WINNECONNE, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Day three of the 2023 Sturgeon Spearing Season was slow, with a total of 127 fish were harvested throughout the Lake Winnebago System.
One hundred were from Lake Winnebago and 27 from the Upriver Lakes of Poygan, Winneconne and Butte des Morts.
That means the campaign on the Upriver Lakes will continue as well.
Pickup trucks pulling shanties onto shore typically signals one thing — the end of spearing. Ice conditions on the southern shoreline of Lake Poygan were reported to be relatively good Monday morning.
At the sturgeon registration station at Critters in Winneconne, Bonnie Hughes brought a 35-pound fish to the scale.
“It’s probably been 30 years since I’ve been spearing. So, pretty lucky. I never threw a spear before, so it was the first time.”
A few minutes later, John Quella pulled a 92-pound monster across the parking lot. He speared the six-foot long sturgeon on Lake Poygan.
“I passed up some small fish Saturday, and Sunday, and waiting for a nice one. I got fortunate enough to have one swim through the hole, and we got her.”
The season on the Upriver Lakes is different than the one on Lake Winnebago. Department of Natural Resources officials say the Upriver campaign is limited to 500 lottery-winning participants.
“It can take anywhere from seven, eight, nine years to get those tags now. So, obviously when spearers get the lucky draw, they get out there and do their best to get a fish,” said Adam Nickel, DNR Fisheries Biologist.
DNR officials say 9,000 people applied for an Upriver tag this season, which is up from 8,000 a year ago. Biologists say the Upriver Lakes are shallow and typically have clearer water than Winnebago. That puts the spearing success rate at about 60%, compared to about 8% on Winnebago.
Back at the registration station, Quella says it was worth the wait.
“I’ve been spearing for quite a while, but this is only my second fish. And both of my fish were Upriver fish, and they were both nice fish.”
Hughes agrees.
“It was real exciting, and I’m glad it’s over. I’ve been sitting all weekend, so yeah, it was nice. A good day.”
Spearing continues on the Upriver Lakes until the safe-harvest caps are reached. That typically has taken a matter of days.
