2023 Hook And Line Sturgeon Season Opens Sept. 2

MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reminds anglers that the inland hook and line season for lake sturgeon will take place Sept. 2 - Sept. 30 on certain waters. Lake sturgeon in these waterbodies remain strong thanks to continued science-based management practices and habitat work.

Anglers interested in harvesting a lake sturgeon must have their general 2023 fishing license and a valid hook and line lake sturgeon tag. Licenses and tags may be purchased online through Go Wild or from one of our license vendors. All licenses and regulations apply.

The DNR reminds anglers that only one fish may be harvested per season and must have a minimum length measurement of 60 inches. Anglers who harvest a lake sturgeon must validate their tag immediately upon harvesting the sturgeon before moving it and register the harvested sturgeon at a designated registration station.

Please note that a hook and line sturgeon tag is not required if an angler plans to release the sturgeon they catch. Anglers should continue to practice responsible catch-and-release when releasing any fish they do not wish to keep. Review best practices on the DNR's responsible release webpage.

Anglers should be aware that some sturgeon may have a tag near their dorsal fin. These tags contain information that is used to monitor the movement and growth of lake sturgeon and will aid the DNR in future management practices. If anglers catch a tagged sturgeon, they should submit the following information to the county's fisheries biologist:

• Where the fish was caught
• The date of the catch
• Tag number, color and material composition of the tag (i.e., metal or plastic)
• Overall fish length

Season Predictions 

Anglers will have an opportunity to catch sturgeon from shore in the tailwaters of almost all the dams on the Flambeau River, except in the fish refuges downstream of the Turtle-Flambeau Flowage and Upper Park Falls Flowage dams. A higher abundance of sturgeon will likely be found in the deep pools in the free-flowing reaches between dams accessible by canoe or kayak. However, sturgeon can also be found in any of the eight impoundments from Park Falls to the Chippewa River.

DNR fisheries biologists predict that anglers will likely catch plenty of juvenile lake sturgeon while fishing the lower Chippewa River near Eau Claire, signaling that this population will be around for generations to come. 

Yellow Lake in Burnett County continues to provide a trophy lake sturgeon fishery, with many sturgeon in the 40 to 60-inch range. It's possible some anglers could reel in a sturgeon over 70 inches. Anglers should be on the lookout for yellow dangler tags on the dorsal fin of lake sturgeon in Yellow Lake. Often covered in algae, these tags contain a five-digit number that anglers are requested to report to DNR Fisheries Biologist Craig Roberts at Craig.Roberts@wisconsin.gov or 715-416-0351. Anglers may need to clean the tag to read the number and should leave the tag on the fish.

The Lower Menominee River is also expected to provide good catch and release action, and the open portions of the Upper Menominee River will also have plenty of fish available, with a few sturgeon reaching the 60-inch length limit.

Biologists predict large numbers of juvenile and adult sturgeon will be caught in the Wisconsin River if water levels remain low, as conditions will likely be ideal for targeting lake sturgeon.

Anglers can find additional information on the inland hook and line sturgeon webpage.