Section NR 20.10 - Special lake sturgeon spearing restrictions No person may do any of the following:
(1) Fish for sturgeon on Lake Winnebago system waters by any means other than spearing with a spear thrown by hand from inside a fishing shelter placed on the ice during the open season specified in s. NR 20.20 (73) (e).(2) Fish with or possess a fishing pole, hook and line or other similar devices that might be used for the purpose of catching fish within any fishing shelter containing an ice hole larger than 12 inches in diameter or square during the open season for spearing lake sturgeon on waters specified in s. NR 20.20 (73) (e).(3) Cover holes cut in the ice which are used or maintained for sturgeon spearing pursuant to s. NR 20.11 (2) with a fishing shelter except during the period from 48 hours before and continuing through the open season for lake sturgeon spearing.(4) Use or possess any artificial light while sturgeon spearing in order to illuminate any waters open to sturgeon spearing during the period beginning 48 hours before and continuing through the open season for lake sturgeon spearing.(5) Cut, use or maintain holes in the ice larger than 48 square feet for sturgeon spearing pursuant to s. NR 20.11 (2).(6) Fish for sturgeon during the open season by the method of spearing or possess or control a spear or similar device within a fishing shelter on Lake Winnebago system waters from 12 a.m. until 7 a.m. on opening day, and from 1:00 p.m. until 7:00 a.m. on opening day and subsequent days.(7) Fish for lake sturgeon with a spear having a spearhead width greater than 18 inches as measured from the outside edge of one outermost tine to the outside edge of the other outermost tine, excluding barbs, or with tines arranged in any formation other than a single straight line, or both, or possess such a spear during the open season for lake sturgeon. Note: Barbs are not considered to be part of the tine and may extend beyond 18 inches.
(8) Possess, maintain or control a spear in a sturgeon fishing shelter unless in possession of a valid sturgeon spearing license and unused carcass tag for the waterbody on which that shelter is located.(9) Spear any fish other than a lake sturgeon, except that during the open sturgeon spearing season when the season for spearing rough fish is closed, a licensed sturgeon spearer may retain or dispose of in compliance with s. 287.81 (2), Stats., any carp taken incidentally while sturgeon spearing under subs. (1) to (8) in the portion of the state open to sturgeon spearing, subject to all of the following requirements:(a) The person spearing the carp shall be in possession of an unused sturgeon carcass tag for the water and season during which the carp is incidentally harvested.(b) The person spearing the carp shall be in possession of a valid fishing license, in addition to the sturgeon spearing license, unless exempt from the requirement to possess a fishing license under s. 29.219, Stats.(c) Any carp speared shall be removed from the water, bank or shore.Wis. Admin. Code Department of Natural Resources NR 20.10
Cr. Register, May, 1999, No. 521, eff. 6-1-99; CR 01-012: am. (4) to (6), (10) and (11), Register November 2001 No. 551, eff. 4-1-02; CR 01-013: cr. (3m) and (3s), Register November 2001 No. 551, eff. 12-1-01; CR 02-014: am. (10), cr. (10m), Register September 2002 No. 561, eff. 10-1-02; CR 03-014: cr. (1m) and (1r) Register November 2003 No. 575, eff. 4-1-04; CR 05-073: am. (1r) and (8) Register January 2006 No. 601, eff. 3-1-06; CR 13-019: am. (10), (10m) Register December 2013 No. 696, eff. 1-1-14.Amended by, CR 15-014: am. (8), (9) Register December 2015 No. 720, eff.1/1/2016Amended by, CR 17-061: r. and recr. Register February 2018 No. 746, eff. 3/1/2018Amended by, CR 17-051: am. (3), am. (3s) [recreated as (5) by CR 17-061], Register March 2018 No. 747, eff. 4/1/2018Amended by, CR 19-016: cr. (7) Register March 2020 No. 771, eff. 4-1-20; CR 19-091: am. (4), (6), cr. (7) Register March 2020 No. 771, eff. 4-1-20; (7), as cr. by CR 19-091, renum. to (8) under s. 13.92(4) (b) 1.Register March 2020 No. 771, eff. 4/1/2020Amended by, CR 21-021: cr. (9) Register November 2021 No. 791, eff. 4/1/2022Amended by, CR 23-058: am. (7) Register June 24 No. 822, eff. 7/1/2024