Warm Weather Raises Safety Concerns on Lake Winnebago

Wisconsin officials warn sturgeon spearers about ice safety as temperatures reach 50 degrees on Lake Winnebago during peak season.

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

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With temperatures climbing into the 50s this week, Wisconsin's beloved sturgeon spearing tradition on Lake Winnebago faces new safety challenges as thousands of anglers head onto the ice. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and local fishing clubs are urging extra caution as the warmer weather threatens ice conditions during the peak of spearing season.

Why it matters

Lake Winnebago is a popular destination for sturgeon spearing, a unique winter tradition in Wisconsin. However, the warm weather poses risks to ice safety, which could endanger the thousands of anglers who venture out onto the lake each year.

The details

Despite the concerns, fishing clubs say the ice remains solid for now, with more than 20 inches of ice coverage, which is better than conditions seen in recent years. However, officials warn that conditions near river mouths are deteriorating rapidly, and they recommend several safety precautions for anyone venturing onto the ice, including driving slowly, bringing ice picks and a life jacket, and sticking to clearly marked paths and roads.

  • The sturgeon spearing season has been successful so far, with 779 sturgeon harvested on Lake Winnebago as of Saturday, representing 56% of the harvest cap.
  • The upriver season has already ended after reaching 90% of its harvest cap with 75 sturgeon taken.

The players

Ryan Propson

A conservation warden with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

Bob Habel

The vice president of the Otter Street Fishing Club, who has been monitoring ice conditions closely.

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What they’re saying

“You know the ice can go from great to not so great really quickly.”

— Ryan Propson, Conservation Warden, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (nbc26.com)

“It's good solid ice, better than we've seen in a few years, but that doesn't mean it's safe. Ice is never safe.”

— Ryan Propson, Conservation Warden, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (nbc26.com)

“I think with the warm and the rain you want to stay away from the mouth river, they've lost quite a bit of ice in these last few days, they're down to a foot of ice.”

— Bob Habel, Vice President, Otter Street Fishing Club (nbc26.com)

“That first quarter mile off of shore, that's going to be your most dangerous ice coming out here.”

— Bob Habel, Vice President, Otter Street Fishing Club (nbc26.com)

What’s next

The DNR advises checking local fishing club websites and social media pages for the most current ice condition updates before heading out.

The takeaway

This warm weather trend highlights the importance of ice safety and the need for anglers to exercise caution and follow the guidance of local authorities and fishing clubs when venturing out onto Lake Winnebago during the sturgeon spearing season.