A sturgeon (file photo)
OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — 12,188 license holders are getting ready for the sturgeon spearing season.
The season kicks off on Saturday, and biologists say this year’s harvest may be a little heavier than last season.
“Our harvest caps are still based on the population estimate. Our population estimate continues to be fairly stable, with 25,000 adult males, and 15,000 adult females. So while the cap did vary slightly, there should be plenty of fish out there for people to spear,” said Margaret Stadig, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources sturgeon biologist.
Stadig says the prehistoric fish are bottom feeders, and a common food source is lake fly larvae, also known as red worms.
“As for forage, we’re actually seeing an increase in the red worm populations on Lake Winnebago, which is fantastic. We’ve had a low year, for the last two years. And now, what we were finding in the summer, is that red worm populations were back to where they usually are. So hopefully that will be reflected in the population that we start seeing speared on Saturday,” she said.
Stadig says results from a summer trawling survey put another food source, the tiny fish called gizzard shad, well below its population average.
“There was a lot of anecdotal reports of lots of gizzard shad along the shoreline from those landowners that live along the lake. So there is the potential that there may be a good number of gizzard shad, kind of closer to shore, compared to most other years,” she said.
And while the 2024 campaign may be remembered for poor ice conditions, and a harvest well below average, Stadig says despite relatively poor water clarity, improved conditions on the ice, mean the 2025 season may already be off to a better start.
“I think as a lot of people are preparing their trucks, and UTVs, and ATVs, and their actual shacks, I think they’re really excited to get back to the system they know, and trust and love. So I’m really excited to see that,” she said.
Spearing begins each day at 7 a.m., and shuts down at 1 p.m.
The campaign is scheduled to run 16 days. It will close earlier if the safe harvest caps are met.
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