WINNEBAGO CO, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – It’s a sign of the season as another sturgeon spearing season wraps up on Sunday.
Although the season is going the full 16 days, it’s been a successful one for spearers across the Lake Winnebago system. Spearers on upriver lakes Poygan, Winneconne and Butte des Morts hit their limit on the first weekend, having speared 364 sturgeon when the season ended there on Feb. 20. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources said it was the most sturgeon speared on the upriver lakes since the current lottery system was implemented in 2007.
On Lake Winnebago itself, spearers have had their most success in several years. By last Monday, the 10th day of the season, they had already speared 1,266, the most since 1,870 sturgeon were taken on Lake Winnebago in 2015.
Spearing had a different feel this year — and not just because of the coronavirus pandemic. Ryan Koenigs, the DNR’s top sturgeon biologist, is on leave amid an investigation into a caviar-producing scheme. The fallout of the investigation threatens to cause a rift between the DNR and spearers.
What did look different because of the pandemic was the process of registering sturgeon. Instead of spearers taking their fish to registration stations at businesses around the lake, where onlookers would gather to see the giant fish, all registration stations were drive-through this year.
The end of the spearing season also marks a turning point in the seasons of the year.
Sturgeon spearing is ending on Feb. 28, the last day of meteorological winter. With February ending on a warm note, signs of spring have arrived early. Melting ice on Wisconsin waterways brings with it deadlines for removing shanties from the ice. Permanent shanties must be removed from inland waters south of Hwy. 64 by next Sunday, March 7. North of 64, shanties need to be off the ice by March 14. The following day is the deadline for removing shanties from waters along the Wisconsin-Michigan border. Portable shanties may still be used as they as they are removed from the ice when not in active use and at the end of each day.
How long will there be enough ice to support venturing onto lakes and rivers? With warm weather, water could be opening up soon. Check the forecast from FOX 11 Meteorologists, and remember that no ice is ever 100% safe.
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