If you asked some of the nearly 13,000 people on the icy surface of Wisconsins Lake Winnebago system on opening day of the 2017 lake sturgeon spearing season, youd get a wide variety of answers. Updated: Feb 27, 2022 / 06:14 PM CST. Both years reported very low water clarity, with visual depths recorded at six and eight feet into the water, respectively. Congrats Samuel! Both fish were among 19 sturgeon weighing over 100 pounds speared on Saturday, and 33. I mean, you can pull up to anyones shack and theyre going to congratulate you. Gerald Petersons 154.9-pound, 83.4-inch female sturgeon speared on the third day of the 2017 season was about five inchers longer but only two-tenths of a pound heavier than Schumachers opening day trophy. Sunday's harvest totaled 261 sturgeon, with 211 fish from Lake Winnebago and 50 from the Upriver Lakes. The biggest fish on the Upriver Lakes weighed in at 143.2 lbs. harvested today. There were no 100 lb. Its a great experience!. Likewise, any sturgeon harvested from lakes Poygan, Butte des Morts or Winneconne must be registered at one of the Upriver Lakes registration stations. 2021 Sturgeon Spearing Season Updates | Wisconsin DNR for a successful spearing experience. The lake, at its deepest, is only 21 feet, with an average depth of about 15 feet. Both require a spearing license to participate. All applicants that are not awarded a permit accumulate a preference point for use in future drawings. Spearer after . Most decoys are carved into the shape of a fish, but spearers are also superstitious by nature and have been known to deploy just about anything as a decoy, including copper jello molds, CDs, and white coffee cups. Then I turned around to adjust my stove, and when I turned back and this giant fish is in my hole. Sturgeon spearing on Wisconsin's Lake Winnebago has a long and rich tradition, according to the DNR's website. Contact:Ryan Koenigs, DNR Winnebago sturgeon biologistRyan.Koenigs@wisconsin.gov or 920-420-7444. Although this female sturgeon was about 36, well within spawning age and spawning every four to five years, she was never handled or pit tagged by the DNR during the annual spawn surveys. Both resident and nonresident licenses can be purchased through the, More information on harvest trends and management for the Lake Winnebago sturgeon fishery can be found on the DNRs, Office of Communications connects journalists with DNR experts. About 42,000 sturgeon are in the Winnebago system, and this year's harvest limits in Lake Winnebago for the sturgeon spearing season are capped at 430 juvenile females, 950 adult females and . Angler Catches Massive 16-Pound Walleye While Ice Fishing on Lake Ontario. Explaining the Increasing Trend in Support for Underwater Cameras for Sturgeon Spearing on the Lake Winnebago System [PDF]. RELATED:Sturgeon spearing 2021 second weekend brings in 256 catches; Upriver Lakes season closes with record harvest, RELATED:Fog, flurries bless frigid opening day of 2021 sturgeon spearing season on Lake Winnebago, Upriver Lakes. Although regulations have changed through time, the premise of using a spear to harvest a sturgeon through the ice has remained constant. It was a trial run for the new harvest cap system, during a time when spearing in the Upriver Lakes was limited to every two to five years. There were also 21 fish harvested over 100 lbs., with 16 from Lake Winnebago and 5 from the Upriver Lakes. For many, the season is defined by the time spent with loved ones, not the harvesting of a fish. By comparison, the average weight and length from the 2020 harvest in Lake Winnebago was 51.1 pounds and 58.5 inches. The winds have blown away hazard markers indicating cracks and shoves. The largest fish harvested today was an 81.1-pound male which was 64.5 inches long. Even though it was a slower day, it was still full of big fish. Indian Point registered the most fish Upriver with 73 fish. Only 3,100 shacks were counted during Saturdays aerial counts, down significantly from the almost 6,000 shacks last year. We dont want anybody to lose their life over a fish.. This makes a total of 1,027 Lake Sturgeon harvested for Lake Winnebago. Despite conditions, some spearers struck gold. Spearers with tags for Lake Winnebago may continue to harvest sturgeon on Lake Winnebago until harvest caps are reached or until the Lake Winnebago System harvest caps are reached. This makes 1,298 lake sturgeon harvested for the entire Winnebago system so far this season. If 100% is reached, then the season will close that afternoon. Spearing Sturgeon: A Winter Tradition in Wisconsin Its right on the border of 12 inches, 13 inches. The DNR has received reports of off-highway vehicles and ice fishing shacks going through the ice. However, the most licenses sold was 13,190 in 2016, a year that only saw3,831 shanties on opening day. Todays largest fish was a 154.0 lbs., 79.5 inches, F2 female speared on Lake Winnebago by Michael Eggers. In total, 127 fish were harvested throughout the system, with 100 from Lake Winnebago (7 juvenile females, 53 adult females, 40 males) and 27 from the Upriver lakes (1 juvenile female, 9 adult females, 17 males). This tag has no battery, a distinct 15-digit ID number and will last practically forever. Get tips for staying safe on the ice from the DNRs ice safety webpage. There is no residency requirement for participating in the sturgeon spearing season, but license holders are predominantly Wisconsin residents residing within 60 miles of the Winnebago system. Today, 29 fish were harvested on Lake Winnebago with 3 juvenile females, 15 adult females and 11 males. And as always, if you head back onto the ice tomorrow, remember to be safe. Sturgeon spearing in Wisconsin is a sport rich in tradition and culture. According to the Wisconsin DNR, "The Winnebago system is home to one of the largest lake sturgeon populations in North America and hosts a unique winter spear fishery" (WI DNR). Call 1-888-936-7463 (TTY Access via relay - 711) from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Ryan Koenigs, DNR Winnebago sturgeon biologist. Mild weather adds to celebrations on opening day of sturgeon spearing season, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. We cant wait to see everyone out on the ice next year. The tag does not need to be attached to the sturgeon unless the license holder leaves the fish. Gishkowsky, who lives on the lake, said hes having the sturgeons roe processed into caviar, and hell be smoking the meat. While we all continue to hope for cold weather, Monday's forecast continues to look bright, sunny and warm. Female stages are V, 1, 2, 4 or 6, while male stages include V, 1 or 2. Sturgeon spearing: Harvest totals pick up | WFRV But for those that found safe ice, the fish were there and seemed to be plentiful. Licenses for the Lake Winnebago spear fishery must be purchased before Oct. 31, 2020, except for military personnel home on leave during the spearing season and youth turning 12 years old between Nov. 1, 2020 and the last day of the 2021 spearing season. This years harvest caps have been set at: If harvest caps are met early, a closure notice will be posted to the DNRsWinnebago System sturgeon spearing webpage. This array expanded from 22 receivers in just the Wolf River in 2004 to more than 60 as of 2022 throughout the entire Winnebago system, including Lake Winnebago and the upper and parts of the lower Fox River. Today, 12 lake sturgeon were harvested from the Upriver Lakes (0 juvenile female, 1 adult female, and 11 male). The Gizzard Shad population during the Winnebago trawl assessment saw a small uptick in densities but nothing compared to previous boom years. Keep close attention to local spearing/fishing club reports. Sturgeon Spearing Lake Winnebago - YouTube Fifty-four fish were harvested from Lake Winnebago (5 juvenile females, 28 adult females, 21 males) and 7 from the Upriver Lakes (0 juvenile females, 3 adult females, 4 males). Of these fish, 1,169 sturgeon were harvested from Lake Winnebago, resulting in a success rate of 9.6%, making it the second-highest success rate in seven years. Fish and Wildlife Service have positively impacted lake sturgeon recovery efforts across North America. Today, only 19 fish were harvested between Lake Winnebago and the Upriver lakes. In total, 115 juvenile females have been harvested, 481 adult females, and 442 males on Lake Winnebago. I had another come through at 9 oclock and another at 9:30. If youd planned on registering your fish there, please head to the next closest registration station. More information on harvest trends and management for the Lake Winnebago sturgeon fishery can be found on the DNRs fisheries webpage. You could see a line of trailers along Merritt Avenue in Oshkosh that people used to get their four-wheelers out onto the ice. These catches do show, along with DNR observations, thateven larger sturgeon are lurking in the depths, evading capture. The spearing season for this prehistoric fish will open on Feb. 13, 2021 for Lake Winnebago and the Upriver Lakes of Butte des Morts, Winneconne and Poygan, running for a maximum of 16 days or until any of the pre-determined harvest caps are reached. It is the proportion of Lake Sturgeon harvested that have these tags from the spring to the sturgeon harvested that do not have tags that help the DNR understand the general population size of Lake Sturgeon in the system. There were 169 lake sturgeon harvested Upriver (20 juvenile females, 46 adult females and 103 males) and 353 harvested on Lake Winnebago (35 juvenile females, 171 adult females and 147 males). Send us your photosfrom the season, and we may use them in future DNR outreach efforts. Josh Ausloos speared the final "biggest fish of the day" for this season, a 106.9 pound, 75.4 inches, F1 female registered at the Pipe registration station. Decoy types are unlimited if they don't involve any artificial lights (glow sticks are illegal) or hooks. The staff managed to recapture one sturgeon from 2004 in 2012, and though the fish aren't weighed in the spring, its pre-spawn weight was estimated to grow to240 pounds. Gizzard Shad are not native to Lake Winnebago and do not tolerate the freezing winters well. Korey Krupp speared the largest sturgeon from Lake Winnebago with a 135.5-pound, 76.1-inch female. This years registration stations have returned to their pre-pandemic locations. If you planned to register your fish there, please head to the next closest registration station. I think I see a few less shacks out there. Last year, the Ziemer family tradition continued when Wyatt (center) harvested this 107.9 lbs, 73.8 inch long lake sturgeon. I threw the spear out, and I held onto the rope andby GodI hit it., Related: Angler Catches Massive 16-Pound Walleye While Ice Fishing on Lake Ontario. Lake Winnebago has the.
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