Feb. 16, 2025 Harvest Update

As the second weekend of the Winnebago sturgeon spearing season came to a close, 58 lake sturgeon were speared on this Sunday. Of that, 40 were harvested from Lake Winnebago with 7 juvenile females, 19 adult females and 14 males. Three more fish over 100 pounds were also speared, with today’s biggest fish being speared on Lake Winnebago by Evan Muche (a 144.5-pound, 76.1-inch, F2 female).

With most of the snow done falling, more spearers were likely back on the ice to finish up their weekend spearing on the Upriver Lakes. Harvest levels were still fairly low. A total of 18 lake sturgeon were harvested today (6 juvenile females, 2 adult females and 10 males). This is still lower than expected, considering reports indicate there are at least some good areas of ice on the lakes. But we are still hearing that access, particularly on the south shoreline, is difficult. So please make sure you check with those landings and local groups for updates.

Even still, we are at 78% of the harvest cap for males on the Upriver Lakes. And while most years the season length is determined by the adult female harvest cap, it is not uncommon to have a year when there are a disproportionate amount of males harvested. It will be interesting to see how the rest of the season shakes out. As of today, there have been 41 juvenile females, 42 adult females and 196 males harvested on the Upriver Lakes so far this season.

View the full details in today’s harvest report.

Water clarity has been the big talk of this season, particularly on Lake Winnebago. The DNR does monitor water clarity before the season, but we do not test for the exact reason or which particulates in the water are causing the turbidity. At the beginning of the season, there was likely a large algal bloom occurring. Most people are not thinking about green, photosynthesizing organisms during the cold winter months, but that does not mean phytoplankton are not still in the water column. This year with the lack of snow on the ice, there was nothing preventing the sunlight from shining through the ice into the water column, allowing the algae and phytoplankton to feed excessively, causing poor water clarity. This is likely different from most years when precipitation in the form of snow can have a larger impact on turbidity due to large amounts of runoff. Whatever is causing the poor water clarity, it has been the biggest obstacle for spearers on Lake Winnebago this year.

While the snow might be done, there are bitter cold temperatures expected for the Winnebago system for the next few days. For those spearers taking to the ice, please be careful with the temperatures and wind chills expected.

Please note, due to water clarity, the Pipe registration station will still be closed tomorrow. For those registering fish in that area, the Quinney registration station is the next closest station. Please make sure to adjust accordingly. Thank you, and congrats to all our spearers.

No Ice Is 100% Safe

If using UTVs on the ice, here are a few basic safety tips to remember:

• Remember UTVs are heavy. They are the heaviest recreational vehicle out on the ice, often being close to 3,000 pounds. This is similar to a car or truck.
• Have a plan in case you do go through the ice.
• Roll your window down when traveling on the ice and make sure you can easily open your door – drive slow and turn the radio down so that you can use eyes and ears to watch and hear for potential issues coming up.
• Make sure you have life jackets or some other type of floatation for every occupant of the UTV.
• Recovery for the UTV or other vehicle is the responsibility of the owner/operator. After 30 days, the owner can be fined each day after 30 days.
• Recovery rates for the machine can also be very expensive.
• This may not be the year to explore new locations – stick to known areas that typically have better ice conditions.
• Never consume alcohol or drugs before or during your ride.
• Carry a cell phone, and let people know where you are going and when you’ll return home.
• Watch for pressure ridges or ice buckling. These can be dangerous due to thin ice and open water.

Remember – the DNR does not monitor ice conditions. Local fishing clubs, outfitters and bait shops are the best sources for local current ice conditions.  

Check out the DNR’s Ice Safety webpage for more information on staying safe on the ice, including tips for creating ice claws and what to do if you fall through ice.

Additional information on the Winnebago System sturgeon spearing season can be found on the DNR website.