For those who are still enjoying the winter and spearing season, good luck this weekend. I think I see a few less shacks out there. My birthday is Feb. 11, and if I wanted a birthday party growing up, it was a birthday party on the lake.. At 85.5 inches, Eiden's sturgeon could have surpassed a different record, ifrecords were determinedby length as well as weight. The Pipe registration station took the lead in the number of fish registered on opening weekend with 124 fish and has consistently had the highest registration numbers throughout the season with a final count of 399 fish. Regulations related to minnow use and transportation (VHS rules) on the Winnebago system apply. 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). There were also 21 fish harvested over 100 lbs., with 16 from Lake Winnebago and 5 from the Upriver Lakes. In a press release, the WDNR called Gishkowsys sturgeon an F4 fish, meaning it was full of up to 30 pounds of eggs and would have spawned in the spring. The last day continued to prove to be exciting on Lake Winnebago with cold weather and sunshine. For many, the season is defined by the time spent with loved ones, not the harvesting of a fish. It has not made it the easiest season for spearers to navigate. Carcass tags must be validated immediately upon harvest by removing the validation stub. More than 12,000 spearing licenses were purchased in 2020 . Please visit the fishing license webpage for more information. The largest fish from the Upriver lakes was a 162.6 lbs., 76.1-inch female from Lake Poygan. The winds have blown away hazard markers indicating cracks and shoves. 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. As it gets warmer, of course the ice will deteriorate on top first. She even lived long enough to see the first commercial space flight in 2004. All rights reserved. The DNR reminds spearers that once they have successfully speared a sturgeon, the tag must be validated by tearing off the bottom portion. Some locations will continue to offer the drive-thru registration option. According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural . This can be almost 30 additional pounds. Registration Stations Registration stations have returned to pre-pandemic locations, and some will have drive-thru options. This fish was speared by Anthony Bovee. This makes 1,298 lake sturgeon harvested for the entire Winnebago system so far this season. Generally, the spears are constructed with long handles, 6-8' in length, and have detachable spearheads. Ice conditions were excellent opening day. Further, the system is one of only two locations where lake sturgeon can be harvested with a spear (Black Lake, Michigan is the other). Contact:Ryan Koenigs, DNR Winnebago sturgeon biologistRyan.Koenigs@wisconsin.gov or 920-420-7444. 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. Please include a brief description for use in future outreach efforts. Continue to be safe if you are headed back out tomorrow. They both stayed outside the hole. But for those that found safe ice, the fish were there and seemed to be plentiful. Both years reported very low water clarity, with visual depths recorded at six and eight feet into the water, respectively. Happy opening day of the 2023 Winnebago Sturgeon spearing season! Sturgeon spearers are allowed to harvest fish from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. and must register their catches by 2 p.m. each day at a DNR-operated registration station. Meanwhile, in downtown Oshkosh, Croix, JJ, and Remi Holz helped their dad, Josh Holz, measure his 30.3 lbs., 52.9-inch sturgeon. With better water clarity this year, we should see a good harvest, though the warm weather could deteriorate ice conditions which may reduce spearing success. Unlike Lake Sturgeon, these species have to contend with large predators such as sharks even after they grow too big sizes. James Gishkowsky speared a massive 177.3-pound, 79.9-inch female sturgeon from Lake Winnebago. Only 7 fish were harvested, with 0 juvenile females, 3 adult females and 4 males. Congrats Samuel! and measured 76.1 inches long. It really is. 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. This female was an F4 or black egg fish. The 2023 Sturgeon Spearing season starts Saturday, February 11th, 2023 at 7am ending Monday, Feb. 27th (unless the season is shortened by reaching one of the harvest . This year, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) predicts that harvest caps will be met prior to the 16-day season limit. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. It is restricted to 500 license holders per season due to the higher success rate of licensed spearers (62% vs. 9% on Lake Winnebago). Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | Site requirements | Accessibility | Legal | Privacy | Employee resources, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Sturgeon spearing is a sport of contrasts: The cold air outside, the warmth of a propane flame inside; the blinding white of snow on the lake, the dark interior of the shanty; long hours. Father and son duo Paul and Eli Muche both speared big fish during this snowy Thursday. The warm weather may have prevented many spearers from taking to the ice, but it did make for an enjoyable weekend at the registration stations. During her first few years, she grew and thrived while World War II was waging in Europe. In 2022, the longest fish speared was an 83.6-inch female weighing 157.5 pounds. The DNRs involvement in lake sturgeon rehabilitation programs and partnerships with the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin and the U.S. The Upriver Lakes added their fishery lottery in 2007 for the same reason. Today, 29 fish were harvested on Lake Winnebago with 3 juvenile females, 15 adult females and 11 males. Most spearers fish in groups comprised of family and friends. Their logo will be applied to the shanty they have sponsored. Pete Halbach was another successful spearer Upriver today. Today, 12 lake sturgeon were harvested from the Upriver Lakes (0 juvenile female, 1 adult female, and 11 male). The water body has one of North America's largest lake sturgeon populations. The second heaviest was only 188 pounds, snagged in 2004. Sturgeon, a large fish found in rivers and lakes across the. Because of this, only 261 fish were harvested throughout the system (42 juvenile females, 93 adult females and 126 males). Two fish today were registered over 100 pounds. Spearers can be in a shanty after hours, but they cannot be in one with a spear after hours. Spearers with tags for the Upriver lakes can continue to spear until 1 p.m. tomorrow, Feb. 18, 2023. He'll also have a mount of the fish made to commemorate the catch. Now, Schroeder's sturgeon ranks fourth in the top 11 largestspearedin the system. If records were based on length rather than weight, Thern's fish would have beaten over half of the top 11 "Heavy Hitters" of the season. Samuel O'Connell hauled in a 162.6-pound, 76.1-inch female on Lake Poygan not only the biggest fish of the season so far, but the biggest from the Upriver Lakes since 2012. These efforts have helped strengthen and grow sturgeon populations nationwide, including in Tennessee, Georgia and Kentucky. Any fish harvested from Lakes Butte des Morts, Winneconneor Poygan (the Upriver Lakes) must be registered at one of the registration stations on the Upriver Lakes. There were 3 fish harvested today over 100 pounds. The largest fish harvested was an M2 male that weighed 130.8 pounds and measured 79.5 inches long from the Stockbridge registration shack. Today, 73 sturgeon were harvested on Lake Winnebago (13 juvenile females, 26 adult females, 34 males). For those headed back onto the ice tomorrow, be sure to put safety first. This was the first year since 2020 that registration stations were back to supper clubs and other businesses, after the COVID-19 pandemic caused a shift to drive-thru stations. at the Poygan registration station, speared by Rebecca Van Handel. In 1953, sturgeon enthusiasts were quick to find previous catches that had already broken Schroeder'srecord, citing Arthur Haferman and Michael Goyke's 187.5-pound catch on a set-line in Oshkosh from 1913 and Glen Marsh's 211-pound sturgeon from 1911 in Northwest Wisconsin, caught by a pike pole spear. The largest fish harvested was an F2 female that weighed 123.6 lbs. The current annual season tradition began in 2007 and addedthelottery fishery to preservation efforts, and since then, the shortest season was reported in 2012 at only two days. Yet both spearers and biologists report good numbers of shad within sturgeon stomachs, particularly in the southern portion of the lake. 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. In 1980, she saw the introduction of the first flip-top portable canvas ice shanty. Photos of spearers with their catch, cutting in, shanty life, scenic views observed during the season or any other captivating spearing traditions are encouraged. Ice conditions, however, likely prevented many from participating this year. Any fish harvested from Lake Winnebago must be registered at one of the registration stations on Lake Winnebago. The Schumacher family has a long history on the lake, and was profiled in the Emmy-award-winning Frozen Chosen, a sturgeon-spearing documentary currently available on Netflix. Follow her on Twitter at @daphlemke. In 2013, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) was asked about using cameras in the sturgeon hole during the sturgeon spearing season. but also enough resources to allow the next generation to thrive. 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. This is the 7th largest fish ever speared from the Winnebago system! People are also reading OUR VIEW: 6 big reasons to vote today The sale of sturgeon spearing licenses funds a variety of sturgeon management activities on the Winnebago system, such as successfully restoring lake sturgeon to the upper Wolf River in partnership with the the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin. This season was one for the books, with a variety of weather patterns packed into a short 16 days: warm weather, rain and a winter storm. 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. 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. The DNR has received reports of off-highway vehicles and ice fishing shacks going through the ice. To help with the registration process, the DNR asks that all harvested sturgeon be placed on the tailgate or in an easily accessible location. Wisconsin Official Traded Sturgeon Research Eggs for Caviar, Prosecutors Say Ryan Koenigs, a biologist who oversees the state's sturgeon spearing season in Lake Winnebago, is accused of. If youve visited a registration station, you may have seen big sturgeon with flat, or even bowl-shaped bellies. David Propson It was another slow day with 11 fish harvested on Lake Winnebago no juvenile females, 5 adult females and 6 males. The 2023 sturgeon spearing season has begun. This tag has no battery, a distinct 15-digit ID number and will last practically forever. David Propson of Kiel, a student at UW-Green Bay, got this awesome photo of a 61-inch, 51-pound lake sturgeon speared on Lake Winnebago by his father, Peter Propson of Kiel. While we all continue to hope for cold weather, Monday's forecast continues to look bright, sunny and warm. Essential tools of the trade for sturgeon spearing on the Lake Winnebago system include strong, multi-pronged and barbed spears, strong rope, decoys and a gaff. From these movement data, we can answer questions about seasonal migrations, river residency and spawning habits. Before spawning, a females belly becomes stretched out to accommodate all the eggs inside her. The season on the Upriver Lakes is closed. When spawning, females can hold 50,000-700,000 eggs. MADISON, Wis. - The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is preparing for the sturgeon spearing season opener on Feb. 11, giving spearers a chance to harvest Wisconsin's largest and oldest fish species. They also have registered the most fish over 100 pounds. 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. Youth who turn 12 years of age between Nov. 1 and the last day of the spearing season can purchase a spearing license after the deadline. Angler Catches Massive 16-Pound Walleye While Ice Fishing on Lake Ontario. The validated tag must stay with the sturgeon until presented at a DNR-operated registration station. Warm weather, however, made things a bit less solid by the seasons second weekend. The Upriver Season will continue to be open tomorrow. This balance between a good number of big fish and fish on the smaller end of the spectrum is another indication of a healthy sturgeon population in the Winnebago system. Locals report some decent Gizzard Shad values in this southeastern section of Lake Winnebago which is likely drawing spearers to this area. Congratulations to all successful spearers. Do not forget to check with your local fishing club for up-to-date ice conditions. Hopefully the tides will turn, and the forecasted lows will help solidify ice conditions. Mild weather adds to celebrations on opening day of sturgeon spearing season, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Many who took to the ice today found success, with 522 sturgeon harvested. Sturgeon in the Upriver Lakes average even smaller, at 36.5 pounds and 53.6 inches. The female sturgeon is the seventh-largest fish ever taken with a spear in the Lake Winnebago system. More information on harvest trends and management for the Lake Winnebago sturgeon fishery can be found on the DNRs fisheries webpage. shy of the system record (record is 212 . Good luck to those who brave the ice and rain tomorrow. reach out to Angie Gade at 920-517-6749. Only 50 lake sturgeon were harvested Upriver (11 juvenile females, 10 adult females and 29 males). Published Feb 16, 2023 3:37 PM EST. The spearing season begins on the second Saturday in February and lasts for 16 days or until any of the sex-specific harvest caps for that fishery have been reached. One of the nine fish was the 90.7 lbs., 77.9-inch F1 female speared by Russel Gulig. On Valentines Day, a Wisconsin ice fisherman named James Gishkowsky speared a massive sturgeon through an ice hole on Lake Winnebago. If you planned to register your fish there, please head to the next closest registration station. The Pipe registration shacks continue to have the highest harvest rates with a season total of 267 fish registered. Village Clerk/Treasurer Lisa Averkamp said theres nothing like the camaraderie of sturgeon spearing. Photos are a great way to show the spearing tradition and keep the memories alive for years to come. Over the years, the season has grown into a unique cultural event rich in tradition. The Pipe registration station saw the highest number of harvested fish for Lake Winnebago, with 124 lake sturgeon. Theres different ice conditions and thats why theres seven or eight different fishing clubs across the lake.. This is it; today wrapped up the 2023 sturgeon spearing season! The system-wide harvest caps are 430 juvenile females, 950 . People took a lot more precautions from going out, not going out, Mark Swanson said. 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. The survey not only asked about on-camera opinions but also the use of the sturgeon hole and other technologies during sturgeon spearing and other recreational fishing activities. At 154 pounds with only the beginning stages of eggs, we can only imagine how big this female would have weighed next year when she would have been ready to spawn. Note: As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the DNR urges spearers and spectators to practice social distancing and to wear a mask when social distancing is not possible. This was the lowest harvest day this season, bringing the total to 1,020 Lake Sturgeon harvested for Lake Winnebago and 1,305 for the entire Winnebago system so far this season. While this fish might not be the heaviest of the year, at 80.5 inches, this is a long fish. This years Upriver season lasted 8 days compared to 4 in 2022. If you are headed out tomorrow good luck and, as always, be safe. This was the last day to spear on the Upriver Lakes. We hope every spearer had a great season. On Valentine's Day, a Wisconsin ice fisherman named James Gishkowsky speared a massive sturgeon through an ice hole on Lake Winnebago. Spearers are also reminded that no ice is 100% safe. 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. 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. On opening weekend, only about 3,000 ice shanties were counted. Part of the scope statement included sending one final survey in 2021 to determine the growing interest in technology during the spearing season. Upriver Lakes harvest numbers representing 90-99% of the harvest cap, were set at 70 juvenile females, 79 adult females and 246 males. 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 heaviest sturgeon speared on record in the Lake Winnebago system weighed 212.2 pounds, caught by Ronald Grishaber in 2010. More:Mild weather adds to celebrations on opening day of sturgeon spearing season. This year also yielded the highest-known opening day shanty count, with 2,079. Spearing season runs for a maximum of 16 days or until harvest caps are met. I think it supersedes deer hunting, Averkamp said. To everyone headed back out tomorrow, remember to be safe. When Gizzard Shad populations are plentiful, they prove to be a good food source for the Lake Sturgeon.
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