NORTHEAST, WI- The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reveals a notable decline in sturgeon harvests and participation during the opening day of sturgeon spearing, attributed to widespread awareness of hazardous ice conditions.
Preliminary figures indicate that a total of 58 sturgeon were harvested between Lake Winnebago and the Upriver Lakes, a significant drop compared to 522 sturgeon on last year’s opening day and 431 in 2022.
In terms of shelter numbers, the DNR reports just over 450 shacks and pop-up tents on Lake Winnebago, a sharp decrease from the 3,000 observed on the opening day last year and the 6,000 in 2022.
Lake Winnebago specifically saw the harvest of 45 lake sturgeon, comprising 29 adult males, 12 adult females, and 4 juvenile males. The southwest Winnebago registration station reported the highest activity with 32 sturgeon, likely influenced by prevailing ice conditions.
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