A sturgeon (file photo)
LAKE WINNEBAGO, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — As we head through the second week of what many consider a very slow sturgeon spearing season, experts say the fish may be a little lighter and leaner this year.
With an estimated 40,000 adults, DNR sturgeon biologist Margaret Stadig says the population of the prehistoric fish in the Lake Winnebago System is relatively healthy.
“Last year, we continued to see large individuals coming out of the spearing season. We’re also seeing gigantic individuals coming out of the spawning season,” said Margaret Stadig, DNR Sturgeon Biologist.
Stadig says the bottom-feeding sturgeon typically eat lake fly larvae, commonly known as red worms.
“Unfortunately, red worms are down this year. They’re down again. They do tend to have a boom and bust system,” she said.
Stadig says the red worm survey puts the population at its lowest in more than 10 years.
“Hoping that potentially because we’ve had a warmer spring, we might see a better hatch this upcoming year,” she said.
She says the abundance of another food source, the tiny fish called gizzard shad, is well below its average too.
“We saw about the same amount of gizzard shad, that we saw last year. Sturgeon are kind of like toddlers. If it’s on the ground, and they can fit it in their mouth, they’re going to put it in their mouth. That’s why they’ve been around so long, is they just adapt,” said Stadig.
Stadig says spearers are coming off two relatively successful seasons, and while the 2024 harvest is slower, she says she’s not concerned.
“No. I think we’re going to be, we’re going to be fine. This population is very resilient to changes, which is what makes it so incredible, that we can call it healthy is minor changes to what you’re calling under-harvest probably won’t affect us too awful much in the long run,” she said.
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