WI state record sturgeon speared!!

[Walleye64]

Some guy off of lake winnebago speared this 212lb sturgeon today!!!

[palmer437]

that is insaine

[Icewarrior]

unbelievable

[Walleye64]

good luck getting that through a 10" auger hole!! double it and make it a 20" auger hole and it will still be tight!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Walleye64]

7ft 10" long!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[freaknasty7]

im not sure that words can express that fish!

[wetboots]

That will make A strange mount.  8)

[Trevor]

That's a big fish.  Prehistoric beast.  I guess they are not protected in WI?

[Walleye64]

check this sturgeon out

[53andout]

150 year old fish. What a shame.

[Walleye64]

YES, they are protected in Wi, but there is a spearing season for them every winter. It's illegal to keep them other than when it is spearing time. only a certain amount are harvested and then it is the end of the season.

[Trevor]

This, apparently, is the Canadian record.  

[d3]

How do you lure them in to spear them and then I would like to see how they fight them after spearing them.  That must be really intense.  I have seen them catch them on shows on tv and they ar eamazing so I can only imagine what it must be like to pull one of them beast up onto the ice.

D3

[#1bassfisher]

Nice fish

[esox slayer]

.

[Border Jumper]

What a fish !!

[SebagoSlayer]

I wouldnt know what to do with that thing how big was that hole?

[Kevin23]

I wouldnt know what to do with that thing how big was that hole?

I have a feeling it was not a 4.5" nills.

[shadfish]

Holy Cow 

[TIBS]

To those spearing naysayers out there, the Winnebago sturgeon spearing season is a long standing tradition here, which is tightly controlled.  It is the only way to take a sturgeon in the Winnebago system (which supports the largest lake sturgeon population in the world)  A 212# Lake Sturgeon is a monster, you can't compare this fish to the white sturgeon out west, 2 different species.

-You may only spear 6 hours a day (6:30-12:30)
-Minimum length of 36"
-The harvest caps are 280 Juvenile females, 666 adult females, and 800 males.  If those caps are approached to within 90% for any of the 3 categories, the season closes 24 hours later.  If the harvest reaches 100% the season closes that day
-They must be tagged and registered on the day of being speared.  That's how they track the harvest quota.

And for the hole those come out of?  The regs state that a sturgeon spearer may cut a total of 48 sq ft of hole for their shanty.  That's a swimming pools worth of hole!  They use a chainsaw with a 36" bar or a long ice hand saw, I know Nils makes one.

The sturgeon are well protected through out the rest of the year, including a volunteer rotating guard shift of their spawning grounds so that poachers can't get at the eggs.

I have not yet tried to do the spearing "experience" but plan to in the future.  The fisheree is stronger than it's been in decades, thanks to the volunteer work, Sturgeon for Tomorrow, and the WI DNR.  There is no shame in spearing one of these fish, there's a lot of work that goes into it, and it's probably the best managed fishery anywhere that I know of.

[Trevor]

To those spearing naysayers out there, the Winnebago sturgeon spearing season is a long standing tradition here, which is tightly controlled.  It is the only way to take a sturgeon in the Winnebago system (which supports the largest lake sturgeon population in the world)  A 212# Lake Sturgeon is a monster, you can't compare this fish to the white sturgeon out west, 2 different species.

-You may only spear 6 hours a day (6:30-12:30)
-Minimum length of 36"
-The harvest caps are 280 Juvenile females, 666 adult females, and 800 males.  If those caps are approached to within 90% for any of the 3 categories, the season closes 24 hours later.  If the harvest reaches 100% the season closes that day
-They must be tagged and registered on the day of being speared.  That's how they track the harvest quota.

And for the hole those come out of?  The regs state that a sturgeon spearer may cut a total of 48 sq ft of hole for their shanty.  That's a swimming pools worth of hole!  They use a chainsaw with a 36" bar or a long ice hand saw, I know Nils makes one.

The sturgeon are well protected through out the rest of the year, including a volunteer rotating guard shift of their spawning grounds so that poachers can't get at the eggs.

I have not yet tried to do the spearing "experience" but plan to in the future.  The fisheree is stronger than it's been in decades, thanks to the volunteer work, Sturgeon for Tomorrow, and the WI DNR.  There is no shame in spearing one of these fish, there's a lot of work that goes into it, and it's probably the best managed fishery anywhere that I know of.

Thanks for taking the time to write such an informative post...

[shawno]

I'm sorry if this comes across as being ignorant, but I'm just curious...what on earth are you going to do with #200 + of sturgeon meat?  I realize the eggs are used for caviar, but what about the rest of the beast?  People don't actually eat the meat do they??

[TIBS]

Thanks for taking the time to write such an informative post...

I know there's a bunch of people on this forum who believe spearing is evil, I just want people to know we don't go around hap hazardly stabbing whatever we want.  A little info goes a long way in helping people understand.

And yes, people do eat the meat.  It can be cut up for steaks or smoked.... I'm sure there are plenty of ways to eat it, those are the 2 that I know of.  Never tasted it though so I can't speak to it's flavor.

[JokersWild]

I had a couple buddies on the lake today that called me as they were looking at the fish after it was registered.  I thought they were joking at first but they said they were serious.  I wish I would have been there to see it.  Awesome fish!

[53andout]

 I am a big Pike spearing fan. The meat is good to eat, there are plenty of them, and they are small enough to eat in one meal.
 That 150 year old Sturgeon, another story, 150 years (or even 10 years) of eating off the floor of the lake this fish has more chemicals than Dow Chemical. Sure it's edible, (Google it) But my bet is that of all the fish that get speared, about 95% is never makes it to a table. I really hope I'm wrong.

I know there's a bunch of people on this forum who believe spearing is evil, I just want people to know we don't go around hap hazardly stabbing whatever we want.  A little info goes a long way in helping people understand.

And yes, people do eat the meat.  It can be cut up for steaks or smoked.... I'm sure there are plenty of ways to eat it, those are the 2 that I know of.  Never tasted it though so I can't speak to it's flavor.

[masoneddie]

"53andout"  have you ever tried sturgeon?? exactly don't leave a comment.

Walleye 64...do they have like a sturgeon fest or something where they serve up the fish that are harvested..or what do they do with all the fish taken? Curious...

[Walleye64]

Most people smoke the fish and give most the meat to family and friends who didn't get a sturgeon.

[Surefishalot]

GREAT CATCH

[53andout]

Have you? Really? Prove me wrong. Google it, In the meantime I'll leave all the comments I like. I could care less that they don't fit your "ideal".....
and the idea of eating a 150 year old chemical laden fish surely isn't my first, or any choice. The DNR would probably classify it as "hazardous waste" once it's killed.

"53andout" If you don't know what your saying please don't reply. Thanks

"53andout"  have you ever tried sturgeon?? exactly don't leave a comment.

[53andout]

Just as I expected, no facts....

Tree hugger... LOL.

they taste like crap. I guess your right. LOL
as for the 150 year old comment. tree hugger