MADISON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Even though the weather threw crews a curveball, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources was able to measure and tag hundreds of sturgeon during this spring’s spawning run.
The DNR released its final tally on Monday. Experts say they handled 115 females, of which 78 were newly tagged. Those fish averaged 66.3 inches long, with the largest measuring 79.3 inches. Crews also handled 715 males, of which 327 were newly tagged. The males averaged 58 inches, with the largest being 75.4 inches.
Spawning activity got off to an unusual start, with a mid-April heat wave quickly warming water temperatures, allowing the fish to spawn on the Wolf River and its tributaries. Because the river was at flood stage, sturgeon utilized habitat deeper in the water. The DNR handled 230 sturgeon during this period.
A stretch of cold weather then interrupted spawning activity. As weather slowly warmed up into May, a large number of sturgeon spawned for a short time. The DNR handled about 600 fish during this period at Bamboo Bend in Shiocton, the Sturgeon Trail in New London and the Shawano dam.
On the Peshtigo River, cold weather led to a longer pre-spawn than normal. Spawning took place from May 6-19.
On the lower Fox River, spawning began May 8 and ended May 12. Sturgeon staged earlier this year, and during the peak of spawning, hundreds of the fish were visible below the De Pere dam.
