Survival of Lake Sturgeon in Big Stone Lake very good

Back in September of 2014, the Minnesota DNR began stocking Big Stone Lake with sturgeon. The joint effort was done by the Ortonville Fisheries, Minnesota DNR and South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks.

Former fisheries supervisor Norm Haukos, who has since retired, initially promoted the sturgeon reintroduction project. He believed that improving water quality in the lake, and efforts to restore connectivity to tributary waters, made it possible for this ancient fish to once again thrive in these waters after almost 70 years.

Since 2014, approximately four thousand seven-inch Lake Sturgeon were stocked every year through 2024 (except 2020) totaling about 44,500 fish to date.  Due to changes in operations at the Genoa National Fish hatchery, where the fish originate, sturgeon will now be stocked every three years with the next stocking occurring in 2027.

“The goal of stocking is to establish a self-sustaining, naturally reproducing population in the lake and it's connected waterways,” said BJ Bauer, Fisheries Specialist 1 Divison of Fish and Wildlife of the Ortonville Fisheries. “Male sturgeon can be sexually mature by age eight and females by age 14, so in the next few years there could be some potential spawners in the system since the oldest fish are now 10 years old.”

Bauer added that they are interested to see if the timeline for spawning will be sped up with large, fast-growing fish present. This winter they dissected a 52-inch, nine-year-old female sturgeon that had gonads in the early stages of maturation.

“The sturgeon have a small tag inserted in them at the hatchery.  The tag has a number that corresponds to the year the fish was stocked,” said Bauer. “When we get possession of a dead sturgeon, the tag is removed and the number is read with a microscope.  In 2024, we aged five sturgeon using this method. Age one fish, that have lived through two summers, were already 17 inches long. The oldest was age nine and 52 inches long. Lake Sturgeon in Big Stone Lake are growing relatively fast when compared to other populations in the state.”

Bauer stated that the survival of stocked sturgeon has been very good and that they are pleased with numbers that show up in their annual test netting. 

“We're hearing more and more reports of people incidentally catching sturgeon and wouldn't be surprised if anglers begin to specifically target them soon. The longest found in test netting measured just over 50 inches but we've heard reports and have seen pictures of larger fish that are closer to 60 inches,” said Bauer.

Sturgeon have been found in the Whetstone River in Milbank; Little Minnesota River in Browns Valley;  Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge; Lac qui Parle Lake and below the Lac qui Parle (Churchill) Dam; and the   Pomme de Terre River downstream of the dam in Morris-farthest they know of-more than 60 river miles. 

The season for lake sturgeon on South Dakota/Minnesota border waters is closed from April 15 to June 15.  Catch-and-release fishing is permitted for the remainder of the year.  No harvest of Lake Sturgeon is allowed on the MN/SD border waters.

Sturgeon range in size from seven to 12 feet in length and can weigh up to 150 pounds. Males live to be about 55 years old and females can live to be well over 150 years old.

Sturgeon are migratory spawners. Unlike other fish, they don’t spawn each year. The female spawn about every nine years and the males spawn typically every four to five years. They  usually spawn in groups of six or seven males to one female.

“MNDNR is partnering with the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks and South Dakota State University on a study that will look at age, growth, maturity and movement of Lake Sturgeon in Big Stone Lake and the connected waterways,” said Bauer. “This project will have several researchers working for three years to develop an in-depth report about the status and future of the sturgeon population in Big Stone Lake.”    

All border waters fisheries management, including lake sturgeon related activities and planning are cooperative with SDGFP and MNDNR.

Ortonville School District  Referendum vote fails

Voters of the Ortonville Public School District #2903 opted to vote “no” on a referendum question, “Shall the School Board of Independent School District No. 2903 (Ortonville Public Schools), Minnesota be authorized to issue general obligation school building bonds in the amount not to exceed $36,080,000, for the purpose of providing funds for the acquisition and betterment of school sites and facilities?

The unoffical results from the Special Election held on Feb. 11 had a total of 1,076 voters. Sixty-seven percent of the voters voted no, while 33 percent voted yes. The “no” votes totaled 726, with 350 voting “yes” on the referendum. Polling place results from the Ortonville Armory were 564 “no” votes and 254 “yes“ votes. Absentee voting results from the Big Stone County Auditor’s office totaled 258 votes, with  162 “no” votes and 96 “yes“ votes.

Superintendent Kris Evje stated that the Ortonville Public Schools acknowledges the results of the recent referendum vote, in which the proposed $36,080,000 investment in school improvements did not receive the necessary support for approval.

Although the referendum did not pass, the school would like to thank everyone who took the time to listen, consider the solution, and voice their opinion at the polls. The referendum aimed to address critical needs, including aging infrastructure, expanded Career and Technical Education spaces, enhanced safety measures, and improved community spaces.

“We are grateful to everyone who took the time to learn about the proposal and participate in the vote,” said Superintendent Evje. “While we are disappointed by the outcome, the challenges facing our schools remain, and we will continue working to find solutions that support our students and community.”

The district and school board will regroup and reconnect with the community to explore next steps in addressing the school facility’s needs. The community’s engagement matters and they appreciate the continued involvement.