Feb. 21, 2025 Harvest Update

Some nice weather is finally in the forecast as we enter into the final weekend of the Winnebago spearing season. Many spearers are taking to the ice again, with their last chance to harvest a fish just days away. In total, 52 fish were speared today on the Winnebago system. Forty-three came from Lake Winnebago, with 5 juvenile females, 19 adult females and 19 males harvested.

Another 100-pound lake sturgeon was harvested and registered at the southwest Winnebago registration station. Bob Berghuis was the lucky spearer to harvest today’s largest fish, a 124.1-pound, 72-inch, F2 female. This brings the registration station’s total to 13 fish over 100 pounds for the season.

We also saw a slight uptick in the number of fish harvested on the Upriver Lakes today, with 9 lake sturgeon harvested (0 juvenile females, 1 adult female and 8 males). This brings the Upriver season total to 42 juvenile females, 46 adult females and 219 males.

With the favorable weather forecast, we expect to see more spearers on the ice this weekend for one last hurrah.

View the full details in today’s harvest report.

Spearing season might be coming to a close, but if you haven’t yet gotten your fill of lake sturgeon, consider volunteering for the Sturgeon Guard during the spring spawning migration. This community-run group is vital to protecting lake sturgeon during their most vulnerable time of the year. The Sturgeon Guard assists DNR staff and conservation wardens by protecting lake sturgeon at their larger spawning sites when they are vulnerable to poaching and harassment from the public.

The Sturgeon Guard is looking for volunteers of all ages to help at spawning sites throughout the Winnebago system, all the way from Princeton to Shawano. Shifts are a minimum of 4 hours on any day or weekend that sturgeon are spawning. This is a great chance to see these incredible fish up close and personal in their natural habitat. If you’re interested, please email [email protected] or fill out their online form.

Please note, the Winneconne registration will reopen on Saturday and Sunday for the last weekend of the season. However, due to effort, the Pipe and North Winnebago registration stations will remain closed tomorrow. Please check the Winnebago sturgeon spearing website or the Winnebago sturgeon spearing regulations for the next closest registration station and plan accordingly. Thank you.

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.