Late lake sturgeon season now open on border waters

Late season lake sturgeon harvest on Minnesota/Canada border waters opens July 1 and runs through Sept. 30. A sturgeon tag is required to harvest a sturgeon, but anglers may fish catch-and-release without a tag. Sturgeon must be 45-to 50-inches, inclusive, or more than 75 inches to harvest. Immediately upon reducing a fish to possession, the sturgeon tag must be validated and attached. Harvested sturgeon must be registered within 48 hours.

First-time lake sturgeon anglers often find themselves ill-prepared to face the reality of battling a fish that can be more than four feet long or wrestling a fish into a boat that can weigh between 50 to 100 pounds. To educate would-be sturgeon anglers, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) suggests anglers be prepared with the following equipment:

* wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal floatation device (PFD)
* tackle suitable for landing a 100+ lb. fish
* large landing net
* gloves for handling small sturgeon with razor-sharp scutes (spiny projections)
* pliers to remove hooks from fish
* measuring devise capable of measuring 80+ inches for length
* seamstress tape or similar device, for measuring girth for weight estimation
* wet towel to place over the fish’s head while measuring (to calm the fish)
* pen or pencil and paper to record numbers from tagged fish
* camera

Additional items for anglers who intend to harvest a lake sturgeon:

* harvest tag
* zip tie or other device to properly attach the harvest tag to the fish
* pen or pencil to record information needed for sturgeon registration
* means to validate the harvest tag (tag must be notched to indicate the date and time the fish is harvested)
* cooler with ice large enough to hold a legal-sized lake sturgeon (fish must be 45-to 50-inches inclusive or more than 75 inches)
* the DNR cautions that some fish are just too big to safely bring into your boat.

Anglers should refer to the following guidelines for handling large lake sturgeon:

* avoid removing large fish from the water whenever possible, otherwise limit their time out of the water
* consider placing a measuring device on the outside of your boat for quick reference
* never touch their eyes or gills
* always support the fish horizontally; do not hold a sturgeon in a vertical position by their head, gills or tail, even just for a photo
* before bringing any fish into your boat, make sure that fishing rods, tackle boxes and other loose items are secured and out of the way.