Paddlefish across Minnesota
Limits, records and DNR survey waters for paddlefish.
- No open seasonlimit
Angler pickPiscifun Viper X spinning reel50% OFFSale $39.99 Photo of Mississippi River: Ken Gallager, CC BY-SA 4.0
paddlefish across Minnesota
Minnesota anglers meet Paddlefish, a member of the paddlefish family. Under the DNR row for statewide: No open season, No open season.
Look for it in 1 surveyed lakes; 1 are on this site. St. Croix River tops the gill net catch at 0.05 per net.
What the DNR writes about paddlefish
“Paddlefish historically occurred in the Minnesota River to Granite Falls, the Mississippi River to St. Anthony Falls and the St. Croix River to Taylors Falls. Today Minnesota's paddlefish range has shrunk to small populations in the St. Croix and Mississippi rivers, including Lake St. Croix and Lake Pepin, with occasional reports from other waters.”
- Paddlefish historically occurred in the Minnesota River to Granite Falls, the Mississippi River to St.habitat
- Today Minnesota's paddlefish range has shrunk to small populations in the St.habitat
- spoonbillsalso called
Quoted from the DNR fish page and the 2026 regulations identification guide, checked October 2026.
Bag and season for paddlefish
| Where | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Statewide | No open season | No open season |
2026 Minnesota Fishing Regulations. All Minnesota limits.
paddlefish per gill net, best lakes
| Lake | Per gill net | Normal range | Avg lb | Survey |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Croix River | 0.05 | 33.51 | 2024 |
DNR LakeFinder latest survey per lake; standard and special gill nets.
Waters for paddlefish
Lake pages listing paddlefish
- St. Croix River8,393 acres
River pages listing paddlefish
- Mississippi RiverAitkin
DNR LakeFinder survey lists; largest lakes first.
Relatives of paddlefish
- Walleyeperch family
- Saugerperch family
- Saugeyeperch family
- Yellow perchperch family
- Northern pikepike family
- Muskellungepike family
- Tiger muskellungepike family
- Largemouth basssunfish family
- Smallmouth basssunfish family
- Rock basssunfish family
- Black crappiesunfish family
- White crappiesunfish family
Water you can reach from Paddlefish, pictured
Photo: Runner1928, CC0
Photo: Bjoertvedt, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Joe Passe, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Joe Passe, CC BY-SA 2.0
What Minnesota anglers ask about paddlefish
Which size rule covers paddlefish in Minnesota?
No open season (Statewide), season No open season.
How heavy is the Minnesota record paddlefish?
None on the state lists.
Where do Minnesota anglers find paddlefish?
St. Croix River leads the DNR gill net catch at 0.05 per net; 2 waters on this site list it.
Will the DNR stock paddlefish this year?
No stocking row names it.
Which other names does the DNR use for paddlefish?
Paddlefish historically occurred in the Minnesota River to Granite Falls, the Mississippi River to St. Anthony Falls and the St. Croix River to Taylors Falls. Today Minnesota's paddlefish range has shrunk to small populations in the St. Cro
Which months allow keeping paddlefish in Minnesota?
No open season
Which license do paddlefish anglers carry in Minnesota?
Minnesota residents 16 to 89 need an angling license ($25 for the year); nonresidents 16 and older pay $51.
Which guides target paddlefish?
No guide lists it.
Chase paddlefish across Minnesota
Choose any Minnesota lake or stream listed above.