February 22, 2022 – Fond du Lac, WI – Day 11 was another slow day for sturgeon spearing on Lake Winnebago, with only 17 fish harvested. The icy and rainy conditions most likely resulted in fewer spearers, while the overcast skies likely decreased visibility, further inhibiting harvest.
Mark Kanitz harvested a large F6 female that weighed 141.2 pounds and measured 78.8 inches. Today, only one juvenile female was harvested, but spearers also brought in six adult females and 10 males. The Stockbridge registration station again had the highest harvest with seven fish registered. View the full details in today’s full harvest report here. The largest fish registered today at the Grundman Lane registration station was speared by Mark Kanitz. The fish, an F6 female, weighed 141.2 pounds and measured 78.8 inches. We can only imagine what this female weighed last year when she was full of eggs and ready to spawn. Many factors determined whether the eggs from this F6 female sturgeon and all spawning sturgeon survive and hatch successfully. The Wisconsin DNR and University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point are looking to better understand what factors contribute to successful spawning events along with egg and larvae survival, particularly within the Upper Fox River. Read more about the Upper Fox River spawning research project in today’s vignette. |
