More than 12,000 people will make their way to the Upriver Lakes and Lake Winnebago for Wisconsin’s annual sturgeon spearing season. Department of Natural Resources Sturgeon Biologist Ron Bruch says thousands more will accompany them. He says fishing clubs make it easier for residents to navigate on the ice plowing roads and putting bridges over cracks.
Bruch says for sturgeon spearers opening day today is bigger than the Super Bowl. Bruch says unlike other hunting and fishing sports, sturgeon spearing is growing and that’s good for local economies which see an influx of $3.5 million during the short season.
Last season 82 fish larger than 100 pounds were taken including a record 212 pounder. Bruch says there are fish bigger than that in the system.