Sturgeon Spearing Report: Day 2 - February 14, 2016
Winnebago System Sturgeon Spearing Enthusiasts:
Happy Valentine’s Day to everyone! Day 2 of the 2016 spearing season is now all wrapped up and the struggle continued for spearers on Lake Winnebago, as 63 fish were harvested today. Overall, the north shore of the Lake remained slow with a total of 12 fish being registered between our Waverly Beach, Harrison, Stockbridge Harbor, and Payne’s Point stations. Registration activity did increase slightly at other stations along the east shore though. After 2 days there have been 57 adult females harvested from Lake Winnebago, which means that we are currently less than 7% of the way to the adult female harvest cap for Lake Winnebago. Therefore, the 2016 season will inevitably last the full 16 days barring a significant improvement in water clarity. The DNR pilots were up flying for aerial shanty counts on both days of opening weekend and there was a clear movement of shanties into areas 4 (Central East Shore) and 5 (Southwest) from day 1 to day 2.
The Upriver Lakes fishery contained 51 fish today, bringing the total to 202 fish harvested through opening weekend. We are currently 21 adult females away from the 90% trigger for adult females, and I would anticipate that it will be at least another few days before that trigger is reached.
The largest fish harvested today was Duwayne Prellwitz’s 76.0”, 115.7 pound female registered at Critter’s Wolf River Sports (attached).
Good luck to those that plan to spear tomorrow.
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Ryan Koenigs
Senior Fisheries Biologist / Winnebago System Sturgeon Biologist
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
625 E County Rd. Y, Suite 700
Oshkosh, WI 54901
Phone: (920)303-5450
Fax: (920)424-4404
Ryan.koenigs@wisconsin.gov