sturgeon spearing

[soaknwet]

This past weekend, there was a 212 pound sturgeon taken in Wisconsin legally by spear. The DNR says this fish was proably 100 years old. To me, this doesn't seem right. I understand that you can't determine the age by looking at it before you spear it and that everyone wants to catch a big fish. I guess that's why I fish instead of spear. I practice catch and release most of the time. I eat panfish and walleyes and return the others to the water. I have a replica for a musky I caught but might be tempted to keep a big pike for the wall. So how about it. Any thoughts on keeping or release big fish that might be 20 years or older?

[hillmann]

some people would say catch and release is wrong. You hook a animal in its mouth jerk it into an environment where it can not breath, rip the barbed hook out of its mouth and then let it go and call it a sport. Imagine that being done to any animal other than a fish.  Now with spearing you let the ones you don't want go by without ever knowing and when you see one you want you kill it and eat it.  It is just like hunting. 

I want to say that I am not against C&R fishing(not really for it eather), I just used that to point out that everything is "wrong" to someone.

[soaknwet]

Very true. I'm not against spearing. I don't know enough about it to be against it, and if I had the chance to try it, I might enjoy it. And spearing a 212 pound fish would really make your blood flow. It's not the sport that bothers me, it's how I would feel about killing a hundred year old fish. I'm sure you understand what I mean. We respect the animals that we we hunt and fish and the older the animal is, the more respect it demands. We have it  easy compared to the wildlife, and you have to repect how hard its been for them just to have lived for so long. Hey, maybe I'm just rambeling. My wife says I spend toomuch time alone.

[bearbgone]

Very true. I'm not against spearing. I don't know enough about it to be against it, and if I had the chance to try it, I might enjoy it. And spearing a 212 pound fish would really make your blood flow. It's not the sport that bothers me, it's how I would feel about killing a hundred year old fish. I'm sure you understand what I mean. We respect the animals that we we hunt and fish and the older the animal is, the more respect it demands. We have it  easy compared to the wildlife, and you have to repect how hard its been for them just to have lived for so long. Hey, maybe I'm just rambeling. My wife says I spend toomuch time alone.

 

I have no opinion on the sport of spearing because I too have never done it before. As far as killing a 100 year old fish, I see no logic in garnishing more respect for it because it is older. I think the younger fish should garnish just as much respect because they will never have a chance to live to such an age. Heck, we humans don't get a chance to live as long as some of the sturgeon do.

[P. Nasty]

I agree. It's similar to hunting, the DNR has a purpose for a spearing season....otherwise there would be not season. I leave it up to them to determine how people can take animals.

[gasman707]

If you apply this same logic to deer hunting you should only shoot 6 pionters or less, and take pictures of the 10s & 12s? Would the contest then be to see who shot the smallest buck? Maybe, it would be the smallest spread?

 Sorry, couldn't help myself. I understand your point, but bragging rights will always win.

[winterbot428]

How much longer would it have lived?  And does it matter?

[KQ700]

I practice catch and release all the time in the summer, I have released a lot of fish most people would put on the wall. I use barbless hooks in the summer, the only time I do keep fish is in the winter and the only fish I do keep are pan fish and pike. I don't care for walleyes so I don't fish for them and if I happen to catch one I normally let it go. To the guy that got the sturgeon congrads  

[smbrickner]

The only problem I have with spearing sturgeon is the low populations of them.  Most sturgeon don't even start breeding until they are 25-30 years old.  That being said I believe you are only allowed one sturgeon a year right?

[hillmann]

It is possoble to get two a year, one hook and line and one spearing but it is very to get one spearing because they sell ten times as many tags as they want harvested.  Once they get close to the qouta they close the season. I think last year it only lasted three days.

[TIBS]

The only problem I have with spearing sturgeon is the low populations of them.  Most sturgeon don't even start breeding until they are 25-30 years old.  That being said I believe you are only allowed one sturgeon a year right?

Yeah, one, if you're lucky enough to be in the 10% who actually get one.  I have no problem with the spearing season.  It's fish hunting, no different than shooting a deer.  This season is maintained because a lot of people put a lot of time into making sure the fishery stays strong, harvest is tightly controlled and the spawn is guarded by volunteers.  There's a lot of attention paid to this fishery, and it pays because the numbers and size are bigger than they've been in the last 60 years.