MDNR Report
This year’s sturgeon season on Black Lake (in Cheboygan and Presque Isle counties) ended at 8:48 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 7. The season, which included spearing and hook-and-line fishing, was scheduled to run Feb. 7-11, or until the harvest limit of six lake sturgeon had been reached – but just 48 minutes turned out to be enough time.
The Michigan DNR 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, as occurred in 2025.
There were 679 registered anglers this year. The harvested sturgeon ranged in size from 52.9 inches to 67.2 inches long and weighed 40.4 pounds to 79.4 pounds.
- The first fish was a 61.5-inch male that weighed 50 pounds.
- Fish number two was a 64.1-inch female that weighed 78.4 pounds.
- Fish three was a 52.9-inch male that weighed 46.6 pounds.
- Fish four was a 67.2-inch female that weighed 79.4 pounds.
- he fifth fish was a 58.1-inch sturgeon that weighed 40.4 pounds.
- The sixth fish was a 62.5-inch female that weighed 58.4 pounds.
Only one of the harvested fish had not 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 sex of the fifth fish, which was not previously tagged, will be determined using DNA from fin clips collected when the fish was 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, as well as to quickly contact all lake sturgeon anglers on the ice to close the season.