Sunday, February 9, 2014

Opening Weekend Sturgeon Spearing 2014

Day 2 of the Sturgeon Spearing Season was once again a very successful one for many spearers, as 321 Sturgeon were taken on Lake Winnebago and 77 on the Upriver Lakes.  The south end of Lake Winnebago was once again the most productive area, with the majority of the fish being registered at Wendts on the Lake and Pipe.  The largest Sturgeon speared today was taken by David Feldner and his Sturgeon weighed in at 148 pounds!

 

David Feldner's 148 Pound Sturgeon

My good friend Chris Kons accompanied his uncle on Lake Poygan this morning and pointed out this nice 51", 35 pound male Sturgeon as it crossed the white boards on the bottom.  After seeing a Northern, a Muskie, several Walleyes, White Bass, and Shad, a Sturgeon finally made it's way across their hole.  

 

 

Without hesitation the spear was launched, which actually pinned the fish to the bottom briefly, before it attempted to swim off.  This fish made all of the preparations worth it, as the axle on the original shack they had planned to use broke en route to the Lake.  Luckily, Chris had just purchased another shack, which the two ended up using together to spear this Sturgeon.

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With the harvest totals on the Upriver Lakes exceeding the 90% target for Adult Females, spearers will have one final day on Monday to get their Sturgeon before the season closes.  Spearers on Lake Winnebago will likely have a few more days for a chance at getting a Sturgeon as the Adult Female harvest cap is at 62% after opening weekend.  See the charts below for spearing totals as of the end of the day on Sunday February 9.

 

 

2014 Lake Winnebago - By the numbers as of February 9

Daily harvest Season harvest Harvest cap
Juvenile females 38 112 (35%) 320
Adult females 146 460 (62%) 745
Males 137 385 (40%) 960
Totals 321 957 -

2014 Upriver Lakes - By the numbers as of February 9

Daily harvest Season harvest Harvest cap
Juvenile females 9 39 (49%) 80
Adult females 25 82 (99%) 83
Males 43 198 (83%) 240
Totals 77 319 -

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