What are the chances of drawing a sturgeon spearing tag? Some years back a couple friends of mine went over to try it and both speared fairly nice fish. They hired a guide and were on some smaller lakes not far upstream of Lake Winnebago. I have tried it here on Black Lake 4 or 4 times, but only saw one sturgeon about 3 feet long. At the time our minimum size had to be 50 inches. I haven't been since the length limit was removed a few years ago. Unfortunately, our spearing season is VERY short......with a total quota of 5 fish it doesn't take long to close the season........usually less than an hour!

J. Morse, you just buy a license. I believe it has to be purchased by Oct 20 each year. (The previous year)

Thanks CA, I was under the impression the tags were limited and you entered a drawing.

You can just purchase a tag for Lake Winnebago itself But for the upriver lakes where your friends most likely speared you do have to apply and its a draw. Up rivers lakes were limited to 500 tags this year. You do have to purchase a tag before Oct 31st to spear the next season.

It's taking around 7 or 8 years to draw that upriver lakes tag right now, but it has been steadily rising. Could be 10 points 10 years from now.

It's a $3 application due Aug 1, the general Lake Winnebago license is $20 available March 1 through Oct 31.

Can you even eat them? I figured they were gross like paddlefish.

Can't keep em where I live but long ago my Dad said they always smoked them and they were great

Thanks for the info folks!

Mark K, they are great eating. I got one some time back and had about half of it smoked, the rest I just fried. Good stuff. I enjoyed the paddlefish I caught as well.