Conditions near perfect to start sturgeon spearing season, but will warm weather cut the season short?

Sturgeon Spearers are preparing for the sturgeon spearing season which opens this Saturday, February 14, 2026, on the Lake Winnebago System.

We reported ice thickness was going to be more than adequate for trucks and shanties, at least for the start of the season. The other major factor to indicate a potential successful season is water clarity.

Water clarity is critical in sturgeon spearing because it directly determines visibility for spotting the fish. Clear water allows spearers to see deeper into the water, enabling them to see and spear fish at a greater depth. According to the DNR, this year’s assessments indicate excellent water clarity throughout Lake Winnebago.

According to data released by the DNR, the average water clarity depth readings on Winnebago taken on January 26th, is 13.8 feet, which is the best clarity since 2014 when it was 15 feet.

More specific readings for the southern portion of the lake show off of the sturgeon spearing registration station by Wendts, near the shore visibility is 7 feet where the bottom of the lake is 8 feet deep. Out slightly farther visibility goes to 13 feet with the bottom at 14 feet, and out farther yet, visibility is 15 feet which is all the way to the bottom.

Off of the sturgeon spearing registration station by Pipe showed overall the best clarity on the lake with visibility all the way to the bottom at 15 to 16 feet deep at all three locations tested.

These exceptional conditions come just one year after what the DNR called the worst water clarity conditions in two decades for last year’s season

The DNR doesn’t check water clarity in the upriver lakes, although clarity is usually not a major factor in these waterbodies because of how shallow they are.

In 2024, a warm winter created poor ice conditions with significant open water throughout the system resulting in only 432 sturgeon speared. Last year, high winds and poor water clarity were the key factors reducing harvest, resulting in 941 fish speared.

While conditions are near perfect for the start of this years season, warm weather forecasted by weather models could cause issues only five days into the season. This is due to the potential of temperatures in the 50s to near 60 by the 18th. Models are in disagreement over this drastic warm-up, however IF it does happen, ice near the shore would melt very quickly causing issues getting out to spearing locations.