HELENA – The state Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission has decided to end paddlefish season in Montana.
Wildlife officials say the season will end Friday night on the Yellowstone and lower Missouri River.
Paddlefish season has already ended on the upper Missouri.
If an 800 paddlefish quota is reached at the Intake fishing access site on the Yellowstone River before then, the harvest season at Intake will stop immediately.
After Friday, catch-and-release fishing for paddlefish is allowed only at the Intake site until June 20.
Officials say the paddlefish harvest started slow and picked up due to high waters and increased river flows.