[Grits]

First let me say thank you to the guys who were nicer than I might have been when I bauched my first anchor attempt. Although boats didn't touch we did briefly wrap anchor ropes. Not only did they say no problem but told me to try ligning up with them again, class act with my wife and kid in the boat.

After finally getting anchored we found KP to be pretty dead. Moved to my go to spot on the Willamette, wife said why didn't we start at the go to spot, and caugt about 40 in 3 hours with the biggest being 40.5" and the next biggest being 39. All caught on smelt. The most fund was the 40 incher was not initially fighting so I had handed the rod to my six year old son and we both got the shock of our life when it jumped all the way out of the water and then took a dive stripping line and then hanging on the bottom.

Light rods were trick because my ugly stick kept getting striped and I wouldn't see the bite.

 

[Dipnet]

Good job Grits! :cheers: You had better luck than we did on finding them. We fished the Columbia Friday and Saturday and had to move a bazillion times to find them. We did end up with 53 for the 2 days though. One keeper out of the bunch, but it was a yellowbelly and we let it go. :depressed: Even some of the fairly small ones were coming out of the water as we were reeling them in! It was fun and the weather was pretty good too!!

Dipnet :grin:

 

[Sturgeon 42]

Were you up near the St. Johns bridge, I was in the cream colored Starcraft by the Toyota hole then moved down by the grain docks, no luck yesterday but got another 43 fatty on thurs. :grin: :grin: :grin:

 

[Waterfish]

I fished at Kelly Point yesterday with no luck. Got a few bites but nothing to the boat. We were anchored near several other boats at about 79' depth. Being new to sturgeon fishing, is it harder to hook them in water this deep? Two weeks ago we were fishing in Multnomah Channel out of Scapoose and we caught shakers in about 40'. Seem to be easier to make connections at this depth.

Dipnet, what is a yellowbelly?

 

[Grits]

Waterfish- A lot of guys use dacron instead of mono to eliminate the stretch caused by mono at that depth. I use mono with dacron leaders and do fine. This is how I tell all new people in my boat to set the hook, others probably use a different technique . First the rods in my boat don't go in the holders for sturgeon fishing. When you see a bite, and it will be subtle, pick the rod up from the bottom pivoting it on the boat so you don't pick the bait up out of mr. sturgeons mouth. Now slowly crank the reel a few times to pick up a little slack and wait for the next bite, once you feel it set the hook hard, think Saturday morning bass show, and then crank down hard and set it again.

KP can be difficult with all the boat wake so you usually want to hold your rod. With all that said some guys are patient enough to sit there until there rod buckles over before doing anything but I find that I deep hook to many shakers to do this.

 

[Dipnet]

Waterfish, it's a sturgeon that looks kind of yellow and like it has seen better days!! It's scutes are pretty worn down and it just doesn't look too healthy.

Dipnet :grin:

 

[Grits]

I was up by the St. Johns Bridge. Not familiar with the names of the holes in that area but I was lined up with the west side of the bridge, it is currentely bright white, and about 1/2 mile away in the area that drops to seventy feet. I think I saw your boat. I was in an old 15' blue fiberglass boat with a white top.