30 Nebraskaland • October 2022
management efforts have changed
and evolved over the years, all in the
hopes of protecting this unique fishery
for future generations.
Fishery
The modifications to the mainstem
Missouri River created the paddlefish
fishery we have today. Construction
of Gavins Point Dam was completed
in 1955 and Fort Randall Dam in 1958.
The construction of Fort Randall Dam,
just north of the Nebraska-South
Dakota border, formed a 39-mile
riverine reach behind Lewis and Clark
Lake that isolated this population
from the open Missouri River. Below
Gavins Point Dam, 811 river miles
remain open, flowing into the middle
Mississippi and connecting other large
rivers. Although fish below Gavins
Point Dam can swim unhindered, the
dams created a barrier to upstream
movement, causing populations to
aggregate immediately below both
dams, making them more susce ptible
to capture.
At the time, as expected, anglers
quickly took advantage of the creation
of this new fishing opportunity. These
newly created tailwaters offered
anglers a unique pursuit, different
from the traditional sport fishing
they were used to. Unfortunately,
this unchecked enthusiasm caused
overexploitation, and the paddlefish
populations quickly suffered.
In 1959, anglers harvested an
estimated 12,850 paddlefish below
Fort Randall Dam, and three years
later, only a few fish were harvested
— indication of how sensitive this
Sallie Doty of Pierre, South Dakota, caught this 34.5-inch paddlefish near Gavins Point Dam.
JENNY NGUYEN-WHEATLEY, NEBRASKALAND
