Help with Columbia Sturgeon ASAP

[LT]

Looking do do some fishing tomorrow and need some help. I have only fished once for sturgeon and it was in the esturary. Where should I try around the Portland area? ie. Bonneville area or further down river? Not looking for oversize, just some catch and release fun.
thanks, LT

[jokester]

I'm no expert on this subject, but I'd say launch either at Rooster Rock or at the Fishery and try anywhere around those areas. Don't be afraid to run up or down river a little ways either. Not sure how Rooster Rock boat launch water level is, so i'd say your best bet is the Fishery. Be careful anchoring up there though. By all means, if you're not experienced in the anchoring field, i'd say look @ launching and fishing around the Kelly Point area. That current up at Bonnie is NOTHING to mess with :shocked: It's running VERY FAST!!

-jokester

[ 12-17-2003, 11:18 AM: Message edited by: jokester ]

[fishingfirst]

Try doing a search on here. Also do a search in the archives from last year, there is a lot of great information to be found! Lots of info on technique and some pretty good spots listed as well.

If that doesn't work, send me an email and I'll get you started.

Good luck,
Scott

Stay lower and warmer. Kelly Point and below the mouth of the Willamette is a much easier trip with lots of C&R right now. Stay out of the channel.

Best time is high tide and the outgoing with current.

Rick

[LT]

Thanks for the reply's. I think I will take ******'s advice and head down river and it looks like high tide is around 11 am. I will report back and let you know how we did.
LT

[Tacklebuster]

Hit the area just below Kelley Point and fish the big mud plume that is puking out of the Big Willy. I don't think tide will play a factor due to all the water dumping out of the Big W, you should have current all day long. Look for a depth of 60 to 64 feet and move every fifteen minutes until you find the fish. Stay in the mud, you'll get tons of C and R.

Keep your leaders short and if you are using smelt for bait, cut off the tail at an angle and trim the gill plates off to keep your bait straight. If not your bait will spin and stay off the bottom. There are tons of good productive spots along side the pillings on the Sauvie Island side. Stay close enough to the end pilling that you catch the current but not far out enough that your in the shipping lane.

Good luck..

[2slow]

Can I buy smelt now? If so where? What other bait should I try?

Fresh squid from WinCo.

Rick