Use Extreme Caution If You Catch This Special Fish In Montana

Obviously, the whole goal of fishing is to catch fish however, if you manage to snag a pallid sturgeon, you need to be incredibly cautious when handling it.

Pallid Sturgeon

First and foremost, pallid sturgeon are federally protected and considered endangered.

They are native fish living in the Missouri and Yellowstone rivers in Montana.

They also inhabit tributaries such as the Marias, Milk, and Powder rivers.

These fish are closely related to shovel sturgeon and can look almost identical.

Due to recent successful recovery efforts, many anglers will encounter the pallid sturgeon while fishing for more common fish, such as catfish, walleye, and the shovel-knows sturgeon.

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What To Do If You Catch A Pallid Sturgeon

According to Montana Fish Wildlife in Parks, if an angler does a pallid sturgeon, they should be extremely careful when handling it.

Make sure to keep the fish submerged at all times, no matter how big or small it is.

Officials recommend that the hook be removed as carefully as possible. If you can't remove it, cut the line as close to it as possible.

The hook has been removed, the line has been cut, and the fish has been released immediately.

The same precaution should be used if you catch a shovelnose sturgeon.

For more information, call the main, regional, or area offices:

• Headquarters (Helena) 406-444-2535
• Lewistown at 406-538-4658
• Glasgow at 406-228-3700
• Miles City 406-234-0900

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