k inch bar mesh beach seine) was most effective in standing 
water. Poisoning (Pro-Nox Fish) was quite successful where an entire unit 
of water could be treated but entirely ineffective for spot treatments.
-5-
Very few fish' were taken with gill nets. Regardless of where the nets were 
set, large mesh (3 and 4 inch bar -measure) nets were the-most effective.
A total of 3)173 paddlefish was weighed to the nearest 0.23 pound- 
using a Chattilon spring balance calibrated to the nearest 0.3 pound.
Length .measurements (to the nearest 0.1 inch) were -recorded for 1,979 of 
these-and sex for 1,515• Dentary bones, were secured for age and growth 
determinations. Cross sections (200 io 500 micra in thickness) were cut 
from either side of the dentary bone near the - symphysis, at a place-where 
■the bone bends caudo-mesiad. These -cross sections were-.studied under 
magnification (30x) and annuli determined and counted. Jaw-sections from 
old fish whose -bones are mature and heavily calcified were cleared in 
xylene.
An estimate of the harvest of paddlefish.was - secured from creel 
census data. .Almost all the fishermen were-given creel census cards when 
they began fishing. The-cards - called for information on the-number of 
paddlefish- caught, the number kept, and the place of residence - of the 
fisherman. A total of 66.2 percent of the cards handed out•in 1964 and 
., 47.7 percent in 1965 were returned. The -number of paddlefish caught and 
the number-kept per fisherman trip as well as the total harvest (weight, 
numbers) were calculated from these-returns. The catch per trip was based 
on the number of fishermen contacted in a.given day. A few fishermen may 
have.been counted twice in one day-if they left the Intake•area and re­
turned later to fish again.
-6-
LIFE HISTORY 
Age and Growth
The dentary bones from 486 paddlefish were sectioned and studied. 
The dark discrete bands which appeared in cross section of these bones 
were interpreted as annuli (Figure 4). The halo-like and short bands
Figure 4. Cross sections of dentary bones from paddlefish.
A- 40.8 inch, 5-year-old fish. B- 48.2 inch, 9-year-old fish. 
C- 52.9 inch, 12-year-old fish. Photos by Donald Fritts.
which ended abruptly or coalesced with others were not considered annuli. 
Annuli were more easily distinguished in the mesial arm since they are 
more widely separated and all counts were restricted to this area.
Intake
Age■and actual total lengths were determined for 3^3 paddlefish col- 
lected from this .area and calculated total lengths at each annulus were 
determined for 258 of these. Ages of these fish ranged from 4 to 23 years 
(Table l). The youngest fish had an actual total length of 37*8 inches
Table I. The age, average total length, and number of paddlefish collect­
ed 'in Montana.
Age
class
Intake Dredge■cuts Missouri River
No.
;fish
Avg.
actual
length
Avg.
■No. calculated
fish length
No.
fish
Avg. 
actual ' 
length
No.
fish
Avg.
actual
length
I 258 8 .2
2 258 16.0
3 258 22 .7
4 ■1 37*8 258 28.7
5 2 38.2 257 33*7
6 4- 45.2 253 37*8
7 13 43.6 233 41.3
8 47 48.0 245 44.1 I 39*0
■9 ■ 73 43.9 195 46.4 3 39*1
10 ' 79 50.4 164 47.8 I 44.5 '
11 64 ■ 52 .2 96 48.9 • 4 47.5
12 25 54.3 49 48.6 4 46.2 I 49.0
13 5 55*2 24 46.3 4 44.7 2 54.1
l4 I 48.0 18 45*7 7 47.0 -
15 2 51*9 -17 47.5 5 49.9 4 51.3
16 5 53*6 16 49.2 4 48.4 ' 'I 33-1
17 5 54.1 15 30.5 11 30.3 2 55-4
18 6 55.6 12 51-5= 6 48.4 - —
19 4 54.5 10 52 .2 11 .51*1 6 38.3
20 4 58 .1 7 33-2 '. ll 33.8 3 39.6
21 - 3 32.3 8 52.5 3 60.3
22 - 3 32 .3  \ 6 33.1 . 2 ■ 62.9
23 I ' 57.5 3 54.1 8 54.5 ■ 4 63.1
24 - 2 33-9 6 53-1 ■ 3 67.7
25 2 57*4 2 36.3 ■ 2 51.4 3 67.9
. 26 2 56.0 .
27 4 56.4
28 I 50.6
while the oldest was 56.2 inches. The average actual growth increment for
—8—
paddlefish, ages 4 to -13) was 1.9 inches per year, while those from age 14 
to .25 had an increment of 0.2 inches. The average actual growth increment 
for all fish was 1.1 inches (Figure 5). The-average annual calculated 
growth increment of paddlefish was 7.2 inches per year for ages I to 4,
2.9 inches for ages 5 toll, and 0.5 inches for ages 12 to 25 (Table-l). 
The average-calculated growth increment for all fish was 2.2 inches per 
year. The average calculated growth increment for all fish is greater 
■than the actual growth■increment. This maybe accounted for by the. 
absence-of the young faster growing fish. I have no explanation for the 
calculated total lengths always being less than the actual lengths. Males 
ranged in age from 4 to l6 years with 9 0 1 percent■of them•younger ■ than 13 
years. Females ranged in age from 7 to 25 years with 71 percent older 
than I6 years.
Dredge■cuts
Dentary bones from 109 -paddlefish were collected in this area. 
Specimens .ranged in age from 8 to 28 years. The youngest had a total 
length of 39*0 inches while the oldest was 50 -6 inches. ■N o ■calculated 
total lengths were determined for these fish because they were -mostly 
older and were-extremely difficult to age. The average actual growth 
increment-of paddlefish was 2.7 inches per year for ages 8 to 11, 0.4 
inches for fish older than 11, and 0.7 inches for all the fish. Males 
ranged in age from 8 to-28 and represented all age classes. Females 
■ranged from 11 to 27 years with 8l percent older than 15«
Missouri River
Thirty-four paddlefish from this area ranged in age from 12 t o >25
-9-
8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28
AGE IN YEARS
Figure 5. The relation between total length and age of Montana paddlefish. 
I-A Intake actual lengths. I-C Intake calculated lengths.
D-A Dredge cuts actual lengths. M-A Missouri River actual 
length.
-HO-
years. The youngest had a total length of 4$o0 inches while the oldest 
was 72.8 inches. The calculated total lengths of these fish were not de­
termined. The average actual growth increment was 2.1 inches per year 
for all the fish. Males ranged in age from 12 to 25 years and represented 
all age classes. Females ranged from 19 to 25 years and were all older 
than 18.
There were no great differences in age class distribution in the 
years for which collections were made at any one area. However there 
were differences between the areas. The majority of the fish taken at 
Intake were in age classes 7 - 1 2  whereas those from the dredge cuts were 
17 - 24 and those from the Missouri River I9 - 25 (Table l).
The average actual total lengths and ,growth increments and the aver­
age calculated total lengths and growth increments for Montana paddlefish 
are less than those reported by D. H. Thompson (1953) arid L. A. Adams 
(1942) in Illinois and A. Houser (1965) in Oklahoma. Adams (1942.) re­
ported that the most rapid period of growth for paddlefish occurred dur­
ing the first 3 years. This was also true for the Montana paddlefish. but 
the growth was less in the Montana specimens.
Sex Ratios
Sex was determined by examination of the gonads since no sexual di­
morphism was found in the paddlefish. A total of 75 fish taken from the
dredge 'cuts had a ratio of 2 = 5 males to I female. Thirty of these were
!
collected in July of 1963 when one branch of the "cuts", containing 65 
acres, was isolated and poisoned (Table 2). The rest were obtained by
-11-
Table'2. Sex ratios of paddlefish from .Montana.
Number
Location Year • of fish ■Males (%) Females (,%) Sex ratio
Dredge■cuts
1963 30 76/7 23=3 . -. ,3^3:1 -
1965 45 68.9 31=1 2.2:1
Missouri River 1965 37 64.9 35.1 .1 .8 :1
1963 14 100.0 0 .0 .14.0:0
Intake Dam 1964 832 97.5 2 .7 36 .8 :1
1965 557 97.1 2 .9 33=8:1
netting and snagging in the■other■areas of the■dredge cuts, during July 
and August of 1965« The 37 paddlefish collected by netting and snagging 
in the-Missouri River during May and June of 1963-showed a ratio of 1.8 
males to I female. The sex ratio of I 5iKTJ paddlefish taken by snagging at 
Intake during May of 1963 and May and June of 1964 and 1965? was 35=9:1° 
The greater preponderance of males at this place may have resulted from 
males-migrating further upstream than females during the spawning season 
or it:may be due to a difference in time of migration between the - sexes.
Fecundity
The ovaries of 15■paddlefish were collected for making egg counts. 
Only three taken at Intake in June and one from the dredge cuts in August, 
1965, had .mature - eggs. The other 11 were taken in the dredge cuts in July 
and August of 1965 and had .minute eggs. The number of eggs was estimated 
for each fish by weighing the■ovaries and then counting the eggs in 8 sub^ 
samples (4 from each ovary) constituting approximately 5 percent of the 
•total weight.
-12-
The-estimated number of eggs for the 4 paddlefish ranged from 82,397 
to 269,043 '.('Table 3 )= The smallest female had^a .total length of 47 = 7
Table 3= The age, total length, and weight of paddlefish, weight of 
ovaries, estimated number and average diameter of eggs=
Coll = Total Weight of Weight of Estimated Avg= diameter
No = Age length fish (Ibu ) < } ovary (gm.-)i,:) No = eggs eggs (mm=)
1499* 16 51.9 21.25 1,332 171,387 2.35
1-112 15 47.7 16=50 576 82,397 2.43
1-115 18 51.9 22 = 00 692 99,541 2.40
DC-41 24 53.8 46.75 1,826 269,043 2.38
* I - fish from Intake;' DC - fish from the dredge cuts=
inches and weighed l6=30 pounds while the largest was 53=8 inches long and 
weighed 46=75 pounds= Needham (1965) reported that a 40=00 pound paddle­
fish had 371,480 eggs and a 68 pound female 608,650= The weights of 
ovaries from the 4 Montana paddlefish are less than those.for most ripe 
females taken in Missouri (Purkett, 1961). The mature eggs of Montana 
paddlefish ranged from 2=35 to 2=43 millimeters in polar diameter= These 
were preserved while within the ovary in 10 percent formalin for 5 to 6 
months= Larimore (1950) showed a diameter of 2=0 millimeters and Stockard 
(1907) a polar diameter of 2=7 and an equatorial diameter of 2=2 milli­
meters= There was no correlation between the age and size of the fish and 
the size of the eggs for the Montana specimens.
MOVEMENT
An attempt Was made to study the movement o^ f paddlefish captured at 
Intake= Fish from this area were collected by snagging and only those in 
good physical condition were tagged= A total of 778 paddlefish was tagged
-13-
with numbered plastic bands (poultry— size 11) placed around the dentary 
bone= Since the tag numbers were repeated, a different color was used 
each year (blue in 1964 and white in 1965)« A numbered yellow dart tag 
inserted below the anterior portion of the dorsal fin was used on an ad­
ditional 368 fish in 1964„ A total of 1,146 fish was tagged and 1,120 of 
these were released below the dam and 26 above= The average weight of 
1,134 fish was 20=80 pounds and the-average total length of 344 fish was 
49=5 inches=
A total of 866 fish was tagged in 1964 and the number, of fish re­
captured is as follows (Table 4): 101 fish (11=6$) were recaptured once
and 9 fish (1=0$) were recaptured twice in 1964; 17 fish (1=9$) were re­
captured once and I fish (0=1$) was recaptured twice in 1965; 3 fish 
(0=3$) were recaptured once in 1964 and once in 1965; I fish (0.1$) was 
recaptured once in 1964 and twice in 1965» -Of 280. fish .tagged in 1965, 17 
(6=1$) were recaptured once and none have been recaptured twice= A total 
of 13=8 percent of the returns came from Intake where they were released= 
Subtracting the fish removed (83) and mortalities of.unknown causes (3 ) 
from the total number tagged leaves a possible 1,060 fish unaccounted for=
Six fish tagged in 1964 -were caught-in areas other than Intake = Four 
of these were taken'in the-Shell Creek area of Garrison Reservoir— three 
on June 29, 1964-and one on July I, I965. The 3 fish recaptured in 1964 
had moved downstream about 200 river miles from the tagging site. Re­
capture dates were 32, 4l, and 45 days after release. The-specimen re­
covered in Garrison Reservoir in 1965 was taken 4o6 days after release=
Table 4. Number of paddlefish tagged, and recaptured.
May 8-June 20, 
1964
May 12-June l4,
1965 Totals
Total number tagged and 
released 866 280 1,146
Total number recaptured
in 1964 123 —  —  — 123
Number recaptured and
released in 1964 64 —  —- 64
Number of recaptured fish 
caught and. released
again in 1964 9 —  — 9
Total number recaptured 
in 1965 24 18 42
Number recaptured and
4released in 1965 2 6
Number of recaptured fish
caught and released 
again in 1965 2* 0 2
* These fish came . from the 64 fish recaptured and released in 1964.
One tagged paddlefish was recovered at the mouth of the ■ Tongue .'River on 
June 30, 1964, 42 days after release. This is about 100 river miles up­
stream from Intake. One paddlefish was recaptured in the dredge cuts 
below Fort Peck Reservoir on August l6, 1965• This is a movement of at 
least 70 river miles down the Yellowstone River and 190 river miles up the 
Missouri River, from the release site.
Recaptures of tagged fish in Garrison Reservoir suggest that this may 
be the source of many of the paddlefish caught at Intake.. Returns also 
show that paddlefish may disperse themselves widely both up and down­
stream:.1 Twenty-four paddlefish tagged in 1964 at Intake■were 'recaptured 
at this same site in 1965« This may indicate that paddlefish migrate 
annually. Purkett (1963) stated that "the-appearance-of paddlefish in the
-15-
spawning '-'run both in the■year of tagging and, the following year indicates 
that this migration may -be made•annually".
HARVEST
In 1964 the catch of paddlefish at Intake-was estimated to be 5,924 
fish,--weighing 65 tons. Of these 2,562 or 28 tons were kept (Table 5) and
Table 5= Paddlefish harvest from Intake.
1964 1965
Number of fishermen 1,338 607
Number of fish caught 3,922 ' 14075
Number of fish kept 1,696 545
Number of fish caught
per fisherman trip 2.93 1 = 77
Number of fish kept
per fisherman trip 1.27 0 .9 0
Average weight of fish 
caught 21.97 21.86
Total number of fish
removed (estimate) 2,562 1,143
Total weight of fish 
removed (estimate) 56,287-14 24,985,98
the -rest were returned to the river. In 1965, the total catch was 2,254 
■paddlefish weighing 25 tons. Of these l,l4jp fish weighing 12 tons were 
kept. Based on fish kept, the harvest was 55 percent less in 1965 than in 
1964. The weight of individual paddlefish (l,8l8 specimens) caught in 
1964, varied from 5=50 pounds to 42.00 pounds with ah average of 21.97 
pounds. In 1965, the weight of individual fish (1,229 specimens) ranged 
from 5=00 pounds to 46.00 pounds with an average of 21.86 pounds.
There were about 55 percent less fishermen and 73 percent fewer fish 
caught in 1965 than in 1964. During both years about 60 percent fewer
-16-
fish were■caught■in June than in May= About 20 percent of the'fishermen 
in 1964 and 42 percent in 1965 caught no fish. The catch rate per fisher­
man trip was about 3 -fish in 1964 and 2 fish in 1965« The-average number 
of fish kept per fisherman trip was only slightly higher.in 1964 than in 
1965« Most of the fishermen who took several paddlefish per trip kept 
only two -even though there was no legal limit.
Since there were differences in water level, flow, temperature, and 
turbidity in the 2 years of the census, an attempt was made to correlate 
these conditions with the catch rate. The water level, temperature, and 
turbidity information was obtained.at Glendive, Montana, about 20 river 
miles upstream from Intake. Flow data were obtained at Sidney, Montana, 
about 40 miles downstream. The catch was highest (2h93 fish per fisherman 
trip) in 1964 when the average water level was 2,045.37 feet above sea 
level, the average flow was 24 ,769 c.f.s=, the average temperature was 
58T3°F., and the-average turbidity was 1,570 = 8 p.p.-m. The catch rate was 
the lowest (1=77 fish per fisherman trip) in 1965 when the average water 
level was 2,046.18 feet above sea level, the-average flow was 32,118 „
c.f.s., the-average temperature was 50=2°F=, and the-average turbidity was 
1,066.4 p.p.m. Purkett (1963) stated that catch rates may be high even in 
low populations because.paddlefish congregate below riffles when water 
levels-are low. The average catch rates of paddlefish from the-Intake 
area were higher than those from the Osage River, Missouri (Purkett,
1963).
The-residence"of fishermen was secured from creel census cards. 
Slightly more than 95 percent of the fishermen in both years, came from
-17-
>
■Montana. The percentage of fishermen and the distances traveled are as 
follows: 62 percent within $0 miles; 21 percent from 50 - 100 miles; I?
percent from distances greater than 100 miles;.' Five percent of the fisher­
men were from out of state with the largest number from North Dakota.
LITERATURE CITED
Adams, Leverett A. 1942. Age determination and rate of growth in
Polyodon spathula, by means of growth rings of the otoliths and 
dentary bone. Arner. Midi. Nat., 28(5): 617-630.
Brown, C. J. D. ! 1951» The paddlefish in Fort Peck Reservoir, Montana. 
Copeia, 1951(3): 252.
Houser, Alfred. 1965» Growth of .^addlefish in Fort Gibson Reservoir, 
Oklahoma. Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc., 94(1): 91-93»
Larimore, R. Weldon. 1950. Gametogenesis of Polyodon spathula (Walbaum): 
a basis for regulation of the fishery. Copeia, 1950(2): 116-124.
Needham, Robert G. 1965» Spawning of paddlefish induced by means of 
pituitary material. Prog. Fish-Cult., 2?(l): 13-19«
Purkett, Charles A. 1961. Reproduction and early developement of the 
paddlefish. Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc., 90(2): 125-129«
— — — — — — — . 1963 The paddlefish fishery of the Osage River arid
the Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri. Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc., 92(3): 
239-244.
Stockard, Charles R. 190?. Observations on the natural history of 
Polyodon spathula. Amer. Nat., 4l: 753-766.
Thompson, David H. 1933« The finding of very young Polyodon. Copeia,
1933(1 ): 31-33»
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WTITiym
O ?
j m r
A
/P.