Deadline to buy Lake Winnebago sturgeon spearing license is October 31

OSHKOSH, WI – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reminds spearers who want to harvest lake sturgeon from Lake Winnebago during the 2025 sturgeon spearing season to buy their license by Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024.

There are an unlimited number of licenses available for Lake Winnebago, and residents and nonresidents can purchase a license through the Go Wild system or at any license sales location. 

All license holders must be at least 12 years old.

Military personnel home on leave during the spearing season and youth who will turn 12 between Nov. 1, 2024, and the last day of the 2025 spearing season do not need to purchase their license by the Oct. 31 deadline.

The Upriver Lakes fishery, which includes lakes Poygan, Butte des Morts, and Winneconne, is managed by a point system and lottery. Only 500 licenses were available. Upriver Lakes tag recipients have already been notified for the 2025 season and have until the start of the spearing season to purchase a license. However, successful applicants cannot purchase a tag for Lake Winnebago. 

The 2025 sturgeon spearing season opens on Feb. 8, 2025, and will run for a maximum of 16 days or until any of the predetermined harvest caps are met.

License sales help fund a variety of sturgeon management activities on the Winnebago system.

For more information, visit the DNR’s Sturgeon Spearing webpage.