(DNR) – It was another slow day out on Lake Winnebago. Reports are coming in that the west side of the lake still has better water clarity than the east shores. Still, a total of 26 lake sturgeon were harvested on Lake Winnebago today with 2 juvenile females, 13 adult females and 11 males. The higher numbers of fish registered at the Downtown Oshkosh and Neenah registration stations, registering 55 and 57 fish so far this season, respectively, continue to reflect better conditions on the west shores.
The Poygan registration station continues to be where most spearers are going on the Upriver Lakes, likely due to better ice access. This station has registered a whopping 119 fish in just four days. That is almost 60% of the fish harvested on the Upriver Lakes. Today, a total of 27 lake sturgeon were harvested on the Upriver lakes: 19 males, 7 adult females and 1 juvenile female. Overall, there have been 189 fish harvested from the Upriver Lakes: 27 juvenile females, 26 adult females and 137 males.
View the full details in today’s harvest report.
Jon Verhagen speared the largest fish of the day with a 160.6-pound, 81.2-inch, F2 female from Lake Winnebago. This incredible fish is likely anywhere between 70 and 100 years old. Even with their slow reproduction – not reaching sexual maturity until they are 20 or 25, and then only spawning once every 4 years or more – this fish could have migrated up the Wolf or Fox river systems to reproduce 15 times or more over the course of her lifetime.
Please note that due to poor water clarity, we will be closing the Pipe registration station again tomorrow. For those registering fish in that area, the Quinney registration station is the next closest station. Please make sure to adjust your plans accordingly.
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