Diversions

Fish Story

By News of the Weird

Published Sept. 14, 2026

• It took Hayley Herzig, 22, of Van Dyne, Wisconsin, six years to harvest her first sturgeon, but when she did, it was newsworthy.

WLUK-TV reported that on the first day of sturgeon-spearing season at Lake Winnebago, Herzig landed a fish bigger than herself.

The massive sturgeon weighed 180.5 pounds and was more than 79 inches long.

"It was very exciting, did not feel real," she said. "I was in disbelief."

She and her boyfriend buried the beast in the snow behind their house and plan to deep-fry or smoke it.

"We're probably going to get a replica ... and hang it up in the house because it's ... a memory that'll never be forgotten," Herzig said.