Anglers across Wisconsin are marking their calendars for the 2025 hook and line sturgeon season, starting on September 6. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has announced that the short window for this year's lake sturgeon fishing will close on September 30. Fishing enthusiasts will need their 2025 general fishing license and a special hook and line lake sturgeon tag, which can be acquired online through Go Wild or from licensed vendors.
There's a strict regulation in place for those looking to bring home one of these prehistoric fish: just one sturgeon of a minimum size of 60 inches may be kept per season. Upon their capture, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources mandates anglers to immediately validate their sturgeon tag, before even thinking about moving the fish. Keeping the fish on ice is necessary if the catch happens outside designated registration station hours, as anglers must register their catch at official stations.
However, no tag is required for anglers intending to release their catch, a practice the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources strongly supports for sustainable fishing. Illegal practices, such as snagging or foul hooking, are prohibited. Targeting sturgeon is only permitted in designated waters that are open during the hook and line season – that's even if anglers plan to release them.
Some lake sturgeon may be marked with a tag on their dorsal fin, a part of ongoing studies by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. These tags – metal or plastic – are essential for tracking fish movements and growth. Anglers reeling in a tagged sturgeon are expected to observe and report the tag number, tag color, material composition of the tag, and other particulars such as where they caught the fish and its overall length, but must leave the tag attached if they release the creature back into the deep.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources guidelines establish a framework for anglers to participate in maintaining the delicate balance of Wisconsin's aquatic ecosystems while enjoying the thrill of fishing these remarkable creatures. With the hook and line season now upon us, the DNR hopes anglers alike will heed the call to both enjoy and protect Wisconsin’s waterways and their inhabitants.
