The 1978 Sturgeon Spearing Season
Today we highlight the season of 40 years ago (1978). For starters, the 1978 season only included a fishery on Lake Winnebago. Water clarity coming into the season was good (average 14’ of clarity) and ice conditions allowed for safe travel. Thus, spearers were anxiously awaiting the season getting started. However, the largest snow storm of the winter hit just prior to the season making lake travel away from plowed roads difficult. Despite tough travel, spearers were able to harvest 1,246 fish during the 19 day season. This represents the largest harvest since the 1972 season (1,251 fish harvested) and the 3rd largest harvest since the 1956 season. The largest fish of the season was Arno Lau’s 120 pound, 77” sturgeon that was speared on February 16, 1978. I have included four documents that provide more detail about the 1978 season:
- 1978 season synopsis including some of the basic regulations, license sales, shanty couns, harvest, water clarity, and average fish size
- Pre-season news release that was drafted by Dan Folz, Sturgeon Biologist at the time (I am only the 3rd different biologist since Dan’s tenure began in the 1970s).
- Opening day shanty counts
- Post-Crescent news article (Jim Harp author) published just prior to the 1978 season
For those spearers that took part in the 1978 season, I hope these documents allow you to relive that season. For those spearers not yet born in 1978 (or to young to remember), I hope you enjoyed getting a taste of history from a successful past season!
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Ryan Koenigs
Senior Fisheries Biologist / Winnebago System Sturgeon Biologist
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Phone: (920)303-5450 F
ax: (920)424-4404