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