Iowa anglers can buy the Missouri and Big Sioux River paddlefish license and tags starting Dec. 15 through Jan. 7.
Buy your special paddlefish license and tags on the Iowa DNR online licenses sales website at www.iowadnr.gov or by telephone at 800-367-1188. A resident license sells for $25.50 and a nonresident license is $49. You must also have a valid Iowa fishing license.
You can buy up to two tags – one from Dec. 15 to Dec. 31 and an additional tag from Jan. 1 to Jan. 7, or two tags if you didn’t buy one in December.
The license, harvest tag(s), regulations, and survey card will be mailed to purchasers in mid-January. The postage paid survey card helps the Iowa DNR evaluate the success of the paddlefish season, so please fill out and return survey cards whether a paddlefish was harvested or not. The Iowa DNR is always working to improve the paddlefish season for anglers; any input provided is considered and is greatly appreciated.
Last year, Iowa anglers bought 350 paddlefish licenses and nonresident anglers bought 50 paddlefish licenses. The Iowa DNR received 76 survey cards from last year’s season (19% response). Anglers averaged just fewer than four paddlefish trips and the average length of fish harvested last year was about 32 1/2 inches.
The Missouri and Big Sioux River paddlefish season opens Feb. 2 and runs through April 30.