Also new to board

Just read Bluknights introductory post and thought I'd better introduce myself as well.  I'm located in Warrenton, OR near the mouth of the Columbia River.  Lately, since selling my 18' welded aluminum fishing boat from lack of use the last couple of years, I've been getting interested in getting another kayak. Before the 18' fishing boat, I owned a 37' commercial salmon troller for 29 years and have fished the ocean from LaPush, WA down to Crescent City, CA.   I've had 2 SINK's over the years, but after getting interested in fishing from one, I'm looking hard at the SOT's.  The info I'd gotten, up until finding this site, was that SOT's weren't very desireable for use in the Pacific Northwest.  This site shows that that isn't exactly the case.  I think a lot of the problem is that there just hasn't been that much kayak fishing done in this area.  I've got lots of kayak fishing questions and, hopefully, some info to offer about the territory around here, but that can wait until a later time.

Best Regards,  Jim

Welcome JimT!!!  Now that's a great introductory post.  Looking forward to following up with you as well as seeing you on the water some time.  Fire away on those questions.  We'll do our best to answer.

-Allen

Welcome to the madness JimT! This yakfishing thing will get ahold of you so hold on.. it's a fun ride!! Nothing better than a sleigh ride from a big ling!!

Z

Thanks for the nice welcome Allen and Z.  Speaking of sleigh rides...........down here on the lower Columbia River we have some great sturgeon fishing.  The only thing I haven't figured out is how to measure the length of a sturgeon, which must be between 42 and 60" for keeping (maybe marks on the side of the kayak for 42 and 60").

Jim

Yep that's pretty much what you need to do. Measure it all out on the yak so when you do land it you can bring it alongside your yak for a measure. Then if  it doesn't make the cut you can release it without taking it out of the water and stressing it.

There's some special preperations you need to do to bring such a large fish on your yak. Marking measurements, getting a good anchor release system, building a good snare, and especially the "B*tch be cool" bat for the keepers. There's some people who thrive on Dino hunting from yaks and are really successful. I have yet to bag a Dino but no doubt the hunt is a blast!

Z

My one memorable moment with a sturgeon from a yak was fishing the Alviso area of San Francisco Bay.  I sent down a 2 hook rig with grass shrimp and sand shrimp.  I felt a good takedown and swung hard on the fish.  It took off and felt like a good fish.  I released the anchor and off we went.  There was a bit of a current running and the fish went downstream.  20 minutes later and at least a mile away I was nearing the end game as I got vertical over the fish in about 10 feet of water.  I pumped her nearer the surface when all of a sudden my hooks came flying out of the water.  It was very muddy water and I never did see her.  D'oh!!!   

Z, there are some local sturgeon in the sloughs at the mouth of the Snohomish River.  I haven't tried this fishery, but got some good intel on it last year.  Supposedly they are there throughout the summer and in the fall when the humpies come in, there should be lots of them feeding on the carcasses.  I will definitely give this fishery a go this year.

-Allen

Z, there are some local sturgeon in the sloughs at the mouth of the Snohomish River. 

Supposedly they are there throughout the summer and in the fall when the humpies come in

OOOOH count me in!! Looks a lot like the Dino grounds in the Bay!!
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=snohomish+river&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=54.489258,71.806641&layer=&ie=UTF8&z=13&ll=48.00876,-122.190628&spn=0.090957,0.189686&t=h&om=1

Allen's dino story spot: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=San+rafael&layer=&ie=UTF8&z=12&ll=37.482214,-122.076988&spn=0.215773,0.379372&t=h&om=1

Now to just to build a nice custom snare.. 
Z

Sorry for the threadjack JimT