Lake sturgeon are nearshore fish that live at water depths of 15 to 30 feet. They feed along lake bottoms, eating a variety of small animals including snails, crustaceans, aquatic insects, mussels, and small fish. Most lake sturgeon caught today weigh between 30 and 100 pounds and grow three to six feet in length, as shown in the model.
Lake sturgeon live longer than any other fish species in Michigan. Male lake sturgeon live an average of 55 years. Females live 80 to 150 years. Despite their long lives, sturgeon are slow to mature. It takes about 15 years for male lake sturgeon to reach reproductive maturity and 20 to 25 years for females.
In early spring, adult sturgeon enter fast flowing rivers to spawn. Female lake sturgeon spawn once every four years, each depositing millions of eggs on gravel bars. It is estimated that only about 10 to 20 percent of adult lake sturgeon within a population spawn during a given year.
