Oversize Target Fishery, Y or N

[TheRogue]

Is it OK to target oversize sturgeon, and if not, how should it be restricted??

[TheRogue]

I personally would like to see a 3-5 year study, involving guides and fishing clubs (Ifish??) and a tagging system, much like is done with billfish in many places. Multiple caught fish could be documented in this way, and a much more accurate population determination might be made. I personally believe there's got to be a he!! of a lot more than 1000 spawner size sturgeon in the river each year.

I enjoy going after the big pigs at least 2x per year. If it could be proven to me that we're doing some significant damage to the population, I'd gladly quit targeting them. However, I won't give it up because of someone's "ethics".

kyle

[rob allen]

Rogue I wanted to take your poll but I have no idea. it sound like something that certainly needs to be investigated.

[invader]

me too confused!. ah what do you mean target????...john

[Small Fry]

I would like to see some type of control set: :whazzup: I just don't like the idea of controls set with out studies. You know like with Bear and cougar hunts, graemlins/icon_argue.gif don’t get me started on that subject

[STGRule]

TheRogue : I'm quite sure that I said the 1000 was a made up number!!!!! PLEASE check again. I was only using a round number because it was easy to do the math. There may not be only 1000 spawners below Bonneville. On Monday I will try to track down the real guesstimate. I do not appreciate you putting words in my mouth when I was very clear that it was just for the math.

[TheRogue]

STG.....ok, you're right, 1000 was a made up number!! My apologies!!

kyle

[TheRogue]

Invader, by that I mean specifically targeting the oversize sturgeon that make their way up to spawn each spring.

kyle

[Nanook]

:sleep:

[invader]

ok i see now!. i thought that by the word target. you meant that the were being caought and not released!! my self have only had one 6 feet 10 inches!!... .a few yaers back!. im sure hes a little bigger now!!...john

[BottomFeeder]

If you're asleep ******, why don't you go take a nap?

TPM

[rob allen]

are they spawning while this fishery takes place or are they just prepareong to spawn???

Do they dig nests or are they broadcast spawners??

[STGRule]

They are broadcast spawners.

[boater]

how far below the dam do they spawn and what weeks or months should i avoid the area ?

[whitewaterbill]

The area they spawn in is closed to fishing during that time...... for the reasons of concern here.

The dead line is a little above the Fishery and Beacon rock.

[fishbait]

After seeing a floater 11 foot sturgeon drifting past me as I faught a large adult oversized many years ago, I quit this fishery. that is my personal attitude. As long as it is legal, anyone has the right to catch and release these adult sturgeon whenever they feel like it. .
But I ask those of you who fish this fishery this question, if by chance, you hooking and fighting this fish resulted in it not spawning, would you still do it? For me the answer was easy. Until the science confirms that I am not harming the furture generations, I will catch my oversized fish well below the dam. After all, there are lots and lots that I feel comfortable fishing on as I know that they are not activally ingaged in spawning. My 0.02 worth. nuff said.

[whitewaterbill]

fishbait.....

I agree with you. I have never targeted them and have only hooked a few by accident. After landing one.....I now break them off as soon as I know its a big one.

Easyier on the fish and EASYIER on Bill!!!

[Nanook]

Originally posted by Theperchmaster:
If you're asleep ******, why don't you go take a nap?

TPM<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helv">PERCHmaster? Wow, perch. :sleep:

[BottomFeeder]

I agree with TheRogue, I think we need a study to find out just how many breeder fish there are in the system. This would yield better visibility on the potential effects of targeting oversized fish, leading to an informed decision. Especially considering that each year there are more and more people targeting keeper sturgeon. In that case, in order to maintain the current level of fishing success, we either need more keeper fish or people need to keep less.

******, back to sleep, this doesn't concern you or your kind. BTW, that was a really witty play on my name dude. You really should try to contribute more to the board if you're going to be a member.

TPM

[STGRule]

theperchmaster: WDFW does the population estimates for below Bonneville. ODFW does the population estimates for the pools above Bonneville. That's how we set harvest guidelines. Take the number of fish, figure the percentage of the population that can be removed safely, do the math and set an amount that can be harvested. Monitor the harvest through creel and close the fishery when that number is reached.

[Nanook]

Originally posted by Theperchmaster:
******, back to sleep, this doesn't concern you or your kind. BTW, that was a really witty play on my name dude. You really should try to contribute more to the board if you're going to be a member.
TPM<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helv">Tell ya what. You got it. I am sure the entire board will love your superior and vast intelligence, experience and contributions. Will leave it all to you. Although as a sayonara, I don't know you from squat but you can KMA.

graemlins/stupid.gif

[ 06-24-2002, 11:20 AM: Message edited by: ****** ]

[husker]

DOH.... graemlins/icon_argue.gif ...... graemlins/lurk.gif

[BottomFeeder]

******, Oh good, I got a rise out of you. I guess you're not a tree after all? Same too ya' pal! I'm just playing with you of course so don't get your knickers in a knot gramps.

TPM

[Matt H.]

Well, to me the answer is pretty simple...

If you catch a lot of shakers, then chances are the sturgeon fishery is pretty healthy =).

I personally love to catch oversize. Where else can you hook into an 8 foot or bigger fish and not go spend a ton of cash?

Admittedly, I am no sturgeon expert, nor do I claim to be. But from my experience, sturgeon seem to be about the most resilient fish species out there. They have been around for millions upon millions of years.

Anyway, I dont feel that the recreational anglers have much impact on the sturgeon spawn. If you want to name something that has an impact... what about the Bonneville dam itself? I'm sure that had a bit of impact :wink: .

Also, I feel that when we all think about sturgeon spawning, we immediatly just assume that Bonneville pool, and the Columbia in general is the only place that has sturgeon. Sturgeon live in many many more coastal rivers all around the world.

I just dont feel that the recreational angler has any significant impact on sturgeon spawning. Either locally or globally.

Just my 2 cents though.. and what the hell do I know :wink: .

Matt

[MPT]

I just do the opposite of targeting the big sturgeon......
I love to take kids out in the shallow areas on the Columbia where I have secret spots to fish. I set the kids up with trout rods and run about 2 oz. of lead on a slider to a #2 hook with pinched barb and a threaded night-crawler. They can catch and release shaker after shaker all day til the sun goes down. They love it!! :smile:
One time one of the kids hooked into a 40" plus and that was quite a thrill, especially when it jumped out of the water!
I think that there must be a million of those little sturgeon in the river so the big ones must be doing alot of spawning!

[STGRule]

MPT: Not quite a million. I posted the numbers in a post called Promised Sturgeon Information on the third page. Check that for the population estimates.