Males reach sexual maturity at seven to nine years of age, or after about one-fourth of their expected life span. Females mature at 10 to 12 years of age, or after about one-third of their expected life span. Although males may spawn every year, females require two or more years to produce up to 10 to 12 pounds of eggs. The eggs are valuable as a source of high-quality caviar. Until 1960, little was known about paddlefish spawning behavior or habitat requirements.
Environmental conditions have to be just right for spawning to occur.
Paddlefish need clean gravel bars with good current flows. The water temperature must be near 60 degrees, the water flows must be high and rising, and all of this needs to happen in the spring. A sudden water level rise of six feet has been documented to trigger spawning activity. These environmental factors don't coincide every year. Thus, female paddlefish may not spawn every year.