Sturgeon spearing regulation pamphlet and water clarity report
Attention Winnebago System Sturgeon Spearing Enthusiasts:
The 2018 sturgeon spearing season on Lake Winnebago and the Upriver Lakes is only a little over a month away, starting on Saturday February 10. We've experienced some very cold weather the last few weeks and have some pretty thick ice developed throughout the system. In fact, some of the local fishing clubs and conservation groups have already put out their tree lines and are now maintaining access points and plowed roads. From what I've heard, Lake Winnebago is pretty rough though and there are quite a few cracks, so be sure to use caution and remember no ice is every 100% safe.
Many spearers are starting to wonder about water clarity so we had one of our technicians check clarity in a couple of locations today (January 8). Attached is a map of where he checked clarity and what visibility was. In the locations checked, clarity ranged from 7.5-10.5' with quite a bit of variability. This is a very small sample size, but it appears that clarity is not great at this point in time. Hopefully things will improve a bit over the next month. We will be checking clarity again during the week leading up to the season and I will be sure to send out that update once it becomes available.
I also have attached a copy of the spearing rules and regulations for the 2018 season. I hope everyone had a happy holiday season and I look forward to the month of anticipation that lies ahead between now and February 10!
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Ryan Koenigs
Senior Fisheries Biologist / Winnebago System Sturgeon Biologist
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Phone: (920)303-5450
Fax: (920)424-4404