Tagged sturgeon

[Dan Thiem]

After getting the info about where to report tagged sturgeon to from Brian K,., I sent my tag number in. They want length without pinching the tail. I didn't know that. I pinch the tail on everything. Oh well. Here's what I got for a reply from the D.N.R.

Howdy Dan...

Congratulations on your catch, and Thank you for reporting your capture

of a tagged Lake Sturgeon on the St. Croix River!

Here is the information you requested about the Lake Sturgeon (tag

number 87157) you recently caught. This fish was originally tagged on

May 11, 2007 north of the Railroad bridge south of Bayport, MN on the St

Croix River (river mile 17.5). At that time the fish was 1357 mm long

(53.43") and weighed 15.88 kg (35.0 lbs). The fish had a 511 mm girth

(20.12") and we removed a large silver lamprey from the fishes head.

Given that lake sturgeon are a long lived and slow growing species

(average 0.83 inches per year on the Lower St. Croix), obviously, this

fish did not grow 3.5 inches in length in 4 months. The difference is

probably in how the fish was measured. We measure total length with the

caudal fin (tail) in a natural position and do not "depress the dorsal

lobe of this fin to get more length (my doctor doesn't measure my height

when I'm standing on my tip-toes either!). I'm guessing that is likely

what accounts for the length difference. The girth is very comparable

and consistent with what we found. The weight was very good for this

fish (the weight relative to average was 15% above average). Lake

sturgeon in the St. Croix do not fit with length-weight tables of fish

from other bodies of water. They tend to have a girth that tapers

rapidly to the tail and are not as robust as fish from other more

fertile systems. It is likely that your fish weighed approximately 35-37

pounds at the time of your capture.

Minnesota DNR Fisheries is currently tagging Lake Sturgeon on the St.

Croix River and to date we have marked over 700 fish. Our Hinckley

office has tagged over 350 fish in the Upper St. Croix (above the dam at

Taylor’s Fall) and the East Metro office has tagged over 350 fish in

the Lower St. Croix. The tagged Lake Sturgeon have ranged from 14.4 to

57.3 inches in length. By tagging these Lake Sturgeon we can monitor

their age and growth rates, their movements, population size, and the

number of times they have been caught and released. This will enable us

to better understand and manage this remarkable fish species in the St.

Croix River into the future.

If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact me at

any time and I do my best to give you accurate and factual answers.

Thank you again for contacting us about your capture of a tagged lake

sturgeon. It is through the help of cooperating anglers such as yourself

that we will learn more about these fish in the St. Croix River system

in a shorter period of time and be better able to manage this species

into the future.

[Shack]

Quote:

---

(my doctor doesn't measure my height

when I'm standing on my tip-toes either!)

---

LOL!

[audemp]

I found a good tool for measuring length at fleet farm. It is made by frabill and is for muskies. I believe it is a cradle