Fish Chris Posted October 25, 2006 Posted October 25, 2006 Funny, I had just posted the thread, kinding of slamming myself, for allowing myself to be sidetracked with the smaller Stripers, instead of staying really focused on the big ones...... Well, now I have been sidetracked from the trophy Stripers big time ! But this is a little bit different. Let me explain; Okay, so yesterday I fished hard for 12 more hours without a touch. Oh well, I should be used to it, huh ? And honestly, I was prepared to do that again today..... and 3 more days a week, until I started sticking some big ones with regularity. They really should be starting to come in better...... So, I get back to the ramp last evening, and another boat, with 3 guys, comes in right behind me. I asked how they had done. The guy didn't speak very good English, but it sounded like he said they caught one 54" Sturgeon. So I ask if I can see it. The guy lifts the hatch of his storage to show me one 52" to 54" Sturgy FOR EACH OF THE 3 OF THEM !!! So the next boat comes in. Of course I ask, "How did you do" ? Really good the guy says, "My son and I both got a keeper Sturgeon" ! The fathers fish was 67", and was the fattest for that length I have ever seen ! In fact, we weighed it on my spring scale, and it went 87 lbs ! Holy #$##$ I ask 5 guys, and they caught 5 Sturgeon ! You guys have to understand that Sturgeon fishing is typically like 2 or 3 trips for 1 fish, "during a good bite.... for the guys that know what they are doing" ! So, I have most definately been sidetracked from the 40 lb Striper...... But at least I'm switching from a fish that might go 50 lbs, to one that could go 500 ! :-) ......and apparently, are coming on REALLY strong ! The Stripers should start to come in thicker soon, and they will hang around all Winter, so I can always get back to them (and at some point, I plan to), but for now, I have to get out there after the dino-fish :-) I really want to get a 70", 100 lb'er on my Kokanee trout rod :-) I know I can do it. It will just take a lot of boat chasing. Will post photos soon. Peace, Fish PS, I'd would be out there right now..... If I hadn't been blown out by the North wind storm from hell ! :-( Quote
fishbear Posted October 26, 2006 Posted October 26, 2006 Sturgeon steaks,, , MMMMMMMMMM MMMMMMMM GOOD!!!!! or smoked sturgeon, or grilled sturgeon, or baked sturgeon, or broiled stugeon..... :o :o :D :D :D Quote
fishbear Posted October 26, 2006 Posted October 26, 2006 Man, got to thinking about eating sturgeon and lost my train of thought.. ;D ;D :o. CRS disease I guess....... Anyway, Chris, have you ever hooked into a big sturgeon before??? I hope your hanging on when you do... I hooked one in the Columbia River years ago,,, took me an hour and 45 min. to land it. It taped out at 7'7". Game Warden said it would have gone over 500 lbs..... It was the sweetest feeling after that long fight to let that monster swim away (by law you have to due to slot limits on the columbia river) Good luck, and catch a big un and take some pics..... We used to use Pickled eel, with a herring wrapped on the leader.. Quote
Fish Chris Posted October 26, 2006 Author Posted October 26, 2006 Hey FishBear, Yea, I have caught quite a few Sturgies up to 312 lbs. (going by the chart weight for an 8ft 4incher) The same chart shows a 7ft 7incher at 227 lbs, but that is still a REALLY big one ! We have a slot size too, which is, we can only keep one fish, per person, per day, between 46" and 72"...... But I will pretty much only keep 1 Sturgy per year, towards the bottom of the legal slot, even if I caught 100 of them. Like say a 48" to 50". Plenty of meat for me.... Plus, if you keep one fish (your limit) you cannot legally continue to fish, "even if" you plan to release the next ones, should you catch them. Heck, I'd rather C/R as many as I could in 12 hours, than to catch one in the first 20 minutes, and have to go home ! :-) My thing I got started with last year, was the micro-light Sturgeon trip.... I caught a bunch of Sturgies on this rod designed for Kokanee trout. No REALLY big ones... but up to 56 inches, and 47 lbs. Even that one took 40 minutes to land :-) Can't wait to hook a 70", 100 lb'er on this same gear :-) Peace, Fish Quote
senko_77 Posted October 26, 2006 Posted October 26, 2006 DADBURN. That is a monster FC. I'm thinkin about movin out there right now. You lookin to adopt? ;D Quote
tallydude Posted October 26, 2006 Posted October 26, 2006 Hey, FC- I've never eaten sturgeon. What does it taste like? Quote
Fish Chris Posted October 26, 2006 Author Posted October 26, 2006 Hmmm... It's just a mild flavor, with nice, firm, white flesh. Kind of like a Flathead cat, maybe ? Again, I certainly would rather keep a "small" keeper of 48" to 50" for food, and release all the rest. The Ca DFG had tightened the slot down to 46" to 56", earlier this year, and personally, I was fine with that, but now they have expanded it back up to 46" to 72". I just don't see why anyone needs to kill a 70" fish ? Heck, even if I had a family of 20, I'd rather keep 2 or 3, 46" to 50" fish (only one per trip, of course)...... But anyway. Peace, Fish Quote
liquidsoap Posted October 27, 2006 Posted October 27, 2006 Those fish sure are cool pretty creepy looking, there are a few here in ohio. Mostly Lake Erie and they are indangered there. Quote
fishbear Posted October 27, 2006 Posted October 27, 2006 Chris, Man, I am jealous to be catching all those sturgeon.... As for the weight of the one I caught, have no idea, but I could not reach around the pig... and I have almost a 7 ft. wingspan.. The Wash. State F&G officer was standing next to me when I finally landed the beast.... it was his estimate.. But he was just as excited as my buddy and I was.... I have been in the boat when a 14 footer was brought along side, just below Bonneville Dam on the Columbia,,, man, it was almost scary, how big that fish looked... The one the Army Corps keeps in a pool at the dam for tours, and such is about 15 ft... and you are 100% right on the taste and such,,, wow, my mouth is watering thinking about it... Do you have much problem with the asians or russians taking the fish illegally???? That was a huge problem on the Columbia River... Quote
Fish Chris Posted October 27, 2006 Author Posted October 27, 2006 Hey Fishbear, unfortunately, YES ! We had / still have a huge problem with poachers..... and although I don't have a racist bone in my body, the CA DFG just nailed a big ring of Russian poachers last year..... like more than 20 guys ! (course it wouldn't have made a bit of difference if they were black, white, purple or green) Poachers SUCK !!! Back in the day, they used to just strip the caviar, and dump the fish, but apparently, now they are selling the meat as well ! If it weren't for all of the poachers, I think with strict slot limits and such, the Sturgies would really be coming back well..... Sighhhhhhhh...... Fish Quote
fishbear Posted October 27, 2006 Posted October 27, 2006 Chris, I could not agree more about poachers,, ,they need to be handled with as harsh a justice as possible... they should also be deported if they are citizens.. and if they are,, prison is really to good , but you cant just shoot them. :-/ :-/ I watched a Fish and Wildlife officer write over 2000.00 in tickets to a group of Asians, for having illegal fish, using illegal hooks, etc... etc.. etc... they were back the next day, using the same gear, keeping the same fish,, I went and made a phone call, and the F&W guys were back, this time hauling them to jail,, they act llike they dont care... We used to have a problem with guys placing nets in the smaller rivers, to net salmon.... well the fishermen took care of that problem,,,, go buy a couple of bales of straw, go upstream to a bridge, drop them over into the river... they will wipe out a net, ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D Quote
Top Posted October 27, 2006 Posted October 27, 2006 HOLY SNICKENS!!! that looks like some serious fun... and I HATE fishing for anything but Bass... I think if I hooked onto one of those though... I would be in for a treat! I went fishing up on Sturgeon Bay last weekend and I caught a 32in Northern... or Muskie (toothy no matter which) and that was amazing to pull something that big out... he went right back in though... I was after a killer SMALLIE!!! good luck getting your dream size! AL Quote
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