One big old fish!!!

[bullseye]

Record 212-pound Sturgeon Speared on Lake Winnebago
Updated: Feb 15, 2010 9:30 AM CST
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Sturgeon Spearing Catches Monsters
The Department of Natural Resources passed along more information on Saturday's record-setting 212.2-pound sturgeon speared on Lake Winnebago.

They estimate the sturgeon hatched from an egg laid in the year 1910.

It is also a state record, eclipsing a 195-pound sturgeon harvested in Vilas County in 1979.

The Lake Winnebago sturgeon program has been studied across the world, and the season has brought anglers from across the country.

Chad Denton traveled from Kentucky and landed a 100.6-pound sturgeon on opening day.

Denton's wife is originally from Menasha and he came up to be part of the family tradition. This is his third season but his first sturgeon.

"The thing I can compare it to is killing a big buck. That's what I can relate it to. Perseverance pays off, I guess. This is my third year. Happy to be here, happy to see one and throw a spear at," he said.

[deputydon]

Lots of good eatin'

[jimiowa]

That's pretty amazing! I was not aware there was anyplace in the nation where Sturgeon could be speared yet.
They are nearly extict and protected in Iowa.

One of my Dream Fishing Trips has always been to go to Washington and fish for them on the Columbia River.

[bullseye]

There are a couple places in WI that spearing thru the ice is legal. The Lake Winnebago chain has a triving sturgeon population. The annual spawing of sturgeon is a sight to behold and there are places near and in the city of New London where this can be observed.

There is a fall hook and line season on the Menomonee River that borders WI and the UP of Michigan. I think minimum size is around 50".

When we walleye fish on the Wolf River in the spring the sturgeon are also headed up river to spawn. Last year I hooked into 5 of them. On 6# test line one doesn't hold them long if they choose to go up river. One neat thing is that when one does hook into one if the line is twanged like a guitar it causes them to surface and breech. They breech much like a whale and some of these fish are 6-7' long!!

[bullseye]

I looked for pictures of the 212#er but couldn't find any. This year's sturgeon spearing has come to a close as the quota limits were reached today. Through the ice is the only legal way to harvest them in the state. Little communities of ice shantys spring up all over the lake in preparation for this event. The key is finding water clear enough so the bottom can be seen. I would guess that most are taken in 8-12' of water.


Large sturgeon aplenty this season
Updated: Monday, 15 Feb 2010, 11:03 AM CST
Published : Monday, 15 Feb 2010, 7:03 PM CST

With the sturgeon spearing numbers relatively high for this early in the season, also up this year, the number of large sturgeon taken.

So far 63 sturgeon have tipped the scales at more than 100 pounds, including a Wisconsin record 212 pound sturgeon over the weekend.

The DNR says the harvest pace has been fast, and there could be only two more days of spearing left.

There have been some successes however. Scott Archambo is from Cheboygan Michigan, and came to Wisconsin for some spearing.

Today was his final day of spearing, and he managed to get one before heading out of town.

He said when spearing, you have to be quick.

"Four seconds, maybe from the time I focussed on him to the time I couldn't see him no more," said Archambo. "I just threw the spear where I knew he was because I knew he was definitely a keeper. I certainly didn't beat my boy, over in Michigan got one that is 70 inches long weighed 102.5 pounds."

The rest of Wisconsin's spearers will head back out to the lakes tomorrow morning.