Updated: Michigan’s 2026 Black Lake sturgeon season ends in 48 minutes

Editor’s note: This story was updated on Feb. 24, 2026 to include more information from its original version that was published on Feb. 9

Lansing — This year’s sturgeon season on Michigan’s Black Lake lasted 48 minutes and included the catch of a female weighing 79.4 pounds.

The season, which included spearing and hook-and-line fishing, began at 8 a.m. on Feb. 7. It ended at 8:48 a.m. on Feb. 7.

Jordan Guelig was named Sturgeon King of the brief season, thanks to that 79.4-pounder. Guelig, of Wisconsin, has speared much bigger sturgeon – he took a 120-pounder on his home state’s Lake Winnebago system a few years back.

“I’ve been going with my dad since I was 4 or 5 years old,” he said. “I’ve always done it.”

The Michigan DNR set the harvest limit for the season at six fish, though anglers were allocated a season quota of seven sturgeon by agreement with tribal governments. This limit was placed to accommodate the expected number of anglers and anticipate the possibility of near simultaneous harvest of more than one fish, as occurred in 2025.

There were 679 registered anglers this year. The harvested sturgeon ranged in size from 52.9 inches to 67.2 inches long and weighed 40.4 pounds to 79.4 pounds.

• The first fish was a 61.5-inch male that weighed 50 pounds.
• Fish number two was a 64.1- inch female that weighed 78.4 pounds.
• Fish three was a 52.9-inch male that weighed 46.6 pounds.
• Fish four was Guelig’s 67.2-inch female that weighed 79.4 pounds.
• The fifth fish was a 58.1-inch sturgeon that weighed 40.4 pounds.
• The sixth fish was a 62.5- inch female that weighed 58.4 pounds.

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Only one of the harvested fish had not been captured before by Michigan State University and the DNR during spring spawning runs in the Black River or during past surveys of Black Lake. The sex of the fifth fish, which was not previously tagged, will be determined using DNA from fin clips collected when the fish was registered.

Participating anglers were notified of the season closure in a variety of ways, including text alerts and ice shanty visits from DNR personnel.

DNR law enforcement officials and other DNR personnel were embedded in the on-ice fishing communities and were able to quickly and safely report harvested fish, as well as to quickly contact all lake sturgeon anglers on the ice to close the season.

Rehabilitation of lake sturgeon in the Cheboygan River watershed is a cooperative effort involving the DNR, the Black Lake Chapter of Sturgeon For Tomorrow, Michigan State University, Tower- Kleber Limited Partnership, the Bay Mills Indian Community, the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, the Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians and the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians.

DNR reminds anglers of lake sturgeon regulations

Anglers on the ice targeting walleye or other fish may unexpectedly find themselves with a lake sturgeon on the line.

What then?

“When that happens, releasing the sturgeon as quickly as possible is essential to ensuring the fish’s survival, as well as complying with fishing regulations for the species,” Michigan DNR noted in a recent reminder to anglers that regulations on the targeting and harvest of lake sturgeon are in effect. “On most waters of the state, fishing for lake sturgeon is prohibited and any lake sturgeon caught must be released immediately.”

Anglers can target lake sturgeon in Michigan only in designated waters during designated seasons. In some of these waters, lake sturgeon may be targeted but must be released immediately; in others, a possession season with size restrictions is in effect. Waters with sturgeon possession seasons include Lake St. Clair and St. Clair River, Otsego Lake, Menominee River, and Black Lake. Waters with sturgeon fishing seasons (catch-and-immediate-release only) include the Detroit River, St. Marys River, Portage Lake and Torch Lake, and the Ontonagon River.

In all other waters in the state of Michigan, it is unlawful to fish for lake sturgeon. Sturgeon are frequently caught incidentally in Saginaw Bay, the Saginaw River, the Kalamazoo River, the Grand River, Muskegon Lake, the Muskegon River, Manistee Lake, the Manistee River, Burt Lake and Mullet Lake, but cannot be targeted in those waters – anglers should be aware of the possibility of incidental lake sturgeon catch and of these regulations.

Any lake sturgeon caught incidentally while targeting other species must be released immediately. When temperatures are below freezing, fish gills can freeze quickly, making it important to release sturgeon into the water as quickly as possible to increase their chances of survival.