HARRISON, Wis. (WFRV) – The annual sturgeon spearing season on the Winnebago System opens Saturday, drawing thousands of spearers onto the ice of Lake Winnebago and the Upriver Lakes for a tradition that spans generations.
Hometown Heroes: Healing retreat for veterans highlights sturgeon spearing
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) says the season will run for up to 16 days, closing March 1, or earlier if harvest caps are reached.
The Winnebago System is home to one of the largest lake sturgeon populations in North America and supports one of the state’s most unique winter fisheries.
This year’s harvest caps on Lake Winnebago are set at 280 juvenile females, 659 adult females and 981 males. On the Upriver Lakes like Lake Poygan, Lake Butte des Morts and Lake Winneconne, caps are 70 juvenile females, 73 adult females and 245 males.
Systemwide totals are capped at 350 juvenile females, 732 adult females and 1,226 males.
If any cap is reached, the DNR will post a closure notice on its Winnebago System Sturgeon Spearing webpage and notify email subscribers.
Biologists say water clarity often plays a major role in harvest totals. Assessments this year show excellent water clarity on Lake Winnebago, similar to other highly successful seasons.
For many participants, however, the season is about more than the harvest.
Before stepping onto the ice, first-time spearers quickly learn the basics of “Winnebago style” safety. That includes local advice such as not wearing seat belts while driving on the ice, and keeping windows rolled down in case a vehicle breaks through.
Veterans say the tradition runs deep. Some recall when spearers had to be 14 years old to participate; today, the minimum age is 12. Families cut holes into the thick ice, set up shanties and spend long days together waiting for a shadow to pass beneath their spearing hole.
“It’s about camaraderie,” said Freedom Resident Jon Breier, who grew up coming out with his father and friends. “Getting a fish is a bonus.”
For others, the season’s Valentine’s Day opener adds another layer of meaning. Lake Park Sportsmens Club Vice President Kevin Streck says he planned to spend the holiday hand in hand inside their shack, with his girlfriend, Tina Stolle.
Stolle recalled landing her first sturgeon on Valentine’s Day in 2019.
The DNR reminds participants that spearing tags must be carried on their person and can be printed through the state’s Go Wild system.
Once a sturgeon is harvested, the tag must be validated immediately and the fish registered at an official station by 2 p.m. that day.
Pulaski-native Deedra Irwin seeks Olympic glory in Milan with support from near & far
Fish taken from Lake Winnebago must be registered at Lake Winnebago stations, while those speared on the Upriver Lakes must be registered at Upriver stations. Harvested sturgeon must remain openly exposed and visible while being transported off the ice.
Officials also caution that no ice is ever 100% safe and encourage spearers and spectators to check local conditions.
