ENDANGERED LAKE STURGEON CAUGHT! PA

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Catch of the day: Lake Sturgeon
By Chase Klingensmith

Dick Brozell's fish tale isn't one for the record books.
It's one for the history books.
Brozwell,67, a retired construction worker from McKean, hooked and released a rare lake sturgeon Wednesday off the Presque Isle condominiums in Lake Erie while on a charter excursion.
Brozell's catch was relatively small as lake sturgeon go-37 inches and 15-20 pounds. They can grow to 7feet and 200 pounds, and females can live to be 150 years old.
But few lake sturgeon of any size or age have been seen in years-it is an endangered species in Pennsylvania. The last time the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission had a confirmed sighting of a lake sturgeon was 2001, when 87-inch specimen washed up on Freeport Beach in North East during the height of a botulism outbreak.
The once-common freshwater fish was nearly wiped out by the early 1900's, first because it was so abundant that it was deemed a nuisance species, and later because its caviar and meat were prized.
Chuch Murray, Fish and Boat Commission Lake Erie Unit biologist, told the S.O.N.S of Lake Erie conservation group in winter that a popular Presque Isle Bay fishing site known locally as the Stink Hole was so named at the turn of the century because of the smell emanating from countless sturgeon carcasses piled on the nearby shore.
Commercial fishing stopped in 1977 in Lake Erie, the only Pennsylvania water where the species survives, but the sturgeon population throughout the Great Lakes since has further pressured by changes to spawning and feeding habitat.
Brozwell's tug of war with the fish began around 10:30 a.m. from aboard the Edward John, which specializes in perch fishing. A little over an three hours into his seven-hour charter, Brozell felt a tug on his line that he initally hoped was a walleye.
"I saw this monstrous white thing," Brozell said. "It had everyone's attention."
A 20-minute battle ensued until Brozell was able to bring the fish alongside the boat and board it with assistance of fellow anglers. After recording its vital information, the men gently released the fish alive.
"I hunt big game," Brozell said, "but this was equal."

Erie Times News June 25, 2009
 
That's the second one to be caught in the last month maybe they are making a come back.
 
hmm I didnt know they were still rare on the great lakes they are caught here all the time. I just seen one caught last week, and lots have already been caught this year of my local pier.
 
MultispeciesTamer;3231868; said:
hmm I didnt know they were still rare on the great lakes they are caught here all the time. I just seen one caught last week, and lots have already been caught this year of my local pier.
Click to expand...
Biolgists say something about matching genetics, your sure they are lake sturgeon? It is just so hard when there are such low numbers around here. This fish was a pretty big break through, because they wanted its dna to try and match it, its a timely process, I'm sure they could easily stock fish from other areas, I think they are still holding on to hope for the old lake erie strain, there are still some in the lake.
A youngster at that which is a good sign hopefully he has lots of brothers!:) I think a couple were caught in ohio last year, but this is the first confirmed catch in pa in a very long time.
 
Rockbass6;3232814; said:
Biolgists say something about matching genetics, your sure they are lake sturgeon? It is just so hard when there are such low numbers around here. This fish was a pretty big break through, because they wanted its dna to try and match it, its a timely process, I'm sure they could easily stock fish from other areas, I think they are still holding on to hope for the old lake erie strain, there are still some in the lake.
A youngster at that which is a good sign hopefully he has lots of brothers!:) I think a couple were caught in ohio last year, but this is the first confirmed catch in pa in a very long time.
Click to expand...
theres only one sturgeon species in lake Michigan what else could they be ;). During the last steelhead season (the winter run) I snaged several fish that there was no stopping almost spooling me. Theres only two things they could be sturgeon runnig to spawn the next spring, or giant flathead catfish. As fast as these fish ran theres almost no doubt that they were sturgeon. Maybe next year ill be lucky enough to land one.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom