Scott Williams, swilliams@wolfrivermedia.com
Leader Photo by Greg Mellis Eyeing a sturgeon, Miranda Vele points as she and her family, Brendyn Vele, 4, Cornell Zhuccahosse, 3, and Leila Vele spot sturgeon Tuesday from the shores of Sturgeon Park in Shawano. Males arrive at the spawning sites ahead of the females, cruising in groups of eight or more, often so close to the surface that their tails, backs or snouts are out of the water.
Leader Photo by Greg Mellis Onlookers spot sturgeon in the Wolf River in Shawano on Tuesday. Lake sturgeon migrate each year to their annual spawning grounds, preferring to spawn in shallow, rocky areas along river banks.
Those fantastic fish are at it again on the Wolf River.
Measuring up to 4 feet long and weighing as much as 200 pounds, sturgeon made their way upstream Tuesday for the start of spawning season.
The seasonal mating ritual of the largest and oldest fish in the Great Lakes also touches off a brief but intense annual tourist phenomenon in Shawano and elsewhere.
Dozens of people gathered at the Shawano dam to witness the arrival of the prehistoric species for a spawning season that generally takes place in full public view directly along the Wolf River’s shores.
By Tuesday afternoon, some sturgeon were “porpoising,” which means rising to the water’s surface and even jumping out of the water — an activity that grows in intensity among the fish as actual mating interaction draws nearer.
“Unbelievable,” said Ruth Anne Rebman, who traveled from Pulaski for her first sturgeon sighting. “They’re bigger than I thought. Oh, my goodness.”
Starting at Lake Winnebago and other distant year-round habitats, the enormous fish make the annual run up the Wolf River every spring to their favorite locations for doing what comes naturally during mating season.
The spawning generally lasts between seven and 10 days, although state wildlife officials believe this year’s season could be condensed to just four or five days.
Ryan Koenigs, a biologist with the state Department of Natural Resources, said last weekend’s sudden onset of near-record temperatures around 80 degrees seems to have accelerated the process. Rather than starting slowly in just a few spots, the spawning is breaking out at multiple locations, Koenigs said.
“They’re kind of all starting at once,” he said.
With spawning already under way Tuesday in Shiocton and New London, spawning was expected to begin in Shawano as soon as Wednesday. That would mean the season could start winding down by the weekend.
Koenigs said tourists, as usual, were flocking to catch a glimpse of the mating ritual. Although lake sturgeon exist elsewhere around the world, the Wolf River might offer the best opportunity, he said, to witness the biological process happening “at your feet.”
“This is truly a unique experience,” he said. “They’re a majestic fish.”
To discourage eager tourists from trying to touch or perhaps even poach the fish, state officials partner with volunteers known as Sturgeon Guard to patrol the river banks.
Those sightseers gathered Tuesday in Shawano were happy just to marvel at the spectacle.
Byron Wendy, of Appleton, said he never gets tired of witnessing nature at work with the arrival of the impressive sturgeon by the dam.
“It’s just amazing,” he said. “If you think about it, it’s a lot of work for them to get up here.”
Green Bay resident Randy Perra said he remembers visiting his grandmother in Shawano each spring and racing down to the river to see the sturgeon. Although his grandmother is gone, Perra still makes the trip every year for a sight that never ceases to amaze him.
“It’s beautiful,” he said. “It’s like you have to see it every year.”