Their life span can exceed 100 years of age. Females don't reach sexual maturity until 25 years of age and males don't mature until they reach 15 years of age. We hope that a successful spawn will take place in the next few years as these fish mature. Anglers will most likely encounter lake sturgeon in the East Fork White River. The lake sturgeon is commonly confused with the shovelnose sturgeon, the only other species of sturgeon found in Indiana.
Anglers can distinguish the fish by looking at the mouth.
Shovelnose sturgeon have four small, fleshy lobes along both the upper and lower lips, while lake sturgeon have only two lobes along the lower lip and none along the upper lip. Additional identification guidelines are in the DNR's 1999 Fishing Guide. Biologists will continue to tag all lake sturgeon captured during the survey with small, numbered aluminum tags attached to the base of the dorsal fin. Anglers who catch lake sturgeon should note tag information and return the fish to the water as quickly as possible. It is illegal to harvest lake sturgeon due to their endangered status.