DNR captures and releases record Lake Sturgeon.

[Dewey]

Record Lake Sturgeon– Winnebago System
Largest lake sturgeon ever captured during spawning assessments on the Wolf River, Winnebago System, Wisconsin, 1950-2012; 87.5 inches total length, approximately 240 pounds, partially spawned out female; 10 April 2012 at the Shawano Paper Mill Dam spawning site. DNR Crew Leaders Sturgeon Biologist Ryan Koenigs (red hood/blue hat center) and Senior Fisheries Biologist Kendall Kamke (Yellow hat center back); dipped by Ryan Zernzach, Fisheries Technician (sun glasses, dark rain jacket, center left front)


Fish Information:
Total Length: 87.5 inches
Weight (estimated): 240 pounds
Sex: Female (partially spawned out; ~ 40% of eggs already released) Estimated Age: 125 years old

Fish Historical Timeline:

Important Events in the Fish’s Life
Important Historical Events of the Year

Year-1887
Age-0
Newly hatched lake sturgeon
Grover Cleveland is US President. Buffalo Bill Cody’s Wild West Show opens in London

Year-1914
Age-27
1st run up the Wolf River to spawn as a mature adult female
Fish had its 1st spawn 2 months before the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of Austro-Hungarian empire, in Sarajevo, Bosnia sparking the beginning of World War 1


Year-1932
Age-45
1st Modern sturgeon spearing season on Lake Winnebago after a statewide harvest ban on lake sturgeon beginning in 1915 was ended
Amelia Earhart becomes the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic; Charles Lindbergh’s son is kidnapped

Year-1945
Age-58
8th run up the Wolf River as a spawning adult
Two to 3 weeks after this fish spawned for the 8th time in its life World War II ended in Europe

Year-1969
Age-82
At this point the fish had lived through 38 spearing seasons on Lake Winnebago and 10 spearing seasons on the Upriver Lakes
Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the moon

Year-1990
Age-103
Dan Folz (Sturgeon Biologist 1974-1990) retires; Ron Bruch, new Sturgeon Biologist attempts to fill Dan’s shoes
Communist Party relinquishes sole power of Soviet Republic (USSR)

Year-2012
Age-125
Ryan Koenigs takes the Sturgeon Biologist helm from Ron Bruch. Spawning assessment crew led by Ryan and Kendall Kamke, DNR Senior Fisheries Biologist, captures this fish on its 25th spawning run (estimated) up the Wolf River at Shawano Dam

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[dan]

[jlh42581]

I applied to work in the state fish hatcheries and almost got into the one locally that breeds sturgeon. They have some MASSIVE ones but never let them go.

[Swampthing]

Thanks Dewey, that story is something else. Very interesting.

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[Black Squirrel]

Ancient Monster!

[jlh42581]

Their breeders are about that size at the hatchery. I asked how long it took to get them that size. He said they were born in 93

[Hodag Hunter]

That is a dandy. Wow.

[Dewey]

Bump


This sturgeon is still swimming around out there. Hasn't been speared yet since I posted this.

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[BassBoysLLP]

Good bump Dewey. First time reading this one.

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[Jackson Marsh]

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[stash59]

Cool story Dewey thanx for sharing.

[Swampbuck]

How do they know the age and number of spawning runs?

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[Dewey]

How do they know the age and number of spawning runs?

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It's an estimated age by the biologists. 100+ year old sturgeon are not uncommon.

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[stash59]

I believe by counting rings on a removed scale.

[Dewey]

I believe by counting rings on a removed scale.

Actually it's counting rings on fin bones.

Didn't know this till I looked it up.

http://dnr.wi.gov/wnrmag/2012/02/sturgeon.htm

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