Lake Sturgeon Spawn - Northern Ontario

ACIPENSER FULVESCENS
LAKE STURGEON SPAWN
On this day in the boreal forest, something very special is about to take place.
It's mid May, and the water temperature of this Northern Ontario river has just reached 12C.
This is key, and the conditions are now just right for the annual Sturgeon spawn.
My name is Dan Kirouac, creator of In Season Studios, and this prehistoric river dance is something that I have been attempting to capture for some time now.
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Although the rivers of Northern Ontario boast a healthy Sturgeon population, and this species is not endangered, Lake Sturgeon do have 'special status' since local populations need to be monitored and there is a good chance this fish may become endangered if steps are not taken to address factors threatening it. Currently, anglers must practice catch and release, and although the Sturgeon is a very durable species, it is always critical to handle any fish with extreme care, and use proper release technique when handling them.
If you like what you have seen, please remember to hit the thumbs up button for the video, subscribe to my channel, and leave any comments below. My name is Dan Kirouac and you are watching In Season Studios.
Thank you and take care.
Spring 2020
Works Cited
Ecology and biology of the lake sturgeon: a synthesis of current knowledge of a threatened North American Acipenseridae
link.springer....
Lake sturgeon (Species at Risk)
Scientific name: Acipenser fulvescens
www.ontario.ca...

[@olaveti]

Wow, amazing video Dan. This was such a gift to watch. Back in the early 90's I did a spring spec fishing trip up a tributary of the Groundhog in May. Water was really high. We only got one spec but we came upon spawning sturgeon. Heard big splashes in the creek but by the time we located the splash, whatever made it was gone. Finally we started seeing massive fins and tails breaking the surface and figured out what they were. I was only 20 at the time and had only heard of sturgeon from my dad, who'd seen them caught off the docks at Connaught. A few hours later, my buddy hooked into one in a narrow, fast flowing section of the creek. I was about 300 meters down stream, having a nap and being drained of blood by blackflies. He comes running down toward me, screaming "I got a sturgeon! I got a sturgeon!" I jumped up, ran after him for 50 metres, tripped and fell flat on my face, got up and followed him. When i caught up to him, he was standing on the bank, rod in hand. His line was taut in the water. He told tall tales sometimes so I didn't believe him. For 20 minutes I watched him work whatever was on his line, gradually getting it closer to shore. All of a sudden, out of the depths, this massive, 6 foot long gray fish appears. All I could think was "how the hell is there a shark in this creek?" I was awestruck, but frankly scared too. I'd never seen a fish that big in my life. My buddy says to me "get in and grab it!" "F*** you!" I said. "I'm not grabbing that thing!" I knew they had a bony exoskeleton and was a bit freaked out at the sight of it. Aswe're standing there trying to figure out what to do, the fish casually swims STRAIGHT ACROSS the raging, swollen, 8 foot deep creek, as if it was nothing. If I had walked out into it, the creek would have swept me down stream immediately, the current was that strong. Never seen anything like that in my life. A few mins later, the line snapped. My friend has never forgiven me for that...

[@larryrobichaud4641]

You have now captured a river spectacle few have observed in a natural setting. Sharing with all the reason this species and river is worthy of recognition is now recorded. Great job Dan.

[@brianve7jyd943]

good one Dan - thanks - love the puppy nose in the corner frame at the begining lol take care

[@CarlOutside]

That was very interesting and quite rare to capture I bet,...great footage, well done

[@Underwaterfishphotosandvideo]

Really Terrific Footage!

[@toni-lynnmarcoux]

Another great video Dan. Your Pretty knowledgeable and I learned a lot about the sturgeon today! Keep up the great work

[@CanadianSledDog]

Spectacular footage! They are such beautiful fish. I wouldn't want to eat one. As a rule I don't think I'd feel right eating something that's older than I am.

[@kylewong1747]

They are considered a delicacy in these parts, however they can accumulate a lot of mercury over the years with their size so it is not recommended to eat often. I target them once or twice in June and only keep one a year as table fare for family events, as a special treat.

[@nicholaskoch9922]

Fantastic Dan, you're a hell of a forklift operator but an even better videographer ;)

[@chuckguillemette7556]

Wow that was amazing i have never seen anything like this before u caught it all on film that's amazing .well done watched it a few times to catch if i missed anything

[@joebencic1582]

Hey, talked to you at Newmount Friday night, good video

[@kylewong1747]

Excellent, excellent video Dan. I live at the end of Moose River basin, and always wondered where the sturgeon spawn in this region. It could very well be a tall order to find them. We see sturgeon thrive in the brackish water where the Moose River meets the salt water. I'd love to be able to witness this someday.

[@OpenAirOutdoors]

I had no idea about the webbing thing! I can’t think of a better way to spend Friday night the to watch sturgeon porn 🤣 Thanks for sharing 🍻