Sturgeon on Plugs

[sinker]

I was sitting there bored off my but last night fishing and figured I'd read the regs over one more time. Can't memorize them enough you know.
I remember seeing on here people reporting they caught sturgeon on plugs. I also recently read an article on a guy that caught one on a fly.
Studying the WA regs last night I seen something that didn't make any sense to me. It states that single barbless hooks and bait must be used.
I can understand the barbless hook part. But why in the world is bait required????
Makes no sense to me.

[Jellyhead]

I belive that regulation is to try and keep people from illeagly salmon/steelhead fishing with plugs while the Columbia (or other rivers) is close to salmon and steelies. I know Oregon is more specific in saying that you may not sturgeon fish with artificial baits while the river is closed for retention of salmon/steelhead.

I can just see a guy try to argue that one-----"But officer, I swear that sturgeon will hit a quickfish in 20' of water." I don't think they'd buy that one.

Aaron

[Master Baiter]

The burden of proof is on the officer, I would challenge the him to PROVE that they would not bite a lure or plug! [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[ 07-10-2001: Message edited by: Master Baiter ]

[FishinMission]

Reminds me of a story from Years back...Me and a friend were fishing the Tillamook River for the "fallies" when my friend accidently hooked a 7 foot sturgeon in the dorsal fin with his rainbow spinner. The water was muddy..so we didn't see the fish for about 20 minutes until it decided to beach itself on the sand. There was "some" discussion about keeping it, but it was too big, and I explained besides that, it would be tough to tell the gamie it took a rainbow spinner!! Sure yanked my driftboat around for awhile. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[Gizmo Man]

JH: What do you mean sturgeon won't hit a kwickfish in 20' of water.

Several years ago while fishing off Tanner creek for Salmon I hooked 2 oversized sturgeon on wrapped kf.

The first one broke the 25# test line. I fought the second one for 1 hr. 6 mins using a canadian mooching reel and 10'rod. Jumped 3x's. Have pics to prove it.

So....

anyone else hook the gator with the plug...??


Giz..

[Deepslayer]

Never caught a real gator with plugs, but last year my fishing buddy and I were doing the springer bit at Oregon city when I hooked a dandy springer on a kwickfish, not. It turned out to be a 39" sturgeon. About an hour later his kwickfish hooks a 30" springer. Too bad it had a suction cup for a mouth and scutes down the side and back. [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

[dawhunt]

I hooked three sturgeon,while fishing for springers at Bonniville dam on a spin glow anchored to the bottom with 6 oz.'s of lead and saw several others hooked.I would never have believe it untill I saw it.These were just plain old spin glows no sandshrimp or bait of any kind on them.UNREAL !!
Bob Dawson [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/confused.gif[/img]

[Jellyhead]

Ok, guys. I guess they will hit lures!!!

I did see the article in sts, about flyfishing them. But those were scented up flies.

So, why then the reg's prohibiting lures for sturg??????

Aaron

[Master Baiter]

I think your original statement still answers that. To REDUCE the likelihood of hooking a salmon or steelie when off season. Maybe it helps or maybe it doesn't but it makes them feel better! [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img]

Thomas

[THE REEL HEY_YALL]

I've hooked a gator on a topwater plug, but it had lungs, not gills [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[Fish Hunter]

A Buddy in my boat landed a 9'4" sturgeon on a gold and red k-15 flatfish with a sardine wrap. We were fishing the Mult. channel for springers at the time. This fish had a fresh herring rig in it's face when we landed it. Some guys broke that rig off after fighting that fish for 45 min. earlier in the day. Maybe thats why it only took us 1 hour and 20 min. [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]