A DNR fisheries biologist says variable ice conditions and poor water clarity hampered the start to the sturgeon spearing season. Koenigs says while it appears the harvest cap will be met this week on the upriver lakes, the season will probably go the full 16 days on Lake Winnebago. “Overall the opening weekend to the 2016 spearing season was pretty slow on Lake Winnebago and spearers had better success on the upriver lakes,” Koenigs told AM 1170 WFDL’s Between the Lines program. Koenigs says even though a record number of sturgeon licenses were sold there were 500 fewer ice shanties on Lake Winnebago opening weekend compared to last year.
