Freemasons & Paddlefish

Masonic Temples of Deadwood and Yankton.

Masonic Temples

At one time, nearly every South Dakota town of any size had a Masonic Temple, a building built by and for members of the Freemasons, one of the oldest fraternal organizations in the world. Two buildings, one in Yankton and the other in Deadwood, are uniquely historic and inordinately grand.

Paddlefish on the Missouri

The American Paddlefish is a strange and ancient-looking beast native to the Mississippi River Basin, which includes the Missouri River and its tributaries. Paddlefish are not uncommon, but due to overfishing and habitatchange, the species enjoy a protected status. In South Dakota, anglers and archers may legally catch paddlefish during only three month-long seasons per year. In October, paddlefish are harvested in the Missouri River below Gavins Point Dam, the southernmost of the big Missouri dams.

Each October, a limited number of specially licensed anglers congregate below Gavins Point to test their luck and skill at snagging a paddlefish in the fastflowing tailwaters below the dam. Paddlefish eat only zooplankton, so traditional hook-and-bait fishing won’t bring them in. “Snaggers,” using heavy lines and treble hooks, may keep only one paddlefish per season and the fish must meet size restrictions set by South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks. Paddlefish are among the largest fish in the Missouri River. A lucky snag could yield a fish of well over fifty pounds.

Take a rare look inside Freemasonry and paddle fish angling, in South Dakota at SDPB.org/ImagesOfThePast.

Travis Walz of Mitchell displays a paddlefish

Photo: Travis Walz