After more than a century, American paddlefish are swimming again in Iowa’s West Lake Okoboji

After more than 100 years, they’re back! The much anticipated re-stocking of the American paddlefish into Iowa’s West Lake Okoboji began Tuesday, Oct. 8 with a release at the Emerson Bay Boat Ramp in Emerson Bay.
“Our hatchery staff did a great job of dialing in the hauling densities and handling techniques,” said Mike Hawkins, Iowa DNR Fisheries Biologist.
A total of 1,900 paddlefish, which had been raised at the Lake Rathbun Hatchery and transported to Spirit Lake, were then placed in tanks at the Spirit Lake Hatchery and after stress relief, they were then stocked in West Lake Okoboji over a period of several days.

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