The Wisconsin sturgeon spearing season begins February 14. Lake Winnebago and its upriver lakes north of Fond du Lac are one of only two places where sturgeon can be caught using a spear.
The season draws hundreds of people to the area during the month of February. The Sturgeon Specular festival will be there to welcome and entertain them.
About Sturgeon Spearing
Sturgeon spearing requires specific practices and is highly regulated by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. At the start of the season, Lake Winnebago will be covered in ice shanties as family and friends gather for the season that’s rich in history and tradition. The practice of sturgeon spearing was taught to European settlers by Indigenous people of Wisconsin. The modern spearfishing season dates back to the 1930s and there have been a lot of regulations put into place over the decades.
"It's all about conservation," Peter Wilke with Fond du Lac Festival explains. "The Lake Winnebago and upriver system has one of the healthiest populations of lake sturgeon that you'll find anywhere in the world. So, the Wisconsin DNR continues to dictate quotas and make sure that everybody is going about the sport of sturgeon spearing the right way."
Spearfishing licenses are issued in advance by the DNR and once quotas are met, the season ends. The DNR has ten registration stations where all catches must be brought and logged.
Ice conditions and water clarity greatly impact the season. "What's nice is having a dark area so that you can see in the water and have some snow around your shack, because that allows it to be brighter in the water than it is in your shack. It's important to have the ability to see," Wilke explains.
Sturgeon have existed for millions of years. They can be anywhere from four to six feet long and weigh hundreds of pounds. Some live longer than humans. And most have a face only a mother could love.
"So kind of put together a dinosaur and a very large fish...truly a swimming dinosaur. It's got feelers and then a suction cup for a mouth."
About the Festival
To celebrate the start of the sturgeon spearing season Fond du Lac puts on the Sturgeon Spectacular festival from February 13 through 15.
"We turn downtown Fond du Lac into a winter wonderland with ice sculptures, snow sculptures, horse drawn carriage rides," Wilke says.
There will also be an outdoor curling tournament at the Fond du Lac Beer Company where a temporary rink has been set up. There are indoor and outdoor activities planned at the Thelma Sadoff Center for the Arts. There's also a Bloody Mary contest where bars and restaurants are judged for the best tasting and most creative Bloody Mary.
"And of course, our crown jewel is the Wisconsin State Snow Sculpting Championship," Wilke says. "We have the most experienced snow sculptors in the state come to Fond du Lac and showcase their skills."
Recommendations
"These supper clubs are on the southeast and southwest side of Lake Winnebago, but they also both serve as registration stations for anglers to record their catches. So not only can you show up for some great food, you can also see the massive fish in person," Amanda Weibel with Travel Wisconsin explains.
- Kiss a Sturgeon
"I think if you have an opportunity to kiss a sturgeon during opening weekend of sturgeon spearing, you have to do it. People swear that it will bring you a year of good luck," Wilke says.
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