MO Missouri Porch

Paddlefish & snagging

Paddlefish & snagging

Snagging means dragging a weighted treble hook through the water and sweeping it hard to hook a fish in the body — not in the mouth. It's how Missourians catch the paddlefish, because the fish won't take bait. The paddlefish (“spoonbill”) is Missouri's state aquatic animal. It won't bite a hook, so you snag it — sweep a weighted treble hook through the water — during a short spring season. A regular fishing permit is all you need; there's no special tag.

Check your water first

Missouri's statewide limits are only the starting point. Hundreds of lakes, rivers, trout areas, urban lakes, and stream stretches set their own daily limits, length limits, slot limits, bait rules, or catch-and-release rules that override the statewide number. The local rule is usually posted on a sign at the access.

Look up your water in MDC's Special Waterbody Regulations →

The statewide starting point

Paddlefish limit

These are the statewide defaults. Your specific lake, river, or stream stretch may set stricter rules — check the sign at the access.

Fish Daily Possession Length Notes
Paddlefish 2 4 32″ statewide; 34″ on Lake of the Ozarks, Table Rock, Truman + tributaries (eye to fork) Snagging season only — see the Paddlefish page.

Full seasons & limits: MDC Fishing Seasons & Limits.

Seasons

Paddlefish snagging seasons — 2026

Season Dates
Paddlefish snagging — most waters March 15 – April 30, 2026 Lake of the Ozarks, Truman, Table Rock, and most waters.
Paddlefish snagging — Mississippi River March 15 – May 15 and Sept. 15 – Dec. 15, 2026

Dates change each year — confirm on MDC Fishing Seasons.

Rules people miss

Three rules that trip up snaggers

Keep it whole on the water

On the water, a paddlefish's head and tail must stay attached (not the skin). Don't clean it until you're off the water.

The caviar rule

You may not possess extracted paddlefish eggs (caviar) on the water or bank, transport them, or buy or sell them. Clean at home.

What permit you need

Just a regular fishing permit — no special paddlefish tag.

Stop when you hit your limit

On Lake of the Ozarks and Truman (plus their tributaries) and on the Osage River below Bagnell Dam, you must stop snagging for the day once you reach your daily limit — you can't keep snagging and releasing.

Sturgeon look-alikes

Know what you're allowed to keep

Only the shovelnose sturgeon is legal to keep. Pallid sturgeon (federally endangered) and lake sturgeon (state endangered) must be released right away. Because shovelnose and pallid look alike, commercial shovelnose harvest is restricted on the big rivers.

Good to remove (no limit)

Invasive fish that don't count toward any limit — keep all you want.

  • Bighead carp
  • Silver carp
  • Grass carp
  • Common carp
  • Goldfish

Do NOT harvest (protected)

Endangered or protected — release right away.

  • Alligator gar
  • Pallid sturgeon (federally endangered)
  • Lake sturgeon (state endangered)
  • Any endangered or protected fish

When in doubt, release it.

Before you fish

Missouri Porch explains; the MDC decides.

Data current for 2026. Last checked against MDC: 2026-06-18. Limits, prices, and special-water rules change — confirm with MDC before you fish.

This is a plain-English summary, not the law. Always check the current MDC regulations before you fish. As MDC says, the regulation summary is NOT a legal document and rules can change during the year.

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