People of the Sturgeon

From the earliest human inhabitants of the place we call Wisconsin, to the spearers who, to this day, flock to frozen Lake Winnebago for the annual sturgeon spearing season, people have always been drawn to this ancient fish. With the arrival of new human populations and the growth of commercial fishing during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, however, lake sturgeon in Wisconsin were on the brink of extinction as a result of overfishing, pollution, dams, and habitat loss. But while sturgeon populations were completely wiped out in other areas of the country, Winnebago sturgeon have survived and flourished thanks to the dedicated efforts of many organizations and individuals, including state managers and DNR staff, university researchers, and a determined group of spearers known as Sturgeon for Tomorrow. This is the only population of sturgeon in the world to have been nearly extirpated, then resurrected through a community-wide effort of people who are now joined together as “people of the sturgeon.”

“Spearers sit patiently in dark-house shacks perched on the frozen expanse of Lake Winnebago, waiting hours, days—even years—for a giant shadow to glide beneath them. Volunteers patrol the banks of the Wolf River on an April night, listening for the splashing of spawning fish and watching for would-be poachers. Menominee tribesmen dance to mimic the thrashing of these prehistoric giants as they struggle upstream to spawn, then feast in celebration on their smoked flesh as their ancestors have done for millennia. They are all people of the sturgeon, and they are all honored in this book. Few fish are as homely, yet none seems to engender as much affection. People of the Sturgeon tells the stories of those whose lives have been deeply touched by this fish, and the story of the fish itself weaves through the narrative to bind it together. It is a marvelous story and a heart-warming read.”

—Dan Small, host/producer of Outdoor Wisconsin and Outdoors Radio

“This fish is important to both Native Americans and the later European immigrants, and by looking at all aspects of the interaction of fish and human society, the authors have presented a lively blend of cultural and natural history.”

—Nancy Bent, Booklist

“The lore surrounding the sturgeon, and a few fish stories as well, is the popular audience bait for People of the Sturgeon: Wisconsin's Love Affair with an Ancient Fish. But authors Kathleen Schmitt, Ronald M. Bruch, and Frederick P. Binkowski show that the sturgeon's survival is an example of Wisconsin's long standing, progressive policy toward conservation.”

—David Luhrssen, Shepherd Express

“Bruch spearheaded an effort to collect artifacts and record the stories told by spearers, decoy carvers, poachers, retired game wardens and sturgeon biologists, Menominee Tribal elders, and others from throughout the Winnebago-Fox-Wolf River System. The book also culls the photo albums, newspaper clippings and personal recollections of Wisconsin families to show how the huge, homely lake sturgeon found in the Lake Winnebago system captured their hearts, and with their help, returned from the edge of extinction.”

—Wisconsin State Journal

“Part natural history, part oral history, and part environmental history, People of the Sturgeon gives readers something that is hard to come by these days: an environmental tale with a happy ending. . . . In this fascinating account, you'll see vivid photos, read great fish stories, and meet lots of unforgettable Wisconsin characters. This is a book every sportsman and student of the environment needs to own.”

—Robert F. Kennedy Jr.