Sturgeon

[zeek]

I believe the DNR stocked some sturgeon from Rainy River in the Red River a couple of years ago. So it may be possible that a little one has worked its way up the Ottertail river somehow.

[Guest]

Cool find! It doesn't hurt to contact the DNR about it.

I don't think it's possible the Sturgeon came from the Red River to Otter Tail River....there is a huge dam in Downtown Fergus Falls that would stop that migration....and the Orwell dam system.

[This message has been edited by CD (edited 07-09-2002).]

[Gissert]

Cool catch on the sturgeon! The DNR has begun to stock these fish on Ottertail. I think this was the first year. Was the fish tagged? Where did you catch it?

I should be interesting to see how they migrate, if they can. There are a lot of obstacles down stream of Otter Tail lake.

There is the small water control structure on the outlet of Otter Tail, Phelps Mill Dam, Friberg Dam, Diversion Dam, and the Ottertail Power Dam, Central and Pisgah dams in Fergus, Dayton Hollow Dam, and finally Orwell Dam.

They should be able to get into Walker Lake.

Are there any blocking structures keeping them from getting to Dead and Rush lakes?

[fishlakeman]

It didn't have a tag. I caught it near the Pier restaurant off of Hw 78 in 10 feet.

[fishlakeman]

When I was fishing last weekend on OtterTail Lake I caught a 13 inch sturgeon. I'm 100% positive it was a sturgeon. Has anyone else caught one, or even heard of their existence in the lake? I'm wondering if I should contact the DNR?

[fishlakeman]

I contacted the DNR and they said they stocked them in the otter tail river. The last year they stocked them was in 1998. They didn't say anything about stocking Otter Tail lake, but I heard they stocked it this year from a few people.

[Paul Rohweller]

Congrats on the sturgeon! Maybe our grandkids will see the full return of these creatures to their native waterways. If they're in ottertail then they should be able to make their way up to rush and big and little pine lakes. I dont think the elevation dams are going to slow them down. Somewhere in the family archives there is a picture of my grandfather with a sturgeon caught on the ottertail river near foxhome. The fish is strung between two workhorses and the tail is touching the ground. As of right now I'm not sure if its a good thing that they are coming back. My reasons being that lakes can only support so many pounds of fish per acre be it walleyes, carp or sturgeon. How do the rest of you feel about it? Paul

------------------
Paul Rohweller
Pine to Prairie Guide Service
218-962-3387
http://fishingminnesota.com/pinetoprairie

[Gissert]

Paul -

In the case of sturgeon in Otter Tail, I think it is good. They mature so slowly that I doubt that they will be very prolific.

I think it would be fun to have a chance to tie into a big one through the ice a few years down the road.

[Guest]

I read somewhere this spring in the star trib that when they released the selected slot limit for pike in the 20 inch mininum for next year on ottertail that they were thinking of stocking sturgeon in the ottertail river system, including ottertail lake!!! so maybe they are or have been stocking them with out saying anything!! like they did with muskies in other lakes!!!

[Guest]

typos i meant 30 inch minimium on pike