Sturgeon Spearing - then what?

[MuskieJunkie]

So I was reading about the wisconson sturgeon spearing season that is going on, which is fine (not trying to start an ethics discussion).

My question is what do they do with the fish? Do they eat them, sell them, something with the eggs..?

[bassNspear]

im not sure what they do with them. I have always wanted to go and do it, but im not sure what they do with them!

[glenn57]

i hear its good eating. sturgeon eggs is your fancy caviar from what i hear.

[Cooter]

They cut em into steaks - not sure if they use the eggs out of the females or not.

[BOUNCED]

They're wonderful smoked

[MuskieJunkie]

So they do eat them, how old are some of those 50"+ fish?

[merkman]

So they do eat them, how old are some of those 50"+ fish?

They eat them.

I used to eat sturgeon when I was growing up.

The last one I harvested was 3 years ago it was a 25lb male in the slot from Rainy River.

You steak them and smoke them and they are one of the best fish smoked.

Now I won't eat them though. As I get older I have a new respect for them. I just like to catch, release, and report them nowa days.

From what I have seen the sturgeon in Lake Winnebago and the short spearing season are very well managed though.

I don't know the exact numbers but I know they watch it close.

If you enjoy eating sturgeon I think it is a good way to harvest a sturgeon. I personaly prefer the catch and release.

[pdk511]

I could not kill a fish like that...

[dcmusky]

So how do you decoy a sturgeon, piece of corn on a string, nightcrawler or what? We were discussing this at work and nobody knew so I was just wondering.

[jaymevb]

i don't think they decoy, they just set up and hope as far as i know. i don't think the success rates are very high.

[merkman]

A lot of guys put pvc tube down the hole so they can see better.

Then they pick them up before they leave.

Now that the sturgeon are making a come back on the Rainy River, quite a few people catch sturgeon through the ice while walleye fishing.

[bassNspear]

they are monsters. I cant imagine seening them in a darkhouse! It would be awesome

[Cooter]

The harvest is closely monitored to prevent overharvest. I'm not sure, but the PVC may also serve as a size reference.

It can be hours upon hours of nothing but staring down at empty water.

[Ralph Wiggum]

They use pretty much anything that flashes as a decoy. Sturgeon are very curious and are drawn in to the unusual.

[Gordie]

Now that the sturgeon are making a come back on the Rainy River' date=' quite a few people catch sturgeon through the ice while walleye fishing. [/quote']

when we were up on LOW after X-mas we hooked into a 38 inches on 4lb test line what a battle and talked to a coulpe of locals that had been catching sturgeon a couple weeks earlier they caught and realeased 23 fish and some of them were 50-62 inches. now imagine that coming up the hole

[The J-Man!]

This video might give you some insight, but be warned it does show some dead sturgeons...

http://www.jsonline.com/multimedia/video...tid=12816094001

[MuskieJunkie]

Thanks J-Man.

That video answers my question about age, as old as 70 or 80 years.