Michigan's Shortest Fishing Season Lasts Less Than 6 Hours

It's like a story problem from math class: How long will it take 472 fishermen to catch 6 fish on a lake with an area of 15.83 mi²? Cheboygan's Black Lake fishing season is the shortest in the state.

To prevent overfishing, the strict harvest quota was six sturgeon. A record 472 fishermen of all ages from several states showed up at Cheboygan's Black Lake on February 2 for the limited season. In less time than it would take to binge watch 12 episodes of your favorite sitcom, it was over. Michigan Department of Natural Resources reports this year’s sturgeon season ended at 1:40 pm Saturday, Feb. 1 – not quite six hours after the day’s 8 a.m. start.

Only spearing or hook-and-line fishing was allowed as Wisconsin angler Dan Mose caught the first of the 6 fish, a sturgeon measuring 60 inches and weighing 51 pounds. A 65-incher was also reeled in and the largest was a 100 inch female sturgeon weighing in at 100 pounds. While 466 fishermen might disagree, DNR fisheries biologist Tim Cwalinski called it a winning effort.