South Dakota Administrative Rules
Title 41 - Department of Game, Fish And Parks
Article 41:07 - Fishing seasons and methods
Chapter 41:07:05 - Paddlefish season
Section 41:07:05:02 - Paddlefish season in special management areas

Any paddlefish angler eighteen years of age and older shall have in possession a South Dakota fishing license and nontransferable paddlefish permit and associated unlocked tag to take or attempt to take a paddlefish with a bow and arrow or a crossbow, or to take or attempt to take paddlefish or rough fish by snagging.

A Nebraska resident possessing a South Dakota nonresident paddlefish permit is exempt from the South Dakota fishing license requirement, if the Nebraska resident possesses a Nebraska fishing license or is legally exempt from compliance with Nebraska license or permit requirements. Any paddlefish angler under eighteen years of age shall have a paddlefish permit and associated unlocked tag in possession while shooting paddlefish with a bow and arrow or a crossbow, or snagging paddlefish or rough fish.

Each paddlefish caught and kept must have the tag immediately affixed to the fish and locked in the manner and place indicated in the instructions provided with the tag. Each paddlefish caught and not kept must be immediately returned, unharmed, to the water from which it was taken. All paddlefish anglers shall cast for and hook their own fish. No person may attempt to snag any fish after all paddlefish tags issued to the person have been locked.

The snagging season for paddlefish and rough fish is open on the South Dakota-Nebraska boundary waters below Gavin's Point Dam and on the Big Sioux River from the I-29 bridge to the confluence of the Big Sioux River and the Missouri River from October first through October thirty-first.

The snagging hours on the South Dakota-Nebraska boundary waters and areas of the Big Sioux River open to snagging are 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. central time. Only a legal angler with a paddlefish permit and associated unlocked tag may snag paddlefish and rough fish during this season.

For the South Dakota-Nebraska boundary waters the annual quota of three thousand two hundred fish is allocated by a permit and tag issued by each state according to the following schedule: Nebraska - one thousand six hundred permits; South Dakota - one thousand five hundred and fifty resident and fifty nonresident permits. Permits and associated tags are available by lottery drawing after application. Any resident or nonresident permit remaining after the first lottery drawing is available on a first-come, first-served basis to any person who applies and does not already hold a paddlefish permit. After September first, a person may apply for a second permit. A person may not obtain more than two permits each year.

Paddlefish may be taken from sunrise to sunset, from June first through June thirtieth, from the Missouri River below Gavin's Point Dam, with a bow and arrow. In addition to a bow and arrow, a crossbow may be used to take paddlefish downstream from the Highway 81 bridge.

Except as otherwise provided in this section, an archery paddlefish angler who is eighteen years of age or older shall possess a South Dakota fishing license and a nontransferable paddlefish permit and associated tag before participating in archery fishing for paddlefish.

A Nebraska resident possessing a South Dakota nonresident archery paddlefish permit is exempt from the South Dakota fishing license requirement if the Nebraska resident possesses a Nebraska fishing license or is legally exempt from compliance with Nebraska license or permit requirements. Any paddlefish angler under eighteen years of age shall possess a paddlefish permit and associated tag while archery fishing paddlefish.

Two hundred fifty-five archery permits and associated tags are available to residents by lottery drawing after application. Paddlefish archery anglers may apply for a second permit and associated tag, if any are available following the initial lottery drawing. Anglers may not obtain more than two archery paddlefish permits and associated tags each year. An additional eight percent of the permits available to residents may be issued to nonresidents by lottery drawing after application.

Paddlefish and rough fish season is open on the waters of Lake Francis Case and the White River up to the Highway 47 bridge from May first through May thirty-first. Paddlefish and rough fish may be taken by snagging, bow and arrow, or a crossbow.

The snagging and archery hours on the waters of Lake Francis Case and the White River, up to the Highway 47 bridge, are from 6:00 a.m. through 9:00 p.m., central time. Only a legal angler with a paddlefish permit and associated unlocked tag may shoot paddlefish with a bow and arrow, crossbow, or snag paddlefish and rough fish during this season.

For the waters of Lake Francis Case and the White River up to the Highway 47 bridge, the annual quota of five hundred fish is allocated by a permit and tag. Permits and associated tags are available by lottery drawing after application. Any resident permit remaining after the first lottery drawing is available on a first-come, first-served basis to any applicant not already holding a paddlefish permit. After April first, a person may apply for a second permit. A person may not obtain more than two permits each year.

General Authority: SDCL 41-2-18(2)(14)(15)(17).

Law Implemented: SDCL 41-2-18(2)(14)(15)(17).

Archery allowed for taking paddlefish, § 41:07:06:03.01.