A fisherman was treated and released from a hospital after being knocked unconscious by a 4- to 5-foot sturgeon, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Ronald Dick, 62, of Alachua, Fla., was with his son traveling about 30 mph on the Suwanee River when the fish jumped and struck the windshield and Dick, who was operating the boat.

According to the FWC, sturgeon leap out of the water to fill their swim bladders and to communicate with other sturgeon. Gulf sturgeon migrate into rivers to spawn and spend most of the year in freshwater. They spawn upriver around May and spend the three or four months coolest months of the year in the Gulf.

"This is the first sturgeon incident for 2016," said Maj. Andy Krause, commander for the FWC's North Central Region in Lake City.

There were eight injuries, including a fatality, in Florida in 2015, according to the FWC. That's after no reports in 2013 or 2014.

Among safety tips for navigating sturgeon-populated waters:

Maintain a safe speed that allows for reaction time.

Wear a life jacket.

Keep passengers off the bow.

[Below: File photos of Gulf sturgeon]