First Time Ice-fishing Sturgeon

Hi, my family and I are going to give ice fishing sturgeon a shot out of Bayport this weekend. I have read about all I can find on spots and techniques but will take any advice you are willing to share.

I still have a few questions:

I am wondering if you are going to use an ATV out of Bayport where is the best place to park?

Does anyone know the power generation schedule?

How have the sturgeon been biting?

Thanks for the help!

Perry, I can help with a few of your questions.

1) A popular spot to park is at Lakeside park. Plenty of single vehicle parking there and a gravel lot next to it for parking with a trailer. You’ll have some options I believe on the Wisconsin side of the river as well, but I am unfamiliar with using them.

2) The power plant has not been running at all this winter. Unless we see some serious cold weather, it will remain that way. It is only being used to supplement power during times of high demand.

3) The sturgeon bite has been slow in general since first ice. Seems like people are finding a lot of small fish <30″, but that doesn’t mean some nice fish aren’t being caught. For example, a 66″ was caught last Saturday.

Hossfisher, thanks for the quick reply.

I looked at that park on the air photo, can you drive your ATV right out on the ice from there?

I appreciate the report.

We were also thinking about fishing North near the bridge. I have read that you can get lucky anywhere, but is that an area where people target sturgeon?

Thanks again.

Yes, you can drive ATV’s right onto the ice there I believe. I’m ususally walking, but I’ve seen everybody else doing it. As you head north near or past the bridge, the ice generally becomes a little bit less predictable, but I do know ATV’s have been running up there. It is definitely a place where people target sturgeon. They roam all over and without the plant discharging warm water, their is very little to keep them in one place vs. another. Good luck!

Thanks, much appreciated.

Thanks again for the help, it was pretty slow, but we pushed through. My dad caught two 24” and I got a 37”.

At least you didnt get skunked