New State Record Sturgeon?

[DonBo]

I heard a blurp on a local radio station about a 7'3", 185 lb sturgeon caught on Clam Lake near Webster, WI. Anyone else hear this? I did a google search and came up empty.

A thought though. Sturgeon fishing on Clam Lake is not allowed. The story said the angler who caught the fish tied a rope to it's tail and brought it to shore so the DNR could (and did) verify it. It was then released. Now if you can't fish for sturgeon, as soon as you tied it up, wouldn't that put it into your possesion? Wouldn't that be illegal? If so, would the record stand? (current state record is 170 lbs from Yellow Lake)

[harvey lee]

One would think it was illegal and could not be a record.

[croixflats]

I would think it would be illegal and not a record.

Though I wonder if the DNR would be very interested in seeing the sturgeon to take down measurements and such if the guy caught it unintentional.

[DonBo]

I just called Big Mikes's Outdoor Sport Shop located on Clam Lake near Siren, WI. They confirmed a big sturgeon was caught there this week. It was caught by a walleye fisherman with 8 lb line, foul hooked in the tail. It took two hours to boat the fish. They took measurements, length and girth, got photos, then released it. No DNR was involved in verifying it. Obviously the weight was estimated, but according to the measurements, it was at least 185 lbs., large enough for the state record, but can not be entered. The fish is believed to be well over 100 years old.

Native american fisherman can keep sturgeon from this lake. They caught one early August that was 68" long, 61 lbs. A big fish in it's own right.

I've yet to catch one on Yellow, but I'm not giving up just yet.