Saturday morning marks the start of an annual tradition turning a frozen Lake Winnebago into a small city.
The view right now from County Road A waiting to get to Payne's Point.... be safe everyone sturgeon spearing today! pic.twitter.com/4Axnr77QbS
— Winnebago County SO (@WCSO_Wisconsin) February 11, 2017
Sturgeon spearing season begins Saturday, and all week fishermen have been gearing up in pursuit of the next big trophy.
Across the frozen landscape, chainsaws revved up for the task at hand.
"We just got done cutting a hole," says Oshkosh fisherman Nate Gray, standing in front of his ice shack. "We were cutting three holes over that way with one of our other friends."
It's a weekend Gray has been waiting all year for.
"First time last year was with these guys," says Gray, "and he speared a fish, so I kind of got hooked."
"A lot of people talk about deer camp, but this is kind of our deer camp," adds friend Gary "Gus" Peters, also of Oshkosh. "We just truly enjoy it."
Peters says he has years of experience on the ice under his belt.
He, his son, and family friends have been paying close attention all week to the details, like water clarity.
"Just watching the weather, and the clarity," says Peters. "I've kind of fished out in this area for quite a few years, just piecing together what everybody's going to do."
"We checked earlier this week, and it was fairly decent," adds Gray.
Among the hundreds of sturgeon spearers that will be out this weekend, many can say they've been doing this for well over 20 years. In that time, some can admit they've yet to actually spear a sturgeon.
"[I'm] hoping to see something--whether it's big, small--as long as it's legal," says Gray, smiling, "I'd like to throw a spear.
Click here to learn what the DNR's latest report said about water clarity on Lake Winnebago.
