University of Wisconsin Board of Regents

Interviewee Collection Sort descending Description Interviewer Date of Interview Location of Interview Affiliation
Ann Marie Wendt Ziemer People of the Sturgeon: Wisconsin's Love Affair with an Ancient Fish

Ann Marie Wendt Ziemer talks about her experiences with sturgeon spearing on Lake Winnebago.  She recalls experiences from her childhood and explains why she wants her children to have similar experiences.  She works at Wendt's on the Lake, and talks about some of the changes that she has seen over the years.  

Dick Ristow Lake Winnebago, WI University of Wisconsin Board of Regents, Oshkosh Public Museum
Ben Burg People of the Sturgeon: Wisconsin's Love Affair with an Ancient Fish

Ben Burg, Don Burg, and Bob Wilson are interviewed by Ronald M. Bruch and Kathleen Schmitt Kline about their histories with sturgeon spearing. Don and Ben Burg discuss their family's history of spearing with the Stockbridge Tribe and using decoys created by Native Americans. All three men tell stories of sturgeon spearing in extreme weather conditions.

Ronald M. Bruch, Kathleen Schmitt Kline Unknown University of Wisconsin Board of Regents, Oshkosh Public Museum
Bill Goeser People of the Sturgeon: Wisconsin's Love Affair with an Ancient Fish

Bill Goeser is interviewed about his experiences sturgeon spearing over the years. He tells of his family learning to spear, early decoys and coaxer styles, and cooking sturgeon. Interviewer identity unknown.

Unknown Unknown University of Wisconsin Board of Regents, Oshkosh Public Museum
David Kuhn People of the Sturgeon: Wisconsin's Love Affair with an Ancient Fish

David Kuhn is interviewed about sturgeon spearing, decoy making, and spear construction. Interviewer identity unknown.

Unknown Unknown University of Wisconsin Board of Regents, Oshkosh Public Museum
Art Sonnenberg People of the Sturgeon: Wisconsin's Love Affair with an Ancient Fish

Dick Ristow interviews Art Sonnenberg on experiences as a sturgeon fisher and decoy maker. Born in 1916, Sonnenberg tells of using horse and sleigh for fishing. He tells poaching stories, talks of his involvement with Sturgeon for Tomorrow, and of his craft as a decoy maker.

Dick Ristow Van Dyne, WI University of Wisconsin Board of Regents, Oshkosh Public Museum
Mike Will People of the Sturgeon: Wisconsin's Love Affair with an Ancient Fish

Mike Will was born in 1951 and started sturgeon fishing at the age of 14. He used primarily set lines to catch sturgeon although he has participated in approximately 9 spearing seasons. He enjoys caviar, but does not make it himself. Mike believes that the sturgeon are getting bigger, and he likes the system they have in place now. Most people from his area sell the sturgeon, rather than eat it themselves.

Ronald M. Bruch, Kathleen Schmitt Kline Lake Winnebago, WI University of Wisconsin Board of Regents, Oshkosh Public Museum
William Casper People of the Sturgeon: Wisconsin's Love Affair with an Ancient Fish

Paul Muche interviews Bill Casper about his family history with fishing and sturgeon spearing, as well as his starting Sturgeon for Tomorrow, a sturgeon conservation organization.

Paul Muche Fond du Lac, WI University of Wisconsin Board of Regents, Oshkosh Public Museum
Ed Gorchals People of the Sturgeon: Wisconsin's Love Affair with an Ancient Fish

Ed Gorchals is interviewed by Dick Koerner about his experiences sturgeon fishing on Lake Winnebago, Wisconsin and the surrounding area. He discusses rule and sport changes, set line and hook and line fishing in the past, and recipes for sturgeon and their caviar.

Dick Koerner Larsen, WI University of Wisconsin Board of Regents, Oshkosh Public Museum
Bill McAloon People of the Sturgeon: Wisconsin's Love Affair with an Ancient Fish

Bill McAloon discusses his experiences as a leading member of Sturgeon for Tomorrow and as a sturgeon spearer in an interview conducted by Dick Ristow. He talks about the early days on the Wolf River, helping to train wardens for DNR, illegal fishing practices and negative impact on the lakes, successful decoys, and sharing of fishing tradition with son and grandson.

Dick Ristow Unknown University of Wisconsin Board of Regents, Oshkosh Public Museum
Ron Vanderzanden People of the Sturgeon: Wisconsin's Love Affair with an Ancient Fish

Ron Vanderzanden is interviewed by Dick Koerner about increased regulations and fines in modern day spearing, including the half day season, and the impact it has on poaching. Ron also tells tales of his past experiences sturgeon spearing.

Dick Koerner Menasha, WI University of Wisconsin Board of Regents, Oshkosh Public Museum