Sturgeon spearing season in Wisconsin officially begins on Feb. 12, according to a Tuesday statement released by the Dept. of Natural Resources.
According to the DNR, the Winnebago system is one to one of the largest lake sturgeon populations on the continent. It is also only one of two locations where lake sturgeon can be harvested with a spear.
The spearing season is set to last until Feb. 27 unless any of DNR’s harvest caps are met. Such caps are 400 juvenile females, 875 adult females, and 1,200 males.
DNR conducted water clarity readings earlier this year, indicating a level of clarity this season that is below average. Their release notes that DNR has seen more favorable clarity in the Upriver Lakes.
Any person who spears a sturgeon must accompany their fish to an official sturgeon registration station, and any harvested sturgeon must be registered by 2:00 p.m. on the day it was speared. Registration stations can be found on Lake Winnebago as well as on the Upriver Lakes.
More information about sturgeon spearing season can be found on DNR’s website.
