Jason Arndt, jarndt@wolfrivermedia.com
While the Wolf River is nearly warm enough, sturgeon had not yet started to spawn Tuesday at the Shawano dam, according to the state Department of Natural Resources.
Despite social media whispers that sturgeon have arrived, DNR fisheries biologist Ryan Koenigs said social media whispers regarding the sturgeon reaching Shawano were misleading.
“The sturgeon are not spawning at the Shawano dam yet, at least to my knowledge,” Koenigs said. “The report most likely stems from the fact that my crew and I were collecting fish with electrofishing.”
Electrofishing is a technique used to collect and study fish. An electrical current momentarily stuns the fish, prompting them to swim toward an electrical field where they are netted.
The technique primarily is used to determine the health and population of fish species by fisheries biologists and aquatic scientists. When done correctly, electrofishing causes no permanent harm to the fish.
Koenigs noted that while there might be sturgeon at the dam, they are not spawning.
“There are fish below the dam in the deeper water … year-round pretty much, but they are not spawning yet and not really visible to spectators, for that matter,” he said.
According to the United States Geological Survey, the Wolf River water temperature reached 52 degrees Monday in New London. The ideal temperature for spawning is 53 degrees.
Koenigs indicated there has been no activity at any of the spawning sites along the Wolf River, including New London and Shiocton. He expects to see progress within the next two to three days.
“The water temperatures are getting close to spawning range, and we will just have to wait and see until they get started,” Koenigs said.
Last year, Sturgeon did not spawn until early May due to cooler temperatures.
