Kathleen Schmitt Kline

A very interesting book about sturgeon spearing at Lake Winnebago region. The audio also includes oral interviews.
Sturgeon spearing management started way back in 1903 and by 1915 it was banned completely until 1932 when it was allowed during fishing season and required registration. Illegal sturgeons were confiscated and deposited at the capitol building's vault where state employees stated there's nothing worse than the odor of over ripe fish and that an over ripe sturgeon is the worst of all fish.… (mais)

You have heard about the sturgeon, the ancient species of fish with cartilage skeletons and no scales, but where would you find one? You may be aware that their highly prized caviar has led to their overharvesting in the Caspian Sea, but readers of “People of the Sturgeon” know that the largest, healthiest population is much closer to home, in Lake Winnebago, Wisconsin.

This success story did not just happen. Lake Winnebago sturgeon had to contend with pollution and over fishing like those in other locales. For over a century a coalition of fishermen, nature lovers and state officials have crafted the laws and private support that have permitted this population to recover, thrive and spread.

This book tells the sturgeon’s story from several perspectives: that of the fish themselves, game laws, the fishing experience, the Sturgeon For Tomorrow organization, the Nameo Indian Nation whose life is so intertwined with the sturgeon and the fish’s expansion from Lake Winnebago into the Great Lakes.

Just a couple of things to know: sturgeon, like salmon, return to their native streams to breed and their fishing is a unique experience. This isn’t a leisurely cast on a lazy summer day. Sturgeon fishing starts with transporting a shack out onto the lake, then cutting a hole in the ice so the fisherman can stand and plunge his spear into a fish that swims under the opening.

“People of the Sturgeon is a oversized, coffee table book with pictures, both historic and modern. The narrative is supplemented by bios of the people who have made this amazing comeback possible.

Whether your interest is sturgeon, conservation success stories or Wisconsin history, this is a book you will not want to miss. Read it. Savor its pictures, then leave it on your table so your guests can pick it up, page through it and go out to get their own copy.

I did receive a free copy of this book for review.… (mais)