The Outcast Loc: NE Michigan

The Michigan Sturgeon spearing season lasted 36 minutes last Saturday on Black Lake, only lake that you can legally spear for sturgeon in Michigan.
6 fish were taken, quota met, season over.
Hardly seems worth it to me, but lot folks love it.
The Wisconsin sturgeon spearing season is open or opens soon, and the Wisconsin DNR has set a quota of about
2500 fish! That includes juveniles, males and females.
Does Wisconsin have better habitat for sturgeon? Or are they better steward of resource? Just wondering…..

plumbob Loc: New Windsor Maryland

Can't answer any of your questions Oc. Just Thanking you for me learning something new today. Never heard that there was a season for that. Thanks

Slimshady Loc: Central Pennsylvania

I read the article on that Outcast. Didn’t seem hardly worth it to me but it seems that all who participated enjoyed it

Wolf Bay Loc: Al Gulf Coast

Seems one may be too high and one too low. Lot of distance between those numbers for neighboring states.

The Outcast Loc: NE Michigan

Well maybe some one from Wisconsin can give us an insight.

OJdidit Loc: Oak Creek Wisconsin

WI has some outstanding habitat for them in the Wolf River system from Lake Poygan through Butte des Morts to Lake Winnebago. I can’t tell you what we do different than MI, but perhaps the two DNRs should talk? Our system is pretty big, though. Probably 10x the size of Black Lake and the River leads to great spawning grounds for those dinosaurs.
The season started today and will run for 16 days or until the quota is reached. Depending on the weather, the season could be over in a week or less, but your record of 36 minutes is safe!

The Outcast Loc: NE Michigan

Thanks OJ,
was hoping you would step in and inform us. Just amazing to me that Wisconsin has enough sturgeon to allow that many fish to be taken. I know Winnebago is huge, impressive.

The Outcast Loc: NE Michigan

I have always envied you sportsmen and women in Wisconsin, seems like your DNR has their act together. From what I hear your white tail hunting is better managed than here in Michigan. Could be a case of grass is greener though!

fishyaker Loc: NW Michigan (Lower Peninsula)

My "guess" would be that our "prime" habitat waters (at least what we know about) have a limited amount of space to sustain the sturgeon population in numbers that keep it healthy. My wife and I had an opportunity several years ago to participate in the annual "sturgeon guard" volunteer program in Onaway, MI and it was a real treat to be able to patrol a short river beat in the spawning grounds on the Black River. Poaching seems to be a routine problem, so the presence of people walking up and down the river banks helps keep it in check.

I have seen historic photos and read about the "sturgeon plight/blight" of days gone by in the Great Lakes where the sturgeon were considered as a trash fish and they were harvested in large quantities and left on beaches to rot. We have come a long way in our mindset of conservation, but it does seem like we could loosen things up a bit in Michigan. They are an impressive fish!

One of these days I am hoping to head over to one of those famed sturgeon lakes to rent a shanty for a few days and just observe thru the "dark house" cut outs and see what cruises by!

OJdidit Loc: Oak Creek Wisconsin

That would be fascinating to me as well…to watch them cruise by as it must be fun to see. I have no interest in killing one. I would rather catch the perch and walleyes 😉

OJdidit Loc: Oak Creek Wisconsin

I wish I knew more about MI hunting to have a comparison. We have some interesting policies over here.

Sw Loc: Roscommon County ,Michigan

What would you like to know about the MICHIGAN hunting to compare? I live here and have hunted just about anything that flies or runs, a lot of them are still running and flying.

Sw Loc: Roscommon County ,Michigan

What would you like to know about the MICHIGAN hunting to compare? I live here and have hunted just about anything that flies or runs, a lot of them are still running and flying.

Omaryam2 Loc: Wi

The sturgeon spearing season is more of a social tradition than a fishing experience. The lake is covered with hundreds of shanties that are equipped bare bones to luxury. Families and friends gather, some staying on the ice for the entire season. Some families have been participating since inception (1932) with intergenerational participation. The closest comparison might be deer camp where the comradery is more important than the prey. Google Wisconsin Sturgeon Spearing to get a flavor.

Ben Bragg Loc: Dayton Ohio

I caught a juvenile sturgeon while fishing in Wisconsin one time.
Hit a Berkeley gulp minnow.
Thought I had a stud walleye.
It was only about 24 inches long