The present range of the Paddlefish is the Mississippi River system from Montana to Louisiana, and some smaller rivers draining into the Gulf of Mexico. In Canada, Paddlefish were last reported about 90 years ago when they were thought to have occurred in Lake Huron near Sarnia, the Spanish River, Georgian Bay, and in Lake Helen on the Nipigon River. Paddlefish are highly migratory and live in slow-moving sections of large rivers and lakes, but migrate to large, fast flowing rivers for spawning.

The Paddlefish is a member of the Paddlefish family, one of the most primitive groups of fishes in North America. This fish has a long, spatula-like snout which is longer than the remainder of the head, with a large, toothless mouth. It generally measures 50 - 125 cm and weighs 1-9 kg, but is known to grow up to 2 m long and weigh over 70 kg. The skin is smooth and scaleless. Dorsal surfaces are bluish-gray or bluish-olive, while the ventral surfaces are lighter and silvery in colour. The Paddlefish have a lifespan of at least 30 years.