(WFRV) – Day One of sturgeon spearing season has passed us by, and it was certainly a loving and successful day for those out on the ice of Lake Winnebago.
Valentine’s on the Ice: What to know about Wisconsin’s Sturgeon Spearing Season Opener
According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), 479 lake sturgeon were harvested on Lake Winnebago this Valentine’s Day season opener, 239 of which were adult females, reaching 36% of the adult female cap thus far.
53 were juvenile females and 187 were adult males. The DNR says most of the harvest was on the east side of the lake. The largest harvest was a 148.9-pound, 75.5-inch F4 female speared Upriver.
‘Sturgeon Spectacular’ kicks off in Fond du Lac
The DNR specifically shouted out 13-year-old Abigail Derksen, who, in just her second year of spearing, harvested a nice 53.6-inch, 34-pound male sturgeon.
The Upriver Lakes are already nearing the harvest cap, as it’s only 17 adult females away. The DNR says to check daily updates, as some areas may end their seasons earlier, pending harvest cap totals.
