OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) — The sturgeon spearing season opens Feb. 11, 2023 for Lake Winnebago and the Upriver Lakes of Butte des Morts, Winneconne and Poygan, and will run for 16 days or until any of the pre-determined harvest caps are reached.
Licenses are available for those 12 and older, and can be purchased through the GoWild system. Licenses for the Lake Winnebago spear fishery must be purchased before Oct. 31, 2022, except for military personnel home on leave during the spearing season and youth who will turn 12 between Nov. 1, 2022, and the last day of the 2023 spearing season.
Unlimited licenses are available for Lake Winnebago, but the Upriver Lakes fishery is limited to 500 permitted spearers. Applicants already authorized for an Upriver Lakes tag for 2023 have until the start of the spearing season to purchase a license but cannot purchase one for Lake Winnebago. More information is available on the DNR’s sturgeon spearing webpage.
