Biologists tagged an 87-pound paddlefish in 2007; 18 years later, the fish weighed 98 pounds

Representative Image (Canva) A paddlefish tagged by North Dakota fisheries biologists in 2007 has provided an extraordinary glimpse into the longevity and growth of one of North America's oldest fish species. As detailed in the North Dakota Outdoors magazine published by the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, the fish was originally recorded at 87 pounds before being released into Lake Sakakawea. Eighteen years later, during the 2025 paddlefish snagging season, an angler caught the very same fish upstream of Williston. By then, it had grown to 98 pounds and measured three inches longer, offering scientists rare long-term data on the life of an individual paddlefish.An 18-year journey from hatchery to record booksThe story began in the spring of 2007 when North Dakota Game and Fish Department biologists netted the female paddlefish near the Montana border on the Yellowstone River. Instead of releasing it immediately, biologists transported the fish to the Garrison Dam National Fish Hatchery, where it served as a brood fish. Its eggs were collected to produce fingerling paddlefish for stocking programmes aimed at supporting healthy fish populations.After spawning, the fish was fi...