First Sturgeon Hunt

[El-Kabong]

A small band of ifish sturgeon newbies are planning to go out and try our hand at gators this weekend. Have been reviewing the posts for tips and wanted to ask the resident pros some questions if I may.

1) what impact do tides have on success?
2) is smelt the bait of choice now or sandshrimp?
3) 4/0 hooks or larger? or smaller?
4) heavy mono or braided line for leaders?

was thinking of trying Kelly Point, Caterpillar Island area. Fishing from a boat but... think chances are better up in the gorge?

any tips would be apprecited greatly. please private mail if you don't want to discuss publically.


Thanks in Advance
EK

[ 12-03-2003, 03:32 PM: Message edited by: El-Kabong ]

[Fshklr]

EL-Kabong,
If your going on a research mission then stick to the basics.
lots and lots of bait and move around if no biters in the area. You may need to move several times to get into them but with the low #'s on the water fishing for them it should be in your favor. The area your looking at should be good and maybe lower in the river would be worth a look too. (St. H) and below
Start with (not in any order) smelt, sandshrimp, squid, rollmop herring, and you may need to combine 1 or more of these together in order to produce.
80lb tuff works great, and those 4/0 will work just fine. Keep it simple and be ready for anything at all times.

low slack, incomming, and high slack, have always been best for me but look for others to give more advice. I am not an expert by any means, and have just finally been able to put a few in the box this year!

[rustyl]

Well, I am not a pro (far from it), but I can share what I learned so far:

(Actually now that I think about this, I have no business answering question about how to Sturgeon fish, but at least this will serve to validate what I think I know.)

* In general fish the deep holes during a low tide and shallow durring a high tide, although I normally fish the same general area when every I have free time and usually find fish.

* The bigger fish are starting (or about to start) to make their way down to feed on smelt, so using smelt as bait should be the ticket. (Although it seems to me when they are active they will bite on just about any bait.)

* I started using smaller hooks and was having problems with shakers swallowing the hook. I moved to larger circle hooks and haven't had a problem sense. I don't recall the size, but they are big.

* I think most people use a braided leader. The barbs on the side of a sturgeon can be pretty sharp and cut mono leaders. I have no idea if a heavy mono would do.

* I personally enjoy fishing the Kelly Point area. The wind isn't near as bad as the gorge and thre are still a lot of fish to be caught.

[ 12-03-2003, 03:48 PM: Message edited by: rustyl ]

[fishingfirst]

There are still lots of fish at the fishery. I was there last Friday, two of us in the boat, 50 fish between us, with three keeper size. Any bait with any scent worked, even a piece of bait would catch fish. One bait I will always take with me when fishing the Kelly point area is baby octopus soaked in garlic scent. Also I usually use Tuff line on my reels, but if I am fishing the Kelly point area, I will take a reel spooled with mono, the reason is sometimes the fish bite light and if you are quick on the hookset with tuffline it is easy to pull out of the fish's mouth. I have found with the extra stretch of mono, I can hook more! Give it a try sometime, the worst thing that could happen is you will break off that trophy 60"!! :grin: Don't be afraid to try the unusual, fish shallow when others are fishing deep, or try those crazy baits, someone always has the hot bait, it might as well be you!
Have fun, if you want to know the hot spots at the fishery, let me know, I can point you in the right direction.

Good luck,
Scott

[Smj]

I use 120# dacron leaders and 6/0-7/0 barbless hooks, always use soft leaders, the sturgeon will feel the stiffness of mono. The first two or three times you are trying to get your 4/0 hook out of the gullet of that 24"er you'll wish you had used bigger hooks. I may miss a few shakers but that's OK.

You know, I'm a cheapie, so I don't use bait(sand shrimp)that I can't save and maybe use again after the days done. Squid is one of the best baits you can use when smelt aren't readily available and aren't what the gators are keying on. Bait up squid just as you would smelt, hook through the face and three or four half-hitches up to the back. Squid can be used for more than one fish, it can be injected with scent and, it can be sliced and cut many times to release that goood squid escense!

As far as tides go, it's real tough to fish when there's no current, so I like it to be running out. Other gator pros on the board may have better info on the tide=bite factors.

Smj

[Pilar]

The tide matters at some locations where the current slows and even goes upriver on the flood. At these locations the ebb, outgoing tide is the best. The boat holds position and the fish swim upriver following thier noses through the slot you are fishing in. Where the current is faster (Gorge), tide does not seem to matter much.

You will also notice that the position of the boat relative to the anchor will change with the tide. It does little good to show up near Kelly point on the flood tide and anchor up because you will get pushed 100 feet or more out of position when the tide turns and starts to run out. Any of you that have fished with me at Kelly point know that I show up right after the tide turns and can usually anchor right where I need to because the line has pushed way over out of the way.

Anyway the fish should be here in good numbers and if you go a long time with little or no action, move. I know you wonder if it is technique or lack of skill that is causing no bite but location matters. Bait fishing is not rocket surgery. If the fish are there, they will bite. Use your binoculars and find boats where the guys are standing up, yanking and cranking. You may not be able to anchor and fish the same hole right then but you can mark the spot on your GPS and come back after they leave or on another day.

Disregard the boats filled with sleeping fishermen.

Watch out if you anchor near the shipping channel. Use an anchor puller ball and know something about anchoring your boat. Use lots or line on your anchor, 200 to 300 feet for the 90 foot water in medium to low current. Move out of the way if the ship or barge traffic insists (5 horn blasts) you do so. It is a huge fine if you block the channel.

Guys if you pay attention to what is happening you will quickly master this fishery.

[ 12-04-2003, 03:17 PM: Message edited by: Pilar ]

[greenbuttskunk]

I like the ugly stik tiger rod (Med.) with a penn 320GTI
anf 80lb tuff line for the bigger fish, but only use that up at the fishery where there is a decent chance of an oversize. Mid river like kelly point or the sandy downriver, I like
a 15-50lb buzz ramsey air IM7 with 40-50lb tuff line or 40lb mono. A softer tip detects the bites more often and improves the hookset and fight.
I like a 6/0 barbless hook with a standard braided dacron leader. I like smelt from now till the run, and eel up at bonny. Tear off some of the smelt fins in fast water, keeps them from spinning so much. Also, just a little trick I use often. I buy a good absorbent sponge, cut into pieces about the size of a Dice. I put the bait one, halfhitch, then stick the sponge piece on and add scent. Smelly jelly sturgeon feast, butt juice, whatever you like. Sometimes it's the extra touch. If they are hungry and aggressive biters, then I go without. Also I like good current, and outgoing tide if possible really gets the scent going and brings them in, plus improves the bite. As a fish begins to bite, I open the bail and give him a few feet of line gently as I lift the rod, engage the reel and wait for 3-4 more twitches of pulls, then hit them and reel in some line quick, wait to feel for them, if on then fight. If you get alot of little "pecks", your're probably into alot of sculpin and either move or reel in and try to cast into a diff. spot.
Another thing I've found is if you are into tons of shakers, try moving up river above them. I think there is a pecking order and the bigger fish get first dibs on the chow. Just my thoughts.
When you find a hole, anchor well above it't srop into the deeper water. Too many people make the mistake of being on top of a hole, when in reality the current and depth actually take your bait out of and downriver of the hole thus taking you out of the feeding trough.
When landing, tail the fish but also place a hand under the front of the belly to help minimize stress. I don't think lifting a bigger fish out of the water vertically by the tail, it's tough on their bodies. They are pretty hardy fish but repect them, so they can give us the enjoyment of catching for years to come. Keep what you really need, but release them if you can, they are slow growers and don't replenish like salmon do.
Good luck!
GBS

[ 12-04-2003, 03:31 PM: Message edited by: greenbuttskunk ]

[El-Kabong]

Thanks for the info. Ifishers are the best!

Anyone else chasing gators this weekend? We will be out Sunday from Cathedral park. heading to Kelly Point and points downriver.

EK

[Gr8waves]

Kabong - I am planning on heading out Sunday from Freds to fish Kelly Point and points downriver. There is a High tide at 607 am so I will be out close to first light. Say hi if you see a silver Alumaweld sled.

john

[O'City Fisherman]

Heck with all the people heading does anyone have room for 1 more. I was going to head to the coast and fish for some steelhead but with the weather how it is I am afraid of the rivers being blown out.

So if you have room for 1 more send me a PM and we can hook up.

[Gr8waves]

Freds is just inside the Multnomah Channel on the left as you head downstream. If you live on the West side it is easier to get to than Cathedral (St Johns right?). It is off of Hwy 30 just west/north of Linnton. $5 launch fee.

[Sturgeon 42]

El-Kabong remember that if you are looking at tides for Astoria the tide in the portland area starts out at about the time it says low tide is in Astoria(6:00am in Astoria means 1:00pm. low in Portland area aprox.) If tide starts to run in and you are at the mouth of the Willamette and water starts to go upstream stay put for 1 hour or so and fish upstream right there as the fish will go up Willamette, then you can fish at the Toyota docks at just about any time 90ft. deep, just down river from St. Johns bridge. good luck...PS> any way the tide is moving is good fishing.... :grin: :grin: :grin:

[El-Kabong]

Ocity,

Sorry, have a full boat for this trip. Will post open seats for next hunt.

E

[El-Kabong]

Gr8waves,

Where is Freds?

We will be in a Gregor with Merc and Yamaha. Probably looking like we don't have a clue as to what we are doing.

EK

[grumman16]

Went out with a buddy this morning to KP and got him into his first keeper, ok well his first released 48"'er.



Smelt was working ok as well as squid. Although the bites on the squid were much more settle.

Nice day out on the water, sun was out and the CR was like a lake. Good luck for those going tomorrow.

-G16