Here's what to keep in mind as Missouri's paddlefish season kicks off March 15

Paddlefish season is set to kick off March 15, and there's a few things you should know before attempting to snag this prehistoric fish.

Paddlefish, whose ancestors swam when dinosaurs walked the earth, can grow to seven feet and weigh more than 100 pounds, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation.

Spoonbill paddlefish cannot reproduce naturally in Missouri because they cannot access their spawning grounds due to dams that have been built along the rivers. MDC stocks about 45,000 hatchery-produced, 10- to 12-inch-long paddlefish fingerlings each year in Missouri’s three main paddlefish locations: Table Rock Lake, Truman Lake and Lake of the Ozarks.

A fishing permit is required, unless exempt, and the daily limit is two paddlefish, with the possession limit set at four. No one can continue snagging after taking their daily limit of two paddlefish. This regulation is new to Table Rock Lake.

More: Extracted eggs from poached paddlefish worth est. $84,000 on black market, say MDC agents

Paddlefish snagging season runs from March 15 to April 30 with the Mississippi River season March 15 to May 15 and a fall season Sept. 15 to Dec. 15.

A regulation change in the Wildlife Code of Missouri established the statewide minimum length of paddlefish measured from eye to fork of the tail at 32 inches for sport and recreational taking, MDC stated. The current minimum was 24 inches in most of the state.

The existing minimum length limit of 34 inches — measured from eye to fork of tail — will remain in effect for Lake of the Ozarks, Table Rock Lake, Truman Lake and their tributaries.

All paddlefish under the legal minimum length must be returned to the water unharmed immediately after being caught.

Here are a few tips, courtesy of MDC:

• Use landing nets, not gaffs, which can kill young fish.

• Wet hands before handling fish and avoid excessive handling.

• Never put fingers in the gills or eyes.

• Remove hooks carefully and get undersized fish back into the water as quickly as possible.

Caviar is a high-priced delicacy and became so thanks to the sturgeon fish population. There are 27 species around the world in North America, Europe and Asia.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature placed 18 species on its Red List of Threatened Species in the past decade, which makes the sturgeon the most endangered group of species on the planet, per reporting by Business Insider.

More: Wildlife Code of Missouri sees changes regarding paddlefish, snagging definition and more

Paddlefish eggs are a close substitute to sturgeon caviar, MDC officials have told the News-Leader previously. With sturgeon populations declining, some poachers think it's worth the risk to transport paddlefish eggs overseas to Europe.

Extracted paddlefish eggs cannot be in your possession while on the waters of the state or adjacent banks and may not be transported, according to MDC. Paddlefish eggs may not be bought, sold, or offered for sale.

Learn more about paddlefish, snagging regulations, snagging reports, and more at huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/fishing/species/paddlefish.

Sara Karnes is an Outdoors Reporter with the Springfield News-Leader. Follow along with her adventures on Twitter and Instagram @Sara_Karnes. Got a story to tell? Email her at skarnes@springfi.gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Missouri spring paddlefish snagging season kicks off March 15, 2022