Deadline To Purchase Sturgeon Spearing Licenses Approaches
OSHKOSH, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources reminds all spearers interested in harvesting a lake sturgeon from Lake Winnebago during the 2027 sturgeon spearing season to purchase their license before Oct. 31, 2026, as the 2027 Winnebago lake sturgeon spearing season is right around the corner.
All license holders must be a minimum of 12 years old. There are an unlimited number of licenses available for Lake Winnebago, and both residents and nonresidents can purchase a license through the Go Wild system or at any license sales location.
There are a few exceptions to who can purchase their license after the Oct. 31 deadline:
- Military personnel home on leave during the spearing season.
- Youth who will turn 12 between Nov. 1, 2026, and the last day of the 2027 spearing season.
The Upriver Lakes fishery (lakes Poygan, Butte des Morts and Winneconne) is managed by a preference point system and lottery that is limited to 500 permitted spearers. Successful Upriver Lakes tag applicants have already been notified for the 2027 season and have until the start of the spearing season to purchase a license. As a reminder, successful Upriver Lake tag applicants cannot purchase a tag for Lake Winnebago.
Sturgeon spearing license sales help fund lake sturgeon management activities on the Winnebago System. These management activities help assure the Winnebago lake sturgeon population is one of the healthiest populations in the world that supports this unique harvest opportunity.
The 2026 spearing and spawning reports are now available and outline the management and results from the 2026 spearing season, as well as how the population handled the extreme floods during the spring spawning season.
The 2027 sturgeon spearing season will open on Feb. 13, 2027, and will run for a maximum of 16 days or until any of the predetermined harvest caps are met.
Additional season information can be found on the DNR’s Sturgeon Spearing webpage.
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