DNR Sturgeon Spearing Report Day Two

RIPON, Wis (WRPN)- It was another great day on Lake Winnebago for sturgeon spearers Sunday.

While there weren’t as many fish harvested compared to Saturday, there were still an impressive 375 lake sturgeon harvested through the system. On Lake Winnebago, 300 lake sturgeon were harvested. Most of the fish are still being harvested on the east side of the lake where spearers tell DNR officials they still have areas of great water clarity.

After the opening weekend the totals on Lake Winnebago are 96 juvenile females, 371 adult females and 312 males for a total of 779. This is 56 percent of the adult female harvest cap for Lake Winnebago.

Even with fewer spearers on the ice, Upriver lakes still harvested 75 lake sturgeon with 10 juvenile females, 19 adult females and 46 males reported. With these fish, the 90 percent trigger has been hit on the Upriver Lakes. Spearers with tags for the Upriver Lakes can continue to spear until 1 pm today. At that time, the Upriver Lakes sturgeon spearing season will close.

The largest fish speared Sunday was a 125-pound female that measured 72.2 inches in length. It was speared by Jamie Wilson and registered at the Neenah station.

Photo credit: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. In the photo Hoyt Patt’s first year sturgeon spearing is going to be memorable with his first fish. His dad tells him he’s lucky as many go years before they spear their first fish. Congrats Hoyt!