WINNECONNE, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The Upriver Lakes sturgeon spearing season ended Saturday, eight days early – after season totals pushed over the 90-percent trigger for male lake sturgeon.
The Department of Natural Recourses (DNR) says 2021 is the highest Upriver Lakes harvest since the lottery system began in 2007.
Sturgeon spearers slowly trickled off the ice Saturday..
“At the registration station here in Winneconne today they have registered six fish so far, so it’s been a little bit of a slower day so far,” said DNR Law Enforcement Bureau Lieutenant Chris Shea
With many having no luck at their holes on Lake Poygan.
“We saw fish, small ones but didn’t get it,” said Jeff and Ray Dietzen.
Except for a few lucky ones,
“It weighed 40 pounds and I guess it came in around 12:30 p.m.,” said Winneconne angler, Mark Fahrenkrug.
Fahrenkrug says once he saw a long fish under the ice, he knew it was a sturgeon and speared it.
“Water clarity is the number one factor as far as success rates go for surgeon spearers and this year water clarity has been very good,” said Shea.
Shea says the Upriver Lakes system typically closes early because the caps are smaller.
“The ice is one of the best conditions we’ve seen in the last handful of years. Lake plugins are averaging anywhere from 16 to 20 inches.”
Which Shea says is good for the number of people on the ice.
“Tens of thousands of people out recreating. Whether its people sturgeon spearing, ice fishing or snowmobiling today.”
The Dietzen’s aren’t leaving the ice quite yet, “Yeah I wish we would have got a fish; he’s got a tag for Winnebago so we can still go out there.”
And Fahrenkrug is happy to leave after his spear…
“I had an attitude today that I didn’t really care if anything came through or not because I’ve been working all week and not much has happened so…. It was just, luck,” said Fahrenkrug.
The DNR says Lake Winnebago has not reached its cap yet and is still allowing sturgeon spearers.
