What's in your bait bucket?

SteveHawk and I were scouting sturgeon yesterday and the cured sans shrimp and prawns we were using seemed to dissolve too fast. Ditto with old frozen herring, etc.

What do you find is the best bait and how long do you keep it? I assume silly string would have improved durability.

What scents do you use?


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Use fresh live sand shrimp and fresh herring. I  tie three shrimp around the hook with silly string...With herring do the half hitch method, that helps keep it on there. A frozen pack of herring keeps well most the day without any cooling.

Sturgeon prefer fresh food even though they are bottom feeders.

I use herring oil, shrimp oil, or anise usually or none...

Ditto the fresh live sandshrimp and the silly string, though, I've not had sturgeon success.

Dude at Pacific Sportsmen's tackle shop in Camas said steelhead are hitting bubblegum pink plastic worms behind a bait diver and spin-glow with scent. I'll let you know if it works.

He also said sturgeon are balling up around Sand Island. Anyone tried that area. Looks like an easy peddle out of St. Helen's.


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Sand Island is a nice place.  I've only fished it once, but if I lived closer I'd probably try that place out more often.

Let's go, I'll pick you up on the way. Next week?


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What days next week are you considering for Sand Island?  Might be able to join you.  I'm assuming we have to launch from Scappoose Bay.

In flexible, when can you go? The boat ramp at St. Helen's is very close. Scapoose Bay would be a much longer haul.


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Looks like Tuesday works best for me.


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Launch point:

http://marinefuel.com/e-marina/oregon/st.-helens/st.-helens-marina-and-boat-launch/


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Just called the marina,  seems my data was bogus, so sturgeon around Sand Island. I plan to fish out of Camas Marina next week.


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My bait cooler for sturgeon: live sand shrimp, nightcrawlers, cuttlefish/squid (so sorry Kyle *) from Asian market, frozen herring/anchovies, and I intend to try some crawfish that I will catch locally and freeze.   The crawfish can not be alive according to regs (in oregon).   I have also tried perch.

I have never caught a sturgeon on the pickled squid (sturgeon candy).  I am not saying it can't be done, but I have no confidence in it. 



* cuttlefish reference for those that are not fans of South Park or the Human Centipede series.  Viewer discretion is advised.