Sturgeon Report : Day 16

DNR Sturgeon Biologist Ryan Koenigs Writes,

 

The 2017 sturgeon spearing season on the Winnebago System
is now complete. As expected, things ended in a slow fashion with only 10 fish
harvested over the last 7 days of the season (8 on Monday, 1 on Tuesday, 1 on
Wednesday, and 0 fish each of the last 4 days).  The season still closes
with a total harvest of 847 fish (552 from Lake Winnebago and 295 from the
Upriver Lakes).

 

I’ve been asked to summarize this season in a few
sentences and overall I would say this was a successful season for the
following reasons:

1. Opening day shanty counts
   (>5,000 shacks) indicate that many license holders were able to take
   part in the early part of the season. Thus another season provided
   opportunities to renew traditions and create memories. Large fish in the harvest. We had
   9 fish harvested that were 140 pounds or larger. In comparison there were
   only 12 fish of this size harvested within the last 4 seasons combined (3
   in 2013; 8 in 2014; 0 in 2015; 1 in 2016).   We can’t control Mother Nature and
   climate, but 2017 was another safe season as spearers were able to take
   part in the sport safely.
3. 847 license holders were able to
   fill their tag. This is down from averages over the last decade, but still
   the largest recreational spear harvest for sturgeon in the world and an
   increase over last season (703 fish).

 

Here are a few highlights from the Lake Winnebago and
Upriver Lakes seasons.

 

Lake Winnebago:

• Harvest of 552 fish from Lake
  Winnebago ranks 45^th highest out of 77 seasons dating back
  to 1941 (reference PDF attached; harvest data unknown for 1944 and 1945
  seasons).
• 46 fish 100 pounds or larger
  harvested, including 9 fish 140 pounds or larger
• 8.3% of harvest fish 100 pounds or
  larger. This is the 2^nd highest value on record dating
  back to 1955, behind only 2013 (9.5% of harvest). Stark increase from 2015
  and 2016 seasons that each had 2.0% of the Lake Winnebago harvest be fish
  100+ pounds.
• 5,074 shanties on opening day was
  the 2^nd highest shanty count on record behind only 2009
  (5,958 shanties).
• 5^th full 16-day
  season within the last 7 years; only 2014 and 2015 seasons reached harvest
  caps early.

Upriver Lakes:

• Harvest of 295 fish 7^th largest
  harvest since lottery fishery implemented in 2007 (11 seasons; average
  harvest 297.2 sturgeon/season).
• First full 16-day season since
  lottery fishery implemented, largely because of increased harvest caps
  over recent seasons.
• 8 fish 100 pounds or larger
  harvested (2.7%) down slightly from last season (3.6% of
  harvest).