Sturgeon Spearing Shanties Few And Far Between After 3rd Straight Day Of Warm Weather

Warm weather continues to wreak havoc on this year’s sturgeon spearing season.

A third warm day in a row, and the warmest of the season, as well as rain, led most spearers to vacate their shanties from the ice yesterday.

Only 72 fish were harvested throughout the system, with 58 from Lake Winnebago and 14 from the Upriver lakes.

Upriver, there are still 3 adult females left until the 90% trigger is activated or 11 more adult females until the cap is reached. If the 90% trigger is hit, there will only be one more day to spear after that. If 100% is reached, then the season will close that afternoon.

But so far, harvest Upriver has been slow, and the season will be open today.

Despite the slow day, a massive 177 pound, 79.9-inch female sturgeon from Lake Winnebago was speared. It’s the 7th largest fish ever speared from the Winnebago system.

Because of the warm weather, the Quinney and Poygan weigh stations have closed.

982 sturgeon have been speared so far this year.

Above freezing temperatures continue today with a drop below freezing coming tonight, but that may be too late for many spearers to want to bring their shanties back out on the ice for the last few days of the season.