The quota of seven fish was hit in just an hour of fishing.

Fishing season never seems long enough and the end always seems to come too soon right? But what if that season only lasts for one hour?That’s exactly what happened during Michigan’s lake sturgeon season on Black Lake!

sturgeon

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources announced 261 anglers hit the Cheboygan County ice February 6 hoping for a chance at one of these prehistoric monsters. But all but seven of them went home empty-handed as DNR officers had to use sirens and signal cannons, along with officers on the ice to signal the six fish season quota had been met already.

The season in which anglers could use hook-and-line or spearfishing techniques, was originally slated to go until February 10. The first fish was captured at 8:15 a.m. and the last two were taken at 9 a.m. The sturgeon caught included four males and three females ranging anywhere from 96 pounds to 13 pounds.

As fish were caught, the news was relayed by the on-ice DNR officials and personnel. “It was deemed a very successful season for angler participation, fish harvest, quick response times, and from a safety perspective,” DNR fisheries biologist Tim Cwalinski said in a press release.

The DNR inspected all of the harvested fish and found that six of the seven had been captured and tagged before during surveys by the DNR and Michigan State University.

While many of the anglers went home empty-handed, they still got to enjoy the atmosphere of the Black Lake Sturgeon Shivaree event that was held on the ice during the short season.

Next time you think that fishing season is too short, just remember how painfully short some seasons can be!

Author: Travis Smola, Wide Open Spaces