By Mark Schram, Myfishingpartner.com

Approximately 12,000 sportsmen and women will descend upon the Winnebago System in hopes of spearing an ancient monster in excess of 36” starting on Feb. 8, 2014.  This year looks to be setting up as an excellent sturgeon spearing season.

A minor Department of Natural Resources rule change in 2014 will shift the start time each day to 7 am, compared to the traditional 6:30 am start time in past years.  The day will end 1 pm, thirty minutes later than 2013.  Harvest caps remain identical to 2013.

Lake Winnebago and Lake Poygan have the best ice in terms of depth in many years.  Ice depths are exceeding 20 inches in most locations, including some as deep as 30 inches.  By contrast, in 2013 there were still open pockets of water on Lake Winnebago one week before spearing started.

Water clarity is a key ingredient to every sturgeon season.  To date, the lakes have near perfect conditions, with water clarity over 10 feet, and at times gin clear allowing visibility to the bottom.  It is unlikely this will change heading into the season unless the dams are opened in Neenah and Menasha or we have a significant thaw resulting in runoff reaching the watershed.  Individuals who have been scouting are reporting solid numbers of sturgeon.

The only hindrance is the snow pack and drifts on top of the ice surface. This could make travel difficult once spearers venture off the plowed roads, especially when moving shanties.

In 2013, 306 adult sturgeon were speared on Lake Winnebago over the 16 day season.  It is very possible that number may be exceeded on opening weekend in 2014.  The likelihood of a full season is slim in my estimation, baring a major water clarity change or an extreme weather event.

In 2013 Lake Poygan had 230 sturgeon speared, with a partial season (4 days) as the harvest caps were met prior to the conclusion of the 16 day season.  A similar result is expected in 2014, with the possibility of a 2 day season not out of the question.

A trophy sturgeon is usually defined as in excess of 100 pounds.  In 2013, with horrible conditions, 9.5% of the sturgeon harvested fell into this category.  Simply put, there are many more trophies in the water than ten years ago. This is partially due to some poor spearing conditions in the recent past, keeping overall harvest numbers down, and allowing for growth.  In addition, better management and understanding of the fish by the WI DNR has helped in the increased population. A 100 pound fish typically has an age in excess of 50 years.

I will go out on a limb this year.  Based on current conditions, I believe a new record sturgeon could be harvested in 2014.  The current record of 212 pounds may be in jeopardy with the perfect water conditions and access to nearly all portions of the lakes.  The DNR tagged a fish in excess of the current record in 2012, and that fish was roaming in Lake Winnebago during the season in 2013, according to the sounding tag.

Be sure to follow the highlights of the season at www.myfishingpartner.com.  With any luck, we should have a day one video online by Saturday evening.