Winnebago sturgeon spearers have until Oct. 31 to buy a 2027 license

Anyone planning to spear a lake sturgeon on Lake Winnebago this winter needs to buy a license by Oct. 31, 2026. The Wisconsin DNR sent the reminder Oct. 19. Licenses for Lake Winnebago are unlimited and open to residents and nonresidents age 12 and older, through Go Wild or any license sales location.

Two groups can still buy after the deadline: military personnel home on leave during the season, and youth who turn 12 between Nov. 1, 2026, and the last day of the 2027 season. The Upriver Lakes fishery on Poygan, Butte des Morts and Winneconne is a separate lottery capped at 500 spearers. Those tag winners have already been notified and have until the season opens to buy a license. They cannot also buy a Lake Winnebago tag.

The 2027 season opens Feb. 13 and runs up to 16 days, or until any of the preset harvest caps is reached. License money goes to sturgeon management on the Winnebago System. The DNR has also posted its 2026 spearing and spawning reports, which cover last season's results and how the population handled the extreme spring floods during spawning.

Photo: David Nevala, via Wisconsin DNR.

This is a The Gillnet news desk summary, not a reprint.

Source: Wisconsin DNR — Deadline To Purchase Sturgeon Spearing Licenses Approaches (Oct. 19, 2026).