Sturgeon spawning is a yearly event triggered by water temperature—about 54 degrees Fahrenheit—and it in turn triggers a migration of spectators, researchers, wardens, and volunteer guards. They gather on the banks of Wisconsin’s Wolf River and its tributaries where the fish journey to spawn on the rocky banks from where they themselves hatched years before. Its truly a sight to behold, and parents and grandparents bring children of all ages to witness the event, flocking to viewing areas constructed just for that purpose. Many of the fish are older than the parents, and some are contemporaries of the grandparents. All of the sturgeon look like the ancient creatures they are—nearly unchanged for one hundred fifty million years.

For more information about Winnebago sturgeon spawning, see http://dnr.wi.gov/fish/sturgeon/sturgeon_spawning.html

For more information about the book People of the Sturgeon: Wisconsin’s Love Affair with an Ancient Fish, a book sponsored by the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute, see www.winnebagosturgeon.org

To order the book, please visit the ASC Publications Store.