Sturgeon on a Fly

[TillamookChinook]

I made my first sturgeon trip just over a week ago (thanks, Anger Management) and thought I should read up on the rules before dropping a line in the water.

I opened the synopsis to the Willamette Zone and on p. 40 found the rules for fishing for Sturgeon: "Angling restricted to artificial flies and lures in streams." Sturgeon on a fly?

The next sentence said, "See exceptions under Special Regulations where use of bait is allowed." Sure enough, if you turn enough pages you find that it is indeed legal to fish for sturgeon with bait in the Willamette.

But, obviously, the appropriate method of fishing for sturgeon is with an artificial fly or lure! Why else would ODFW have worded the rules the way they did? (Don't even bother trying to answer that.)

Which brings me to my question: Has anyone ever caught a sturgeon on a fly, or heard of anyone catching a sturgeon on a fly?

TC

[Chromaflage]

Is there any other way to catch gators? I use a 15-foot, 38 weight spey rod with 12,000 grain, lead core super shooting head, super fast sink line. I use tube fly patterns. Roll casting is a reall bummer, though - hard hats required! :laugh: :laugh:

ORS

[Boatdog]

Well, if we're sharing all of our secrets :wink: : I use a 12 gauge with a combo load - #2 shot over a lead sinker. This enables me to shoot passing ducks, while at the same time launch my cylindrical lead into the Gator hole.
Hard hats required, again! :laugh:

[Riverkeeper]

I would talk to Greenbuttslap, Sturgeon on the fly was one of his new years resolutions.

In the Columbia estuary in the spring, they catch em in 5 feet of water. If you weren't above scent on your fly, I'll bet you could do it.

I dare you to go into Kauffman's and ask them if they have any smelt patterns.

[Steelheader69]

LOL. It can be done, and was in an STS article. BUT, you pretty much have to use scent to do it. I do believe they go off scent, not sight. So, you would have to doctor up your fly. Which, for myself, isn't fly fishing. Natural scents are one thing off the fur/feathers or what may come off your hands (NO, rubbing your hands in sandshrimp/smelt before you start tying doesn't count lol). Not adding scents onto the fly. At that point, you're using bait/scent on a fly rod. I have bait rods for that. LOL

[Chromaflage]

You purists crack me up. I spit on all my flies before I use them. :laugh:

But seriously, don't tell anyone, if I'm using an egg pattern I will put a couple drops of scent on the fly. :shocked: BTW all you fly swappers - your double egg sperm fly will come pre-scented....egg scent that is :grin:

ORS

[ 02-02-2004, 11:00 PM: Message edited by: OregonRedside ]

[greenbuttskunk]

I'm all over it. Follow me down to the esturary
this late spring and early summer. Fishing in 10' of water on a sinking line, it would be a piece of cake just add a little shrimp scent. I'm thinking the 8 or the 10 weight. Yep, it's on my list of new years fishing revolutions.
Let's have a fly fishing stugie floatilla.
GBS

[Freakwater]

Count me in! I've been waiting for to get a fish on that 10 wt. for years.

[Grantspastor]

Don't tell anybody....but I carefully snip and carve a Smelt into the shape of a fly.

[Chromaflage]

GBS - let me know, man...I've got an old 8-wt. glass rod that I'd just love to shatter on a 59-incher. :grin:

ORS

[KillerDave]

If anybody seriously wants to try this, I'm so in!

Launch out of John Day, anchor up on the flats somewhere and slowly, slowly strip a lead eyed schlappen fly soaked in Maries Shrimp Oil along the bottom.

It would work!

[El-Kabong]

presentation is the key right?

well what kinda presentation is this gonna make?

http://www.ifish.net/uploads/20101334.jpg

the question of tippet defies my imagination

[andy-ap emerger]

Dang El Kabong!!! How'd you manage to find my pic of my "secret sturgeon fly"???

I use a size 007 hook, then tie a very life like (carved of deer hair of course) shad pattern nearly 18 inches long. I too use a 18 wt spey rod by sage, naturally. anchor up in the Bonnie pool and knock em dead!


graemlins/eek13.gif

[TillamookChinook]

I sent my heavy old glass rod away with my son when he went to Alaska for grad school. Unfortunately, the fishing gene was recessive and he does not (yet?) care for fishing. He has had two school trips to Kamchatka and has not even taken the rod.

Maybe I should get that rod back and use it for sturgeon.

TC

[greenbuttskunk]

what do you guys say we organize a trip where we take out the boats and only bring the flyrods. I really do think we could score big on the gators with the flyrods. In fairly shallow water there's no reason why it would'nt work. They are very aggressive down there in the lower river.
GBS

[Fish_N_Russ]

When I was up in BC last November, I talked to one local who regularly caught sturg with a fly on the Fraser. He used 10wt tackle and scented his flies heavily. Really keeper size sturg isnt that much different in size to big Tarpon so 10wt or so would work fine.

[Freakwater]

I'm in.

[tailchaser]

I too have seen the event of halibut on top that ajfishfinder was talking about. Mine was in AK and we drifted over what looked like a bait school on the FF only to look down and see halibut swimming just about everywhere under the boat in 300' of water. I also got some on video, (not sure where it is now) but most of the fish were in the 25-45 lb range. We had to bomb our baits to get through the school to the bottom hoping some monsters were there, but a weird issue all the way around. I didn't have a flyrod on board, but would've been a cool opportunity for one.

tc

[ajfishfinder]

Now this is no *****!!! Last June myself and local fishing buddie caught Halibut on flys. You might have seen Grant McCombie's film on the news of the hopping halibut. When we were surrounded by halibut on the surface (again no lie---I have film) we threw some streamers. We could literally pick the one we wanted. When they even looked at it, we had to jerk it to keep them from sucking it in. Waited for some 30-50lbers to get close then let them run. Usually once to the surface they turned and took it to the backing again. If I get in touch with a computer wizard someday, I'll put some footage on here for all to see. We were real surprised that Grant didn't use any of the fly catching footage??? We have heard that ESPN picked up the tape and ran it a few time also. Has anyone seen it other than on channel 2????

[TillamookChinook]

This thread really got legs!

I first posted because I thought it was funny that the basic rule in the ODFW Synopsis said sturgeon could only be fished for in the Willameete with artificial flies or lures (until you read the special regs.)

Now we learn that some people have caught sturgeon on flies, and that Ajfishfinder takes his flyrod along when he goes halibut fishing.

I not only didn't know, I didn't even suspect!

I guess I could fish for the gators with my 8 wt. Sage if I use a small enough tippet to protect the rod. That would probably guarantee a hookup with an oversize fish.

I'm in, let's do it.

TC

[Wreckless]

KERPLOP!!! :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :grin: I LOVE IT!!!

Seriously....don't hesitate to move to 5 - 8' of water down in Astoria...I agree it would work.

[Chromaflage]

Oh, the purists are squirming.... :grin: Just remember, guys, it's about presentation....kerplop! :laugh:

[Mark Vickers]

Well, here's more food for thought.

All tippet classes for the world record are open for sturgeon according to the brand new 2004 IGFA record book.

Trick is, no scents or bait tip allowed to be eligible.

BTW, the fly record for Pacific Halibut is 111 lbs taken near Kodiak, AK on a 20 lb tippet in 1999.

[Chromaflage]

Well, i guess that will never make the book - i don't think gators can see well enough to take a fly without scent. :shrug: But, interesting thought. graemlins/idea.gif

ORS

[greenbuttskunk]

hey, I got an idea! Tie up some big streamers using some stinky road kill. Technically you did not add any scent to the fly, so it should fly! :grin:
GBS

[Chromaflage]

Uh, Hello, Fly Shop? What is the most rancid cape you have in stock. No, color isn't important.... :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

[SilverFly]

I wouldn't be too sure that they use smell alone to find food. I seem to remember hearing about sturgeon being caught on spinners and plugs below Bonneville during the springer run. Maybe the plugs had sardine wraps but the spinners were probably "ala carte". Heck, catfish take lures and flies why not sturgeon?

----------------------

[Mark Vickers]

Believe me, I've thought long and hard about how to get my name in the record books for this.

The only way I can think of that might work is to do the marlin/sailfish flyfishing trick of "bait & switch". Essentially, confuse the fish with a chunk of fish or bait. Then cast a sinking imitation of that bait (the fly) pretty much right on top of that. When Mr. Sturgeon comes to get the real stuff, hope he grabs the fake one instead.

For instance, down in the estuary where its sometimes possible to sight cast to sturgeon, chum out some sandshrimp and then sight cast a sandshrimp imitation right on the money. It might be possible to pick one up. Just maybe...

[greenbuttskunk]

I too have thought long and hard about this. I'm convinced we can get them to take a fly clean. into the books we go. In the estuary in may june, we fish shallow and they are very aggressive, they'd take a big buggy fly, I'd bet money on it.
Let's chat about a floatilla at the port night at tanners tonight.
GBS

[Chromaflage]

Brad - unfortunately, I will miss the Port Night, but would like to discuss this with you. More specifically, discuss helping you keep you boat balanced for such an event. :grin:

ORS

[TillamookChinook]

I can see it now, "The IFish Flyfish Sturgeon Challenge". And the biggest sturgeon caught submitted for an IFGA record.

TC