Day 10 Sturgeon Harvest Report
ishing WisconsinWinnebago System sturgeon spearing 2020
February 17, 2020.
There were 30 lake sturgeon harvested from the Winnebago System today with 23 fish coming from Lake Winnebago and 7 from the Upriver Lakes. Stockbridge Harbor led the way with 7 fish registered followed by Jim and Linda's with 6 and Payne's Point and Wendt's each with 5 fish registered. For the Upriver Lakes there were 5 fish registered at Critter's and 2 fish at Indian Point.
The largest fish registered on Lake Winnebago today was 93.1 pounds, 70.8 inches and registered at Wendt's by Lucas Muche. The largest fish from the Upriver Lakes was 53.3 pounds, 61.0 inches and registered at Critter's by Alice Suttner.
Good luck during the remainder of the season!
- Ryan Koenigs, fisheries biologist, Oshkosh
Lake Winnebago system sturgeon spearing regulations 2020
Winnebago System sturgeon spearing regulations and information pamphlet 2020 [PDF]
Daily harvest - February 17, 2020
Daily sturgeon tally sheet [PDF]
2020 Lake Winnebago - as of February 17, 2020
| Daily harvest | Season harvest | Harvest cap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Juvenile females | 1 | 24 | 344 |
| Adult females | 13 | 126 | 855 |
| Males | 9 | 110 | 976 |
| Totals | 23 | 183 | - |
2020 Upriver Lakes - as of February 17, 2020
| Daily harvest | Season harvest | Harvest cap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Juvenile females | 2 |
38 |
86 |
| Adult females | 0 |
57 |
95 |
| Males | 5 | 139 | 240 |
| Totals |
7 |
25 | - |
Tagging your sturgeon
2020 Winnebago system sturgeon vignettes
History of the Upriver Lakes sturgeon spear fishery and trends in the modern era
More information about the history of the Upriver Lakes spear fishery can be viewed in the document History of the Upriver Lakes Sturgeon Spear Fishery and Trends in the Modern Era. [PDF]
Sturgeon spearing culture
The ice-fishing season for lake sturgeon is more about getting together and fishing together than harvesting a lunker.
- Sturgeon spearing season: the good ol' days are right now - Badger Sportsman, Jan/Feb 2015
- A Small Window for a Big Opportunity - Wisconsin Natural Resources magazine, February 2011
Sturgeon guard
There are two critical time periods for collecting data from our sturgeon population, the annual spearing season and spring spawning assessments. Each year thousands of lake sturgeon migrate up the tributaries of the Winnebago System (Wolf, upper Fox, Embarrass and Little Wolf Rivers most notably) to spawn. The sturgeon spawn along rocky shorelines on outside river bends and literally spawn at your feet. This provides a great opportunity to view sturgeon spawning in the wild, which is an experience not available anywhere else in North America. However, poaching has historically been a concern given the vulnerability of these majestic fish during spawning. The Sturgeon Guard program was implemented to curtail the illegal activity and protect these fish during spawning periods. At first, law enforcement officers would monitor known spawning sites, but it was difficult for the warden staff to cover all of the known spawning areas with a limited work force. The Sturgeon Guard program then went public and the rest is history. The general public can now sign up for 12-hour shifts to watch sturgeon spawn and protect the fish from harassment and other illegal activity. There are hundreds of folks who sign up every year for this opportunity, and this really is an example of a successful collaboration between the community and the DNR that has helped the population significantly increase! As the spearing season draws near the end, I thought it would be beneficial to highlight a potential next opportunity for folks interested in sturgeon and that opportunity is volunteering through the Sturgeon Guard program.
Contact Information
For Winnebago System sturgeon information or local conditions and season updates during the sturgeon season, contact Ryan Koenigs, fisheries biologist, Oshkosh