UNDATED (WRN)  More than 12,000 licenses were sold for the sturgeon spearing season that kicks off Saturday on Lake Winnebago and the Upriver Lakes. Sturgeon Biologist Ryan Koenigs says once again water clarity will affect the success people have.

Earlier this week Koenigs said the clarity on Lake Winnebago wasn’t as good as the past few seasons. He assisted in tagging of sturgeon last spring with one that would have eclipsed the record 212 pounder that was taken on Lake Winnebago in 2010.

Koenigs says there are plenty of big fish for those will try their luck at sturgeon spearing this season. “We have a very robust population. Our population, in terms of number of fish out there, is the highest it’s been since we started doing surveys in the ’50s.”

DNR officials have seen an increase in the number of fish taken over 100 pounds in the last few spearing seasons.