Just got a new kayak and need tips

So I just bought an eagle talon 12 and I'm looking into some sturgeon fishing on the Willamette. I know how to rig all my fishing gear but I need to know how fish from my kayak positioning, anchoring, maybe some spots on the river that hold fish.  Any tips?

Welcome Bud!
There's a few well known spots on the willamette that kayak fisherman like to fish, these are widely well known even outside of kayaking circles so I don't feel bad mentioning them here... Swan island is probably your best bet as a new kayaker, you can stay inside the protected harbor area and depending on the time of year you can have no stop sturgeon action. I have also caught quite a few sturgeon near george rogers park further up the willamette, and even some near the sellwood bridge. With either one of those I would wait until the weather cools down and less pleasure boaters are on the river.

I would hazard against anchoring in your kayak in any kind of moving water for a decent amount of time until you're fully comfortable and have put in some time, anchoring a kayak in current is definitely something to be careful with because one wrong move and your boat is capsized and also tethered to an anchor line, making reentering your kayak quite difficult. In many cases there's no need to anchor up for a lot of areas we fish.

Keep posting on NWKA and the forum will open up a bit, you can see and search fishing reports, and people will post meetups for sturgeon, and all other types of fish.

I'm only two years in, but my rule for anchoring is, if the water is moving enough than you need an anchor, it's too dangerous to be anchored in that water. Fish it differently.

I still have an anchor and trolly setup sitting in a box waiting for me to get around to needing it or being ready to manage it. Don't rush into thinking an anchor is a core piece of equipment. Think of it as specialized equipment for niche situations.

Welcome Bud!
As far as tips for rigging, I'll pass on the same tip that was passed on to me.  Go out in your new kayak a few times and learn where you want to put rod holders and attachment points.

 I also like to keep the right side of my boat clear for reentry.

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Thanks for the tips. what about fighting fish? I know hard they pull is there a certain way to fight them in a yak

Don't stand up.

Thanks for the tips. what about fighting fish? I know hard they pull is there a certain way to fight them in a yak

If you can keep the tip of the rod pointed forward you stand a better chance of not getting yanked out of the boat sideways.

If you are fighting a salmon, they tend to run in circles, so just do your best to keep tension on them and rod tip in front. 

Sturgeon fishing from a kayak is best done from anchor, but have the right setup for quick releasing yourself from the anchor system for both the tension that a sturgeon can create, as well as the current of the river.  Again try to keep your rod tip in the front of the kayak during the fight and you'll stay in the kayak.

Smaller fish like trout, bass, rockfish etc.. don't usually cause too much trouble reeling them in from the side.

So I just bought an eagle talon 12 and I'm looking into some sturgeon fishing on the Willamette. I know how to rig all my fishing gear but I need to know how fish from my kayak positioning, anchoring, maybe some spots on the river that hold fish.  Any tips?

Backing up a bit to give some basic advice for first time kayak fishing.

Get out in your kayak and just take in the scenery for a day or two.  Maybe do some bass fishing or something easy. 

I wouldn't recommend targeting sturgeon right off the bat until you learn what your primary and secondary stability are like in a slow river or lake. 

Get your self recovery figured out by practicing over and over on a warm day, while wearing your PFD of course and near enough to shore you can swim it in if you are unsuccessful at re-entry. 
For details on self recovery check YouTube for some pointers as it can be confusing to explain in writing.

Nuts and bolts of stability:
Just lean over slowly until you feel the kayak about to tip, and then save it before dumping yourself. 
Do this several times from both sides or until you can get a feel for what your primary stability feels like. 
Then take your lean a bit further until the kayak hits its tipping point and puts you in the drink. 
Take note of how far that lean was.
Hop back on and do this several times from both sides.

At some point along your later fishing days, you WILL be tested as to where that secondary stability tipping point is, so it's really good to practice early.

Anchoring:
Maybe meet up with someone that has a BSteves style anchor system already on their kayak and can show you the ropes on the water.
If you can't buddy up, and decide to go it alone, be sure to start out in slow moving sections of the river so you don't get yourself into trouble getting your anchor set or attempting to fish it.

After you get the hang of it, you can step up to faster waters as needed. 

NOTE:  River anchoring has several inherent dangers beyond just kayak fishing, so it must be treated with a lot of respect and patience.   
If you shortcut, or not take the time to understand how things work in safe waters, you could end up on the evening news.

I've been out bass fishing a few times and have built out riggers so I can stand comfortably for sight fishing

I've been out bass fishing a few times and have built out riggers so I can stand comfortably for sight fishing.

Welcome to NWKA.

You're new and I can't tell if you're kidding around in that post, or being serious.

To help us understand...  How much experience do you have on the water?  Was it in a boat?  How long have you been kayaking?  Where have you been kayak fishing so far?

I'm not demanding a resume, I'm just trying to get a feel for how folks can best help and advise you.  Starting at the basics with someone who's already proficient isn't getting you anywhere, but jumping ahead of your skill level can put you in real danger and no one wants that.

I've had it for a month and have been out about ten times in lakes and Sloughs. Yea I really built the out riggers it was too tough to stand and fish without them. Ive been fishing for for quite some time now but the kayaking is new to me. I'm pretty athletic and coordinated as well. I'd want to start out somewhere were the current is slow or even fish with someone who could show me the ropes

Thanks!

You know, in general, you sit down in a kayak...   

 Yea but it's nice to be able to stand. Went out on the columbia today with the girlfriend I tested the stability without out riggers somewhat found the tipping point.

Don't stand up in your kayak, you guys are funny....lol

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Don't stand up in your kayak, you guys are funny....lol

Yeah?  Well, did you ever try to fish from a paddleboard?  Oh, wait!  That was from Roger...   

How are the sea trials going for Bullet the Blue Sky?