Paddlefish in Louisiana
Limits, record and places to fish for paddlefish.
- 2 a daylimit
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Where paddlefish stand under LDWF rules
In the Sportsman’s Paradise rulebook, paddlefish fall under the freshwater entry “Paddlefish”. The numbers there: 2 daily (fish cannot be retained alive & cannot be harvested by snagging methods); 30″ max lower jaw fork length, season open year-round.
It shows up on 2 lake, bayou or coast pages, such as Grand Lake and Mermentau River. The pamphlet changes its limit on 1 water: Boundary waters with Texas and below the saltwater line. There are 1 stocking row in the LDWF releases read here.
LDWF creel and size rules for paddlefish
| Pamphlet row | Waters | Daily limit and size | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paddlefish | Statewide EXCEPT boundary waters with Texas and below the saltwater line (no legal harvest or possession) | 2 daily (fish cannot be retained alive & cannot be harvested by snagging methods); 30" max lower jaw fork length | Open year-round |
Possession: Twice the daily creel limit (pamphlet p.16: possession limit is twice the daily bag limit unless otherwise stated)
Limits and seasons as printed in the 2026 Louisiana Recreational Fishing Regulations (LDWF pamphlet, updated September 21, 2026), page 20 (pamphlet PDF); confirmed on the LDWF freshwater finfish page October 28, 2026.
Lakes and basins that treat paddlefish differently
| Water | Where | Rule as printed |
|---|---|---|
| Boundary waters with Texas and below the saltwater line | Whole water | No legal harvest or possession |
Rules as printed in the 2026 Louisiana Recreational Fishing Regulations (LDWF pamphlet, updated September 21, 2026), pages 18 to 21 (pamphlet PDF); second read on the LDWF freshwater page October 28, 2026.
paddlefish from the LDWF hatcheries
| Water | Release as printed | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Mermentau River | Paddlefish, 1,039 fingerlings, 2024 | LDWF news release July 23, 2024 |
LDWF hatchery stocking releases (spring 2024 and 2025 per-water tables, single stockings to 2026); LDWF publishes no per-row dates; read October 28, 2026.
Finding paddlefish across Louisiana
Lake pages naming paddlefish
- Grand Lake44,000 acres
Streams that hold paddlefish
- Mermentau RiverCameron Parish
LDWF popular-species text on management-plan lakes, LOWA record waters, LDWF stocking releases and Get Out & Fish! sites; biggest waters first.
Cypress, marsh and open water by Paddlefish, in photos
Photo: Bart Everson, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Elisa.rolle, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Spatms, CC BY-SA 4.0
paddlefish across Louisiana, question by question
How many paddlefish go in the Louisiana ice chest?
Under the pamphlet, 2 daily (fish cannot be retained alive & cannot be harvested by snagging methods); 30" max lower jaw fork length, open open year-round.
Who holds the Louisiana paddlefish record?
There is no LOWA entry so far.
Which lakes or bays list paddlefish?
Try Grand Lake and Mermentau River; 2 pages carry it.
Are paddlefish stocked in Louisiana?
Yes, 1 stocking row, Mermentau River among them.
Do any Louisiana waters set their own paddlefish rule?
1 water carry their own rule, such as Boundary waters with Texas and below the saltwater line.
What is the season for paddlefish in Louisiana?
Read the season as Open year-round.
Do nonresidents need a license for Louisiana paddlefish?
Louisiana anglers 18 and older carry a Basic Fishing License: $17 a year for residents and $68 for nonresidents.
What does a paddlefish record claim need in Louisiana?
LOWA runs the record list; species are verified by LDWF biologists.