All license holders must be a minimum of 12 years old. This is about half the fish that were registered yesterday. That fish is incredible! Sturgeon spearing: Harvest totals pick up | WFRV Sturgeon spearing returns, but ice conditions could limit travel on Sturgeon spearing on Wisconsin's Lake Winnebago has a long and rich tradition, according to the DNR's website. More information on harvest trends and management for the Lake Winnebago sturgeon fishery can be found on the DNRs fisheries webpage. They are full of an additional 20-30 pounds of eggs. Only 50 lake sturgeon were harvested Upriver (11 juvenile females, 10 adult females and 29 males). She showed how she could persevere through challenges as a dinosaur fish when she endured a deadly heat wave in 1995. Eight fish were harvested from Lake Winnebago (0 juvenile females, 4 adult females, 4 males) and three from the Upriver lakes (0 juvenile females, 1 adult female, 2 males). I mean, you can pull up to anyones shack and theyre going to congratulate you. The effort pays off for individual spearers as well: existing sturgeon now have a better opportunity to grow older and older and bigger and bigger. Continued warm weather today likely caused spearers to leave the ice early. LAKE WINNEBAGO, Wis. (WBAY) - Sturgeon spearing season is officially here! reach out to Angie Gade at 920-517-6749. Here are some of our best shots from opening day. The lake, at its deepest, is only 21 feet, with an average depth of about 15 feet. The biggest fish harvested was a 75.4 lbs., F1, female that measured 67.1 inches long, speared by Anthony Woelfel. This makes a total of 1,027 Lake Sturgeon harvested for Lake Winnebago. This years Upriver season lasted 8 days compared to 4 in 2022. 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. It was speared by Jackson Goldapske and registered at the Southwest Winnebago station. Congratulations to all our successful spearers today! Harvesting a fish is a bonus for spearers with good fortune, and each fish comes with a unique story that will be shared countless times over the hours and years that follow. Generally, the spears are constructed with long handles, 6-8' in length, and have detachable spearheads. That warmer weather isnt the only thing that triggers them to begin their migration upriver to their spawning grounds, higher water flows in the spring from rain and winter run-off are also major triggers. The Upriver Lakes added their fishery lottery in 2007 for the same reason. He'll also have a mount of the fish made to commemorate the catch. 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. Sixteen fish were harvested from Lake Winnebago (1 juvenile female, 6 adult females, 9 males) and 3 from the Upriver lakes (1 juvenile female, 1 adult female, 1 male). View the full details in today's harvest report. 2023 sturgeon spearing season photos on Lake Winnebago, Upriver Lakes Both require a spearing license to participate. Wisconsin's top sturgeon expert charged with lying about caviar scheme Photos of spearers with their catch, cutting in, shanty life, scenic views observed during the season or any other captivating spearing traditions are encouraged. Wisconsin DNR to use drive-through registration for sturgeon On the Upriver Lakes, 56 out of 79 adult female sturgeon have been speared, ending the weekend with 71% of the allotted fish speared. So I got on the phone with Sean Wendts. The Pipe registration station saw the highest number of harvested fish for Lake Winnebago, with 124 lake sturgeon. Applicants authorized for an Upriver Lakes tag have until the start of the spearing season to purchase a license and cannot purchase one for Lake Winnebago. If the spearhead is removed, it must be placed outside the shanty when occupied. In total, 115 juvenile females have been harvested, 481 adult females, and 442 males on Lake Winnebago. The second heaviest was only 188 pounds, snagged in 2004. Small fish means more new fish are growing in the population. There are six drive-thru stations. I took the fish to a local taxidermist, he said. While only 5 fish harvested today were over 100 pounds, Samuel OConnell speared a gigantic 162.6 lbs., 76.1 inches, F4 female on Lake Poygan. 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). Upriver, there are still 3 adult females left until the 90% trigger is activated or 11 more adult females until the 100% cap is reached. And though the DNR sold 13,219 sturgeon spearing licenses for the 2023 season, up from 12,694 in 2022, only 3,100 shacks were counted on the Feb. 11 opener, down from about 6,000 the previous year. Ice Fisherman Spears Massive 177-Pound Sturgeon | Field & Stream The sturgeon must then be brought toan official registration stationand registered by 2 p.m. on the day it was speared. Sturgeon spearing day 1: great memories, fewer shacks At Winneconne, Griffin Hechimovich helped register Grandpa Hank Heckmovichs fish, a 67.3 inch, 75.6 lbs., M2 male. Track the rest of the season online here. Today he harvested 80.8 lbs. Both came from the Pipe registration shack, including the fish speared by Alex Wilkens at 101.6 lbs. System-wide harvest caps for the 2021 Winnebago system sturgeon spearing season are 430 juvenile females, 950 adult females and 1,200 males. Tomorrow, the Quinney registration station on Lake Winnebago and the Poygan registration station on the Upriver Lakes will be closed. Lake sturgeon spearing is highly regulated in Wisconsin, with limited numbers collected annually in the Winnebago system. This fish was speared by Anthony Bovee. We wish you good luck and clear water. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources reported ice conditions likely kept some spearfishers on shore. WINNECONNE Wis. (WBAY) - Thousands safely headed out on the ice looking for the perfect spot to catch a sturgeon for opening weekend of the 2022 sturgeon spearing season, enjoying the sport rich . The largest fish harvested was an F2 female that weighed 123.6 lbs. The annual sturgeon spearing season kicks off at 7 a.m. on Saturday and runs for 16 days or until set harvest caps are reached. Locations can be found in the sturgeon season regulation packet or on the DNR sturgeon spearing webpage. The equipment needed to participate in sturgeon spearing is relatively specialized. While she stayed off the DNRs radar during this time, in 1977, Sturgeon for Tomorrows founders were creating an organization to protect her and other Winnebago sturgeon. This winter event is rich in tradition, and 2021 will be another year for spearers to uphold or create new traditions in pursuit of the fish of a lifetime.. The WI DNR records indicate that 491 sturgeon were harvested in Lake Winnebago which ranked 51st highest dating back to 1941 (80 seasons). at the Poygan registration station. The Winnebago system is home to one of North America's largest lake sturgeon populations and hosts a unique winter spear fishery. Your safety is a top priority. It will be interesting to see what the warmer weather this winter does for the Gizzard Shad populations in Lake Winnebago and if it influences the number of large, heavy lake sturgeon we see next spearing season. There were also 21 fish harvested over 100 lbs., with 16 from Lake Winnebago and 5 from the Upriver Lakes. The Pipe registration station saw the highest number of harvested fish for Lake Winnebago, with 124 lake sturgeon. We will continue to keep you posted on what stations are opened or closed. Even with all the weird weather, it has been a successful season so far. Today, only 19 fish were harvested between Lake Winnebago and the Upriver lakes. F6 females are fish that spawned last season (spring of 2022). 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. There is an average of 13.0 feet of water clarity around Lake Winnebago with generally clearer water on the eastern shores as well as farther from shores along the west side of the lake. Call 1-888-936-7463 (TTY Access via relay - 711) from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Ryan Koenigs, DNR Winnebago sturgeon biologist. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | Site requirements | Accessibility | Legal | Privacy | Employee resources, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. 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. This can be almost 30 additional pounds. The Pipe registration shacks continue to have the highest harvest rates with a season total of 267 fish registered. | The biggest fish on the Upriver Lakes weighed in at 143.2 lbs. Tags Sturgeon Sturgeon Spearing Sturgeon Spearing Season Lake Winnebago If 100% is reached, then the season will close that afternoon. 2023 www.fdlreporter.com. Wisconsin DNR Gerald Peterson's 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 Schumacher's opening day trophy. Female stages are V, 1, 2, 4 or 6, while male stages include V, 1 or 2. The DNR would love to see your highlights of the season. The DNR would love to see your highlights of the season. Sturgeon Spearing in Oshkosh Regulations related to minnow use and transportation (VHS rules) on the Winnebago system apply. This funding is the lifeblood of our management program. 2022 sturgeon spearing opening weekend had 716 successful spearers If you do choose to go out, please review our ice safety tips. These efforts have helped strengthen and grow sturgeon populations nationwide, including in Tennessee, Georgia and Kentucky. Clubs are constantly monitoring the situation on Lake Winnebago and upriver. Im wondering if it got stuck on something. Joe Sheilds speared a 125.6 lbs., 73.4 inches, F4 female. They also have registered the most fish over 100 pounds. While there are unlimited licenses available for Lake Winnebago, the Upriver Lakes fishery is managed by a preference point system and limited to 500 permitted spearers. By comparison, the average weight and length from the 2020 harvest in Lake Winnebago was 51.1 pounds and 58.5 inches. Liv Halbach, his daughter studying fisheries at Stevens Point, was working the station as a volunteer with the DNR. Locations with drive-thru options are marked in red. As the snow passes and the sun comes out, spearers are starting to take to the ice again. Two surveys were conducted in 2013 and 2018 to evaluate spearers opinions on technology. Whatever is placed in the water must be removed or retrieved when requested. Although a cold weather spell brought lots of snow, spring is just around the corner. Proving that you dont need a fancy decoy to attract a sturgeon, Chuck Wagner of Algoma lured a sturgeon close enough to spear with a homemade painted piece of PVC pipe. One of the nine fish was the 90.7 lbs., 77.9-inch F1 female speared by Russel Gulig. Do not forget to check with your local fishing club for up-to-date ice conditions. View the full details in todays harvest report. Then I turned around to adjust my stove, and when I turned back and this giant fish is in my hole. Mild weather shook up ice conditions Saturday but didn't hinder the spearing spirit, with 522 total sturgeon speared across the Lake Winnebago system, according to a news release from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. These Passive Integrated Transponders, or PIT tags, used by the DNR are about the size of a grain of rice and inserted just behind the fishs head. Congratulations to all successful spearers. The tradition draws thousands of participants and spectators out. The lake is 35 miles long. but also enough resources to allow the next generation to thrive. Spearing season runs for a maximum of 16 days or until harvest caps are met. Many spearers took to the ice to enjoy the last two days of the season. If youd planned on registering your fish there, please head to the next closest registration station. This small, oily forage fish has a drastic boom and bust population cycle in Lake Winnebago. Both fish were among 21 sturgeon weighing more than 100 pounds speared on Saturday, and 26. This fish was harvested by Joshua Genske at the Pipe registration shack. If you are returning to the ice tomorrow, we wish you the best of luck and, as always, please be safe. 431 Sturgeon harvested on day 1 of 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. What would possess a person to spend days, years or even decades waiting for a chance to propel a spear into a beast of a fish? Zach Schrader is among more than 500 others who speared a sturgeon on opening day, When something of this magnitude swims through the hole its quite a unique experience, Schrader told Action 2 News while standing next to his fish in the bed of his truck. Most spearers fish in groups comprised of family and friends. Only two years lasted the full sixteen days2017 and 2020 both due to ice conditions and water clarity. The DNR said Ice conditions likely prevented many from participating this year. 'Sturgeon general': Wisconsin state biologist charged with caviar scam The other fishery takes place on the Upriver Lakes (Butte des Morts, Winneconne, and Poygan). Saturday's largest catch was Rebecca Van Handel's 143.2-pound female from the Upriver Lakes that measured 75.6 inches and was registered at the Poygan station.

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