Did you know that they spear sturgeon in Wisconsin?  Seriously.  Thousands of fishermen flock to the 138,000 acre Lake Winnebago to spear the prehistoric-looking fish during a week or two in the winter.  They set up shacks on the ice over shallow areas, cut large holes in the ice and wait for a big sturgeon to swim by.  And in some cases, a fella gets lucky and spears a big one.  Pictured below is Darren Horness of Howards Grove, Wisconsin, with the 102 pound, 72 inch sturgeon he speared during this year’s season.

You can read more about Darren and his fish here.

Lake Winnebago is unique in that it boasts what is probably the healthiest sturgeon population in the country, which is why the opportunity to spear the giant fish still exists.  The main reason the sturgeon population is so robust here is the management effort and collaboration between the Wisconsin DNR and dedicated sturgeon fishermen who want to maintain a healthy fishery.  The DNR and other groups have committed extensive time and effort to managing the fishery.  In fact, fishermen have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to support the sturgeon program.

The 2008 sturgeon spearing season ended last week on Lake Winnebago, and turned out to be one of the best yet.  Spearer Ed Blatz caught the biggest sturgeon in years, weighing in at 172 pounds!

Thanks to dedicated fishermen and proper management, this unique form of fishing is alive and well in Wisconsin, and I think I speak for a lot of people when I say I’m glad it’s been a success……….and I’m a bit jealous too! 

Read a great article about the Winnebago sturgeon fishery here

A new Utah law that would allow sporting and environmental groups to purchase instream flows from irrigators in order to protect fish habitat has again seen the light of day.  The Instream Flow to Protect Trout Habitat bill passed in the state Senate last year but failed in the House.  New provisions which address concerns about hydropower generation and Endangered Species Act restrictions have garnered more support for the bill, and it’s expected to pass this year.  The bill is modeled after a successful existing program in Montana. 

With the passing of this law, fishing organizations could purchase water rights from irrigators, meaning that water would be left in the stream instead of being used to water crops, providing more and better habitat for trout during critical low-flow periods.  The bill is being praised by a wide audience and has the support of many conservationists, recreationists and farmers. 

Read the Salt Lake Tribune article here

If you’re an Arizona fisherman you may be in for some of the best fishing the state has seen in decades.  According to a local paper, hydrologists are predicting water levels to be off the charts this year due to the large snowpack.  And more water means better fishing in this dry state.

“This looks like an historic year in our fisheries, in large part because of the tremendous runoff in 2005 and resulting spawns, but also because of the widespread deep snowpack in the high country we haven’t experienced since at least 1993,” said Fisheries Chief Kirk Young. “The Arizona fishing outlook is the best we’ve seen in 25 years or so.”

Spawning fish from the 2005 year class, revitalized vegetation growth and newly flooded reservoir edges are all expected to make 2008 a banner year for fishing in Arizona.  Remember, it’s never too early to gear up for the upcoming season.  It looks like Arizona fishermen and other fishermen in areas throughout the arid West have a lot to look forward to this year!

Read more here