Columbia Sturgeon Retention Season

With the upcoming season for Sturgeon retention on the Columbia May 13 - June 5, I am wondering if folk here are planning on make a trip or two getting after the beasts. I know in the past that people have done very well down near Astoria in very shallow water with guides. I have not fished for sturgeon outside of the Willamette and would love some pointers/advice/other fisherman. I am guessing bait and gear does vary, but location is another story.

I am gonna try and make it down at least once. Would love company.

I have retained a few  kayak caught sturgeon  years ago when the slot was 38-54". Now that the slot is so much narrower, I am wondering how you would plan on getting an accurate enough measurement on a writhing, sharp, pissed-off 44-50"er to take it on board the kayak. Doesn't seem undoable, but it certainly could be a shit-show. I'm not trying to deter anyone, but it is something to really think about beforehand.
Would love to see some success photos on this forum for those who are giving it a shot.

I have often thought the same thing. I would suggest putting the slot on the side of your kayak using a sharpie.  This way you could pull the sturgeon alongside the kayak for a decent estimate. To get the exact measurement in case it is close to the slot may be a bit tougher.

Have a friend pull up along side of you and give you a hand or hopefully you'll be close enough to shore to get a good measurement. 

The way I measure a sturgeon is to swing my feet over the starboard side, lay Mr. Sturgy upside on my feet so he is mostly submerged if not completely, but cradled so it isn't bent in some weird fashion.  He will just lay there dormant until I am done.  Then I have taken my Rapala folding measuring device and Sharpied the slot length area on the back referenced from the head panel that you normally set the head against on the front side.
I then drop the head panel down over the snout and lay the measuring board over the body and look to make sure that the fork in the tail lines up inside the marked slot area. If not in the slot, I let him go unharmed.
If he's a keeper, I can either shoot to shore to get an exact measurement for my tag or have a buddy cruise over to help get the exact measurement boat side for my tag.

I will be out there tomorrow. Let me know if anyone else will be out there and we can buddy up.