The Michigan Department of Natural Resources set the harvest limit for the season at six fish, though anglers were allocated a season quota of seven sturgeon by agreement with tribal governments. This limit was placed to accommodate the expected number of anglers and anticipate the possibility of near-simultaneous harvest of more than one fish. Such a scenario occurred this year, as a seventh fish was harvested before notification of the season closure could be sent out.

There were 797 registered anglers this year. The harvested sturgeon ranged in size from 43.5 inches to 64 inches long and weighed 18.2 pounds to 78.3 pounds.

∫ The first fish was a 45.7-inch sturgeon that weighed 18.8 pounds.

∫ Fish number two was a 43.5-inch sturgeon that weighed 18.2 pounds.

Courtesy Photo A man holds a sturgeon on Saturday in this photo provided by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. The harvested sturgeon ranged in size from 43.5 inches to 64 inches long and weighed 18.2 pounds to 78.3 pounds.

∫ Fish three was a 46.1-inch sturgeon that weighed 19 pounds.

∫ Fish four was a 64-inch female that weighed 78.3 pounds.

∫ The fifth fish was a 56.7-inch fish that weighed 41.9 pounds.

∫ The sixth fish was a 51-inch fish that weighed 25.5 pounds.

∫ The seventh fish was a 60.5-inch fish that weighed 47.8 pounds.

Only two of the harvested fish had been captured before by Michigan State University and the DNR during spring spawning runs in the Black River or during past surveys of Black Lake. The harvested 45.7-inch fish was captured and tagged during the 2023 netting survey of Black Lake, while the 64-inch fish was originally captured in the river in 2010. Besides the 64-inch female, which was captured previously during the spawning run, the sex of these fish are not yet known and will be determined using DNA from fin clips collected when the fish were registered.

Participating anglers were notified of the season closure in a variety of ways, including text alerts and ice shanty visits from DNR personnel. All methods were used to indicate the season’s end within minutes of the final fish being harvested. DNR law enforcement officials and other DNR personnel were embedded in the on-ice fishing communities and were able to quickly and safely report harvested fish this year, as well as to quickly contact all lake sturgeon anglers on the ice to close the season.

Rehabilitation of lake sturgeon in the Cheboygan River watershed is a cooperative effort involving the DNR, the Black Lake Chapter of Sturgeon For Tomorrow, Michigan State University, Tower-Kleber Limited Partnership, the Bay Mills Indian Community, the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, the Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians and the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians.

For more information on lake sturgeon in Michigan, visit Michigan.gov/Sturgeon. To learn more about all fishing opportunities statewide, go to Michigan.gov/Fishing.