Sturgeon fishing questions

I have a couple of questions based upon my first sturgeon fishing experience.

Last time I went sturgeon fishing (OK, only time) I did not get bit dropping straight back so I cast off to the side a bit and this seemed to get me bites and the one fish, but I felt like missed a lot of bites. Some of the bites seemed like they must have been sturgeon but of course that may be wishful thinking. Thus, when you are anchored up do you drop your line straight down, cast down stream, cast upstream, cast across? Should I have moved over (re-anchored) so I could drop straight down or is the casting across the current a bit OK?

Next question has to do with getting bites. Do you hold the rod or put the rod in a holder and watch the tip. I did the later with the clicker on and in free spool. When I would get the bites I would get little clicks then I would pick up the rod. This seemed like a reasonable way to fish and eat a sandwich but I am curious what other folks do.

Last questions, when picking up your anchor how to you do it. Do you keep off to the side as you head upstream? Do you go upstream of the anchor before yanking on it or just over top? Have you ever had an anchor you could not get unstuck? I was having a bit of trouble getting unstuck last time and for a while had let the line get under my kayak (I am holding line on downstream side). This seems like it could be bad in a stiff current.

Does anyone do a controlled drift for sturgeon. With the hobie I could slowly peddly against the current and slowly walk the bait downstream. Is this reasonable or a waste of time (known worthless technique).

Thanks for any information.

I have a couple of questions based upon my first sturgeon fishing experience.

Last time I went sturgeon fishing (OK, only time) I did not get bit dropping straight back so I cast off to the side a bit and this seemed to get me bites and the one fish, but I felt like missed a lot of bites. Some of the bites seemed like they must have been sturgeon but of course that may be wishful thinking. Thus, when you are anchored up do you drop your line straight down, cast down stream, cast upstream, cast across? Should I have moved over (re-anchored) so I could drop straight down or is the casting across the current a bit OK?

I generally first drop my line straight down, then if after awhile I don't get bites I might cast a little.  If I'm still not getting bites I move and start again.

Next question has to do with getting bites. Do you hold the rod or put the rod in a holder and watch the tip. I did the later with the clicker on and in free spool. When I would get the bites I would get little clicks then I would pick up the rod. This seemed like a reasonable way to fish and eat a sandwich but I am curious what other folks do.

It's better to hold the rod and feel for the subtle bites.  However, if you need a bite there's nothing wrong with using a rod holder.

Last questions, when picking up your anchor how to you do it. Do you keep off to the side as you head upstream? Do you go upstream of the anchor before yanking on it or just over top? Have you ever had an anchor you could not get unstuck? I was having a bit of trouble getting unstuck last time and for a while had let the line get under my kayak (I am holding line on downstream side). This seems like it could be bad in a stiff current.

Generally, I paddle upstream past my anchor until things get tight again then I quickly reel up my line while I drift slowly over to the spot my anchor is located.  Hopefully I get the anchor up off the bottom right as I drift over it.  At that point I continue to drift a bit while I reel the anchor up the rest of the way.

Does anyone do a controlled drift for sturgeon. With the hobie I could slowly peddly against the current and slowly walk the bait downstream. Is this reasonable or a waste of time (known worthless technique).

Thanks for any information.

I'm guessing that drifting might work in shallow areas and/or when the current is particularly slow.

Of course take all this with a grain of salt, I haven't put much sturgeon fishing time in for a year or so now.

Brian

http://www.northwestkayakanglers.com/index.php/topic,6840.msg71583.html#msg71583

Check the above thread for ways to rig your anchor so if it gets stuck you can break the stay and pull it free from the other end.

I had a folding anchor get stuck in the Stilliguamish and it took a power boat to pull it free for me.  I'll be reconfiguring my anchor attachment as in the above thread.

You may also find this thread on a sand shrimp gun to be useful:
http://www.northwestkayakanglers.com/index.php/topic,6203.msg64741.html#msg64741

http://www.northwestkayakanglers.com/index.php/topic,6840.msg71583.html#msg71583

Check the above thread for ways to rig your anchor so if it gets stuck you can break the stay and pull it free from the other end.

I had a folding anchor get stuck in the Stilliguamish and it took a power boat to pull it free for me.  I'll be reconfiguring my anchor attachment as in the above thread.

You may also find this thread on a sand shrimp gun to be useful:
http://www.northwestkayakanglers.com/index.php/topic,6203.msg64741.html#msg64741

Thanks!! I definitely already have the zip tie attachment after reading through the archives. I was wondering how strong of a zip tie folks use? There is wide range of strengths I think I may have too strong of a zip tie on now. If I am aligned perfectly it pulls out reasonably easy , but if it rolls to the side it is very hard to break. Really the only way to "break" the zip tie is too pull it back apart and not to truly break the plastic. I think I may downgrade my zip tie next time out. I guess I can bring several and start with the wimpiest and increase if need be.

Thanks again for the information!

I have a couple of questions based upon my first sturgeon fishing experience.

Last time I went sturgeon fishing (OK, only time) I did not get bit dropping straight back so I cast off to the side a bit and this seemed to get me bites and the one fish, but I felt like missed a lot of bites. Some of the bites seemed like they must have been sturgeon but of course that may be wishful thinking. Thus, when you are anchored up do you drop your line straight down, cast down stream, cast upstream, cast across? Should I have moved over (re-anchored) so I could drop straight down or is the casting across the current a bit OK?

I generally first drop my line straight down, then if after awhile I don't get bites I might cast a little.  If I'm still not getting bites I move and start again.

Next question has to do with getting bites. Do you hold the rod or put the rod in a holder and watch the tip. I did the later with the clicker on and in free spool. When I would get the bites I would get little clicks then I would pick up the rod. This seemed like a reasonable way to fish and eat a sandwich but I am curious what other folks do.

It's better to hold the rod and feel for the subtle bites.  However, if you need a bite there's nothing wrong with using a rod holder.

Last questions, when picking up your anchor how to you do it. Do you keep off to the side as you head upstream? Do you go upstream of the anchor before yanking on it or just over top? Have you ever had an anchor you could not get unstuck? I was having a bit of trouble getting unstuck last time and for a while had let the line get under my kayak (I am holding line on downstream side). This seems like it could be bad in a stiff current.

Generally, I paddle upstream past my anchor until things get tight again then I quickly reel up my line while I drift slowly over to the spot my anchor is located.  Hopefully I get the anchor up off the bottom right as I drift over it.  At that point I continue to drift a bit while I reel the anchor up the rest of the way.

Does anyone do a controlled drift for sturgeon. With the hobie I could slowly peddly against the current and slowly walk the bait downstream. Is this reasonable or a waste of time (known worthless technique).

Thanks for any information.

I'm guessing that drifting might work in shallow areas and/or when the current is particularly slow.

Of course take all this with a grain of salt, I haven't put much sturgeon fishing time in for a year or so now.

Brian

Thanks for all the information! I think my instincts were pretty good, but I was kind of leery about anchoring since it was my first time and so I started casting farther and farther away. I think this hurt my hook up chances. Next time I will just suck it up and re-anchor if I start getting hits far off to the side. I think that casting is a good search technique, but once you find them re-anchoring so that you can drop straight down on top of the productive location is probably is the best thing to do.

Thanks again!

Last time I went sturgeon fishing (OK, only time) I did not get bit dropping straight back so I cast off to the side a bit and this seemed to get me bites and the one fish, but I felt like missed a lot of bites. Some of the bites seemed like they must have been sturgeon but of course that may be wishful thinking. Thus, when you are anchored up do you drop your line straight down, cast down stream, cast upstream, cast across? Should I have moved over (re-anchored) so I could drop straight down or is the casting across the current a bit OK?

I like to cast it a ways away.  I do this because when I drop straight down, every time the yak bobs a little, it feels like there is a bite.  By casting further away, I feel the yak doesn't tug on the weight as much.  Unless of course your yak is moving a lot due to various reasons.

Next question has to do with getting bites. Do you hold the rod or put the rod in a holder and watch the tip. I did the later with the clicker on and in free spool. When I would get the bites I would get little clicks then I would pick up the rod. This seemed like a reasonable way to fish and eat a sandwich but I am curious what other folks do.

Sadly, I hold the rod and stare at the tip to watch for bites.  I can't stop myself.  I spent a total of 12 hours in the last two days staring at my rod tip with just a handful of shakers to show for it.    I do put it down to snack though.

Last questions, when picking up your anchor how to you do it. Do you keep off to the side as you head upstream? Do you go upstream of the anchor before yanking on it or just over top? Have you ever had an anchor you could not get unstuck? I was having a bit of trouble getting unstuck last time and for a while had let the line get under my kayak (I am holding line on downstream side). This seems like it could be bad in a stiff current.

I have never had it stuck where I couldn't get it out since I switched to tying the line to the top of the anchor with 20 lb test rather than a zip tie.  I have never had the 20 lb test break until I wanted it to break.  Today, in the Columbia, the 20 lb test held both Jammer and I while anchored in 80 feet of water with a mild current.  It held both DTS and I yesterday.  DTS did not have anchor system so we planned to anchor on the same line.  Jammer HAD an anchor system, so our tandem anchoring was not planned.

Craig,

Too bad you didnt score this weekend. I'm hoping to head out of Washiugal Wednesday. I'll be studying all the sturgeon posts. I have 8'6" salmon rods with 30 lb braid on counter reels. Will these be ok?


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Thanks Craig for the info. I think I will switch to 20 lb test on the anchor.  That sounds like a good idea. I was concerned about the nonrepeatability of the zip ties that I had used 

I also agree that having a bit of angle in the line helped to take the kayak movement out of the equation. I think my problem was that I was casting directly cross current a fair distance. Certainly bank fisherman do this all the time but it seems like it probably added a lot more drag than was necessary.

... I'm hoping to head out of Washiugal Wednesday. I'll be studying all the sturgeon posts. I have 8'6" salmon rods with 30 lb braid on counter reels. Will these be ok?

They will be okay.  Reel?

Craig,

Too bad you didnt score this weekend. I'm hoping to head out of Washiugal Wednesday. I'll be studying all the sturgeon posts. I have 8'6" salmon rods with 30 lb braid on counter reels. Will these be ok?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That should work just fine.  That is what I used when I started sturgeon fishing.  Although, I used a saltwater spinning reel, and still do.  Not because I think they are better, but because I have two larger ones that I like.  Remember though, you can't keep any legal sized sturgeon except on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. 

Thanks Craig for the info. I think I will switch to 20 lb test on the anchor.  That sounds like a good idea. I was concerned about the nonrepeatability of the zip ties that I had used 

I also agree that having a bit of angle in the line helped to take the kayak movement out of the equation. I think my problem was that I was casting directly cross current a fair distance. Certainly bank fisherman do this all the time but it seems like it probably added a lot more drag than was necessary.

I may be wrong, but I think when casting across the current, the drag your line makes in the water may cause the bait and sinker to roll a little more often which may give false bite indications.  That being said, I cast across current quite a bit.  After a while it gets easier determining when the bait and sinker are moving versus a real bite.