Slow Day For Sturgeon On Lake Winnebago

Day 13 of the 2021 sturgeon spearing season was another slow day around Lake Winnebago, as only 27 fish were harvested. The total was second to day 10 for the lowest daily harvest on Lake Winnebago this season. After Thursday, Lake Winnebago and Winnebago System totals have increased to 1,324 and 1,688 respectively. Spearing effort continues to decrease around the lake and reports are that many shacks are now off the lake for the season.

It is expected the effort will increase this weekend and that some spearers will bring their shacks back out for the final two days of the season. The registration stations were all reasonably close in number of fish registered, but the Grundman Lane and Stockbridge Harbor stations tied for the lake-wide daily high at 6 fish. Reports from spearers are that the lake snowpack has been decreasing rapidly resulting in wet slush conditions. With the warmer weather in the forecast for the remainder of the season, be sure to check with the local fishing clubs for updates on lake travel conditions.  

Thursday’s harvest of 6 juvenile females, 9 adult females and 12 males had little impact on the harvest caps as 87 juvenile females, 174 adult females and 330 males remain in order to reach any Lake Winnebago or Winnebago System sex-specific triggers. Friday’s harvest would have to dramatically increase for any of these triggers to be reached prior to the closing of the season at the max duration of 16 days. For the full day 13 harvest breakdown, click on the link below.

Click here for a detailed harvest report.

The biggest fish harvested on Lake Winnebago today was the gigantic 137.0-pound (80.9 inches) fish speared by Russell Ory. Russell’s fish was an F2 female registered at the Grundman Lane registration station. In addition to Russell’s fish, one other fish weighing over 100 pounds was harvested on Lake Winnebago today, bringing the number of 100 pounders speared so far this season to 69. Lake Winnebago alone contributed 58 of the 69 fish weighing 100 pounds or greater.