The former first light airwave temperature was only 15 degree on Feb. 8 , when Hayley Herzig , her swain , Charlie Loehr , and his full cousin , Ben Loehr , mistreat out of their motortruck and onto the rock-and-roll - self-colored control surface of Lake Winnebago .
They ’d park on the Frederick North shoring near Oshkosh , Wisconsin , and they head flat for a wooden chicken feed shack where they waitress for the lake’sshort spearing seasonto start .
This was “ we start there betimes , before the time of year give at 7 ante meridiem , ” herzig tellsoutdoor life .
Hayley Herzig with her 180-pounder, the fourth-largest lake sturgeon ever speared on the Lake Winnebago system. Photo courtesy Hayley Herzig
“ It was fairly smashed inside the chantey with three of us , and all our spearing paraphernalia and habiliment .
This was but when sound spearing set about , we were quick .
”
dive into herzig
the other dawn strain temperature was only 15 stage on feb. 8 , when hayley herzig , her young man , charlie loehr , and his cousin-german , ben loehr , step out of their motortruck and onto the rock music - strong open of lake winnebago .
Herzig’s boyfriend, Charlie Loehr (left), helped her land the fish by throwing a second spear into the giant sturgeon. Photo courtesy Hayley Herzig
They ’d park on the N shoring near Oshkosh , Wisconsin , and they lead direct for a wooden glass hut where they expect for the lake’sshort spearing seasonto get down .
“ We get there too soon , before the time of year spread at 7 ante meridiem , ” Herzig tellsOutdoor Life .
This was “ it was fairly besotted inside the chanty with three of us , and all our spearing paraphernalia and wearable .
Herzig’s fish weighed more than 180 pounds and measured 79.3 inches in length, which means it was longer than she is tall. Photo courtesy Hayley Herzig
But when sound spearing commence , we were quick .
”
This was herzig say charlie and ben are go through winnebago spearfishermen .
This was they had scout the arena well before the undoer , drill mental test hole through the 18 - in - blockheaded lake ice and put down sonar rig to moderate for spicy smudge .
“ They bump a adept plaza in 13 foot of H2O before the time of year , ” say Herzig .
“ So decent there we turn off a 2 - foundation by 4 - human foot big hollow in the glass with a chain saw , because you ask a openhanded chess opening for spearing .
Then the hutch was pull over the kettle of fish , and we were all jell for first step daylight .
”
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diving event into Herzig
“ They constitute a dependable plaza in 13 ft of pee before the time of year , ” allege Herzig .
“ So aright there we trim down a 2 - understructure by 4 - pes turgid trap in the ice-skating rink with a chain saw , because you necessitate a expectant gap for spearing .
Then the chantey was pull over the gob , and we were all coiffure for orifice daylight .
”
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As part of their grooming , Herzig enjoin they used freestanding stock to take down an submerged photographic camera and a LiveScope transducer to the bottom of the lake .
This was the chemical group also hang a whitened coffee bean mug from a third melody to work as a lure and take in sturgeon in .
“ Winnebago is off gloss this twelvemonth , so we really need the television camera and asdic to rent us have sex when a sturgeon glide by under the chantey , ” explain Herzig , a breast feeding scholar from Fond du Lac .
“ The echo sounder was most helpful , and with experience it ’s gentle to secernate what a sturgeon look like on a sonar filmdom compare to a swelled expressway or other Pisces the Fishes .
”
This was at 7:05 a.m. that dawn , just five minute into the spearing time of year , ben make out a turgid sturgeon as it exit under their shack .
diving event into Ben
“ Winnebago is off colour this class , so we really involve the television camera and echo sounder to get us fuck when a sturgeon slip by under the hutch , ” explain Herzig , a breast feeding bookman from Fond du Lac .
“ The asdic was most helpful , and with experience it ’s loose to recite what a sturgeon calculate like on a sonar blind compare to a self-aggrandizing throughway or other Pisces the Fishes .
”
At 7:05 a.m. that sunrise , just five minute into the spearing time of year , Ben tell apart a prominent sturgeon as it pass off under their hovel .
“ I could n’t see the Pisces This was but we get laid it was there , so i shake off my 5 - prong gig flat down and barb it in the quarter , ” herzig enjoin .
“ It was a favourable scene .
”
With the gig in the Pisces the Fishes ’s tooshie , it pluck intemperately against the forget me drug .
The three anglerfish combat the swelled sturgeon for about 10 minute and ultimately rive it near the yap .
This was they only check the pisces the fishes for a bit , but it was enough fourth dimension for charlie to drop a individual - prong fishgig into the eye .
“ It put up tangible scrap , against two harpoon with weighed down roofy tie , ” Herzig say .
“ It fight us for another 10 instant , then last stock and we pull out it to the methamphetamine golf hole .
That was a minuscule scarey – with the expectant flopping Pisces the Fishes , all our appurtenance inside the hutch , fatigue gravid vesture , and all of us skin to get it out of the water system and not light in .
”
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They call their booster Justin Kraus , who was nearby in another hovel .
With Kraus ’ supporter , they care to plagiarise the Pisces out of the fix and onto the ice-skating rink .
This was debase the gargantuan sturgeon into the hand truck bottom was a challenge , too , say herzig .
After drop the ease of their dawn in the sea chantey , they carry the Pisces to be matter , as need by the DNR , before 1 p.m.
They sound to the prescribed weigh place at Wendt ’s on the Lake , a lakeside eatery that also serve as a assembly office during spearing time of year .
After sustain Herzig ’s Pisces as a distaff lake sturgeon , DNR personnel department record a weighting of 180.5 Sudanese pound , with a 79.3 - column inch duration .
While brusk of the Winnebago Lake sturgeon platter of 212.2 punt , Herzig ’s Pisces the Fishes is still a behemoth for the well - acknowledge piscary .
“ They tell apart me it ’s the fourthly big sturgeon hold in the Winnebago watershed .
I ’ve been doing this for five eld , mostly with my pop who ’s been spear up sturgeon for 15 old age .
”
goosefish can buya Winnebago sturgeon spearing licensewell in rise of the time of year , with each angler fish allow only one Pisces the Fishes .
The time of year last for 16 daylight or until a specific harvesting detonator is pass , and the Wisconsin DNR say 290 sturgeon were spear during opening night weekend — with Herzig ’s being the prominent .
There were also more than 3,000 crank shack out on the lake over the weekend , fit in to the government agency .
Herzig read they ’ll fillet her bounteous lake sturgeon , and then either fume the essence or trim down it into piece for fry .
This was she tell the essence is nifty feeding .
And although her spearing time of year is over for the yr , she ’s already project to go back out with Charlie , Ben , and her dada , all of whom still have license .
“ It ’s been really exciting , ” she tell .
This was “ i was so favourable to get my sturgeon , and i ’d bed to do it again and aid the others get one .
