Sturgeon Bait

[Wood Shampoo]

Has anybody ever tried Crappie as bait? It seems like it would be a good alternative to Shad when the shad are not in the river? Any ideas? Also, does anyone fish for gators above the Camas boat ramp (within a close range)?

[brshooter]

I think it was the April issue of STS that had an article about using crappie for sturgeon bait. He did not use the whole fish, just a portion of the filet. I was curious if others were using this as well.

[jberry]

I don't think it's legal to use any gamefish as bait. Shad is considered food fish as is salmon which makes it legal to use them for bait.

[ 06-05-2001: Message edited by: jberry ]

[Coot22]

shad are not gamefish. There is no limit on them. I use them all the time for oversize bait. I have never heard of shad being a food fish but I may be wrong. So far as crappie for bait, it must be legal because otherwise there is no way that STS would have an article about using it for bait. I have heard that using crappie is very productive for those fishing up above bonneville by the bank fisherman.

-Cody

[Wood Shampoo]

So, if it's good from the bank, it would be good from a boat, too? Right?

[FishinMission]

Hey Coot...I think there is a limit on shad...25 or something like that...have to check the regs..and there are some folks out there that DO eat them things...but I'm not one of 'em!! How ya been, anyway??

[Killertraylor]

I had heard the samething about using a gamefish for bait. I've been told that you can't use trout for sturgeon bait, but I know that people do it all the time on the fresh water rivers like the Snake and the Rogue. I should probably look this up in the regs, but I'm pretty tired of legal crap right now - (i.e. - that's why I'm surfing the board from work) maybe later I'll get the gumption to find the answer. To answer the question, yes - I'm sure crappie would get a sturgeon to bite - I've cought them on bullheads before that were hooked on my anchovy and I've even filleted sculpin and cought sturgeon on the fillet - the fresher the bait the better!

[Salmonator]

I've searched the most recent Oregon regs and unless I passed it right up there is no regs on using gamefish for bait. Only the WASTE of game fish. Now is it considered a waste of gamefish if you decide to use it as bait? I wouldn't think so! [img]images/icons/confused.gif[/img]

[Coot22]

FM,

Now, see, that is what I thought! I thought that the limit was 25 but I was told by two other people that there was not a limit. Besides, what are you going to do with 25 shad per person. I only use them for Sturgeon and crab bait.

FishinMission, you were kind enough to show Birdhunter and I where you were fishing for springers, so, if you are up for it and enjoy it, I would be more than happy to show you where Birdhunter and I have caught 7 oversize sturgeon so far in just a couple of evenings of fishing. Let me know.

-Cody

[Captain and Marie]

I have a new Sturgeon Scent, it's called

Crappie Scent!

And it is red hot!

Use a crappie filet and soak it in my NEW scent!

Or use the scent on a rag/sponge.

Last year crappies were used up in Washington side towards Chinook, just before the tunnel on the rocks. They were killing the sturgeon one after the other! Couldn't keep the sturgeon off their hooks.

You gotta try my new "Crappie Scent"!

Limited supply!

email me for details.

Thanks,
Marie www.Tillamookbait.com
tillbait@wbrgalaxy.com [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

[WaterDog]

2001 Oregon regs, pg 12, General Regs, shad is listed as a gamefish.

Pg. 43 Willamette zone - shad: no limit.

Pg. 79 Columbia zone - shad: no limit.

Pg 11: General Regs "Use of fish as bait - #3 - Dead fish, Preserved fish, or parts of fish, shellfish and eggs from fish may be used as bait"

[Bait O' Eggs]

That a boy waterdog, go right to the source. As I understand it, it is 25 shad in Washington, and unlimited in Oregon.

[Hoosier Daddy]

1) Shad is a gamefish, just not a highly regulated one. But this way they can close the season, as on the Columbia earlier, to reduce salmon/steelhead impacts (my take on it)
2) I read the article in STS too, and promptly got bent out of shape at them for publishing what I thought was blatantly illegal. So I checked the regs, and there is nothing that says you can't use gamefish for bait, just the wastage issue. I believe there used to be such a law though, which is why so many of us think first off that it is illegal. I'm thinking this was one of the changes made a few years ago, along with the change from barbless hooks required in CNR, to just recommended, etc. (not sturgeon of course). Not that anyone would do this for sturgeon, but make sure you note that you can't use ANY bait fish alive. 'Specially you Suth'n shiner fishin' boys!! Can you say Tui chub? I knew ya could!
I am a little interested in trying crappie, although the shad seemed to work as good as anything could on my first and only fish.

Any way, nuf for now.

[WaterDog]

As the above states, you can use dead fish and shellfish for bait and therefore you should be able to trout or other gamefish for bait as well. Further down on pg, 11 of the Oregon Regs, one of the rules is you cannot waste gamefish or shellfish. Obviously using them as bait is NOT waste.

Had this little discussion last night at a BBQ I attended.

Bait, [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

[SailCat]

And your host enjoyed your company, Waterdog!

I still don't think I'd advertise that I was using rainbow trout for channel cat bait, but it certainly works well ....

~Michael T.

I'm surprised that the fresher the fish the better was said, as everyone whom I have ever talked to about sturgeon bait (and the few times I have gone) have generally tried to get the stinkiest bait they could.

There was a person in The Dalles that I fished with once who had a boathouse with an old non-working refridgerator in it. He kept his "secret recipe" brewing and fermenting in there, which normally consisted of shad and eel kind of all slopped in together in buckets. We couldn't handle having the fridge door open more than a couple of seconds, and I made sure that I was further up the front of the boat than the bucket was while we travelled. [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]

[Jetman]

Quote:
Not that anyone would do this for sturgeon, but make sure you note that you can't use ANY bait fish alive.

It actually reads:
Page 7
2. Live fish may not be used or held for use as bait, EXCEPT live nongame fish may be used in the ocean, bays and tidewaters
when taken from the waterbody in which they will be used.

Therefore herring jigged in the estuary could be put on our hooks still wiggling.

[Joe Schwab]

Also be aware you can take live non-game fish from tidewaters which includes Columbia River to Beacon Rock and Willamtte River to O.C. AND USE THEM FOR BAIT ALIVE in that same stretch of water from whence they came!! Thats what the regs say and thats what they mean. So yes you can legally use live bait for sturgeon. If you can get dead smolt from a hatchery they make excellent sturgeon bait. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[ 06-06-2001: Message edited by: Capt. Hook ]

[WaterDog]

Sailcat, dont be giving away my secret mission. ssshhhhhh! [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img]

Fobb,
A guy I work with grew up in The Dalles and used the stinkyest bait they could stand. I've used some rather ripe bait before and never got a bite. Fresh always has out fished rotten for me from T6 to the estuary.

[ 06-06-2001: Message edited by: WaterDog ]

[Hoosier Daddy]

Check...my mistake.