04-20-2011, 11:10 AM
SPAWNING UPDATE
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Afternoon: We captured and tagged 32 spawning lake sturgeon (3 females, 29 males) this afternoon at Bamboo Bend in Shiocton, and 12 (all males) at the Cty X Sturgeon Trail in New London. There were probably 4 females spawning at Bamboo Bend and 1 or 2 spawning at Cty X. All of the females appeared that they had just begun spawning late this morning and may still be around tomorrow (Sunday) morning. We are going to check activity in the morning to see if any other new females moved in to begin spawning. The long range forecast is calling for a cool upcoming week gradually warming to near 60 by next weekend. Given this forecast, the most intense spawning could begin later this week. For the next few days though there may be a few fish around for people to see at Bamboo Bend and Cty X. There are a few sturgeon that have moved in below the Shawano dam, but they are not spawning yet and the water temps in that area of the river have a long ways to go to make the fish active at that site.
Morning: Just when you thought you could trust them..........you find out you can't. Despite the cold weather and falling water temperatures on the Wolf River, a few female lake sturgeon along with their harems of males have moved into the shorelines at Bamboo Bend, Shiocton, and County X Sturgeon Trail, New London, and started spawning. The water temperatures in this part of the river nearly reached optimum for sturgeon spawning a few days ago, and apparently it was too much for a few early spawning females to bear and they began the ovulation cycle that they have been waiting four or more years for. It's hard to say if this is the beginning of the big show or not.<br />
Each individual female lake sturgeon is on her own ovulation cycle spurred on primarily by water temperature, rate of water warming, and photo period. Some females spawn early, some late, most in the middle when the water temperatures are between 52 and 56 degrees F - this is Mother Nature's way of not putting all of the lake sturgeon eggs in one time period basket, and the reason for the phenomena of "1st", "2nd", and "3rd runs" we see almost every year. The water temperatures in the Wolf River today are in the mid 40s - much less than optimum for lake sturgeon spawning, but the early spawning females had enough time to "stew" in 50-52 degree water over the last week in the New London and Shiocton areas and they could not hold out any longer. You can log on to the Wolf River cam website to watch for sturgeon underwater below the Shawano dam at http://wolfrivercam.com/Shawano%20Dam.html, (exit DNR) and from above the water at http://wolfrivercam.com/Shawano%20Above.html. (exit DNR)
Generally lake sturgeon do not spawn every year. Winnebago lake sturgeon females don't spawn for the first time until they are 20 to 34 years of age (48" to 60" long); and then only spawn every 3-5 years. Fifty percent of them are mature at age 27 when they are 55 inches long. Males don't spawn for the first time until they are 14 to 31 years old (40" to 55" long); and then spawn every 1-3 years.
Call the sturgeon hotline number for recorded daily updates: (920) 303-5444.
Sturgeon Guard<br />
"¢Volunteer to guard sturgeon at their spawning sites on the Wolf River and protect the fish from poaching.<br />
Track the Rivers<br />
"¢Track the Wolf River temperature, stage, and discharge data (exit DNR)<br />
"¢Track the upper Fox River temperature, stage, and discharge data (exit DNR)<br />
Lake Sturgeon Spawning/Viewing Locations on the Wolf River<br />
Maps open to larger images. Sites are listed from North to South.
Shawano Dam in Shawano - Parking available on the east side of the river at the end of Richmond Street.
Bamboo Bend at Shiocton - on County Highway 54. Parking available on the north side of County Hwy. 54.
Wolf River Sturgeon Trail (near New London) - about 2 miles west of New London on County Highway X. Parking available on the south side of the river about 1/2 mile from the spawning site
During mid-April to early May, Lake Sturgeon travel upstream to their spawning grounds, giving the public a prime opportunity to see these<br />
ancient ones up close.
Sturgeon spawning is dependent on water temperature and flow. During seasons when water flow is high and water temperatures rise slowly, spawning begins when water temperature reaches 53 degrees Fahrenheit. In contrast, during seasons of low water flow and more rapid water temperature rise, spawning does not begin until water temperatures reach 58-59 degrees Fahrenheit.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Afternoon: We captured and tagged 32 spawning lake sturgeon (3 females, 29 males) this afternoon at Bamboo Bend in Shiocton, and 12 (all males) at the Cty X Sturgeon Trail in New London. There were probably 4 females spawning at Bamboo Bend and 1 or 2 spawning at Cty X. All of the females appeared that they had just begun spawning late this morning and may still be around tomorrow (Sunday) morning. We are going to check activity in the morning to see if any other new females moved in to begin spawning. The long range forecast is calling for a cool upcoming week gradually warming to near 60 by next weekend. Given this forecast, the most intense spawning could begin later this week. For the next few days though there may be a few fish around for people to see at Bamboo Bend and Cty X. There are a few sturgeon that have moved in below the Shawano dam, but they are not spawning yet and the water temps in that area of the river have a long ways to go to make the fish active at that site.
Morning: Just when you thought you could trust them..........you find out you can't. Despite the cold weather and falling water temperatures on the Wolf River, a few female lake sturgeon along with their harems of males have moved into the shorelines at Bamboo Bend, Shiocton, and County X Sturgeon Trail, New London, and started spawning. The water temperatures in this part of the river nearly reached optimum for sturgeon spawning a few days ago, and apparently it was too much for a few early spawning females to bear and they began the ovulation cycle that they have been waiting four or more years for. It's hard to say if this is the beginning of the big show or not.<br />
Each individual female lake sturgeon is on her own ovulation cycle spurred on primarily by water temperature, rate of water warming, and photo period. Some females spawn early, some late, most in the middle when the water temperatures are between 52 and 56 degrees F - this is Mother Nature's way of not putting all of the lake sturgeon eggs in one time period basket, and the reason for the phenomena of "1st", "2nd", and "3rd runs" we see almost every year. The water temperatures in the Wolf River today are in the mid 40s - much less than optimum for lake sturgeon spawning, but the early spawning females had enough time to "stew" in 50-52 degree water over the last week in the New London and Shiocton areas and they could not hold out any longer. You can log on to the Wolf River cam website to watch for sturgeon underwater below the Shawano dam at http://wolfrivercam.com/Shawano%20Dam.html, (exit DNR) and from above the water at http://wolfrivercam.com/Shawano%20Above.html. (exit DNR)
Generally lake sturgeon do not spawn every year. Winnebago lake sturgeon females don't spawn for the first time until they are 20 to 34 years of age (48" to 60" long); and then only spawn every 3-5 years. Fifty percent of them are mature at age 27 when they are 55 inches long. Males don't spawn for the first time until they are 14 to 31 years old (40" to 55" long); and then spawn every 1-3 years.
Call the sturgeon hotline number for recorded daily updates: (920) 303-5444.
Sturgeon Guard<br />
"¢Volunteer to guard sturgeon at their spawning sites on the Wolf River and protect the fish from poaching.<br />
Track the Rivers<br />
"¢Track the Wolf River temperature, stage, and discharge data (exit DNR)<br />
"¢Track the upper Fox River temperature, stage, and discharge data (exit DNR)<br />
Lake Sturgeon Spawning/Viewing Locations on the Wolf River<br />
Maps open to larger images. Sites are listed from North to South.
Shawano Dam in Shawano - Parking available on the east side of the river at the end of Richmond Street.
Bamboo Bend at Shiocton - on County Highway 54. Parking available on the north side of County Hwy. 54.
Wolf River Sturgeon Trail (near New London) - about 2 miles west of New London on County Highway X. Parking available on the south side of the river about 1/2 mile from the spawning site
During mid-April to early May, Lake Sturgeon travel upstream to their spawning grounds, giving the public a prime opportunity to see these<br />
ancient ones up close.
Sturgeon spawning is dependent on water temperature and flow. During seasons when water flow is high and water temperatures rise slowly, spawning begins when water temperature reaches 53 degrees Fahrenheit. In contrast, during seasons of low water flow and more rapid water temperature rise, spawning does not begin until water temperatures reach 58-59 degrees Fahrenheit.