Willy Sturgeon Season

As most of you are already aware the upcoming 2012 Sturgeon retention season for the Willamette has be set (Feb 17-18th & 24th-25th).  Since the season is quota driven there is no guarantee that it will remain open all four days (my hunch is we'll get three days)..  That said, if you are thinking of targeting these fish I'd recommend hitting it sometime in the first two days.  Yes it might be crowded (launch early ) but the fish should be there if you know where to look.

 If you are new to the kayak sturgeon scene and but still want to take advantage of the retention season (Sturgeon is one of my favorite NW eating fish) Groundswell Guided Kayak Fishing llc. http://groundswellkayakfishing.com/  will be offering fully guided trips during this short season.  Either way, get out there and get one while you can!   mmmm... canned smoked, Jalapeno,  Sturgeon!

  mmmm... canned smoked, Jalapeno,  Sturgeon!

I went out and bought a pressure cooker for the expressed purpose of of trying to re-create pelagic's canned, smoked Jalapeno sturgeon. 

Ron knows better than anyone here how and where to collect the main ingredient.  Keepers don't come easy once the season starts.  If you want to save hours and days of frustration, give Groundswell a call.

-Spot-

What Mark said. At times, fishing with Ron almost doesn't seem fair.

So is anybody planning on getting together for the weekend opener?  I'd be interested in coming across the state for a couple days if I had some people to fish with.

I am planning on being out on the 18th if the river is fishable (I mean not dried up).

I have never gone fishing on the Willie while it is open for retention. I imagine that it will be quite a zoo. Does anyone have a picture or footage of what it looks like in terms of boat density? I just want to know what to expect.

Here is a picture of your honey hole from last season. 

Here is a picture of your honey hole from last season.

That is not as bad as I thought it would be. I was expecting to have to portage my kayak through the boats

So just how polluted are the Dino's out of the dirty willy?

I'm gonna be out because I want some points, but I am not sure about eating the suckers.

So just how polluted are the Dino's out of the dirty willy?

I'm gonna be out because I want some points, but I am not sure about eating the suckers.

That's a question I'd like to know as well.  I don't eat fish but I'd donate it to somebody. (if i caught one)

Sturgeon movements are not well studied. It is believed that they move between the Willamette and the Columbia on a regular basis. A fish caught in the Willamette may have been there for a day or all its life. Personally, I would eat sturgeon from the estuary or Tillamook, but probably not from anywhere near Portland.

One of these days we should get a Tillamook sturgeon fishing trip organized. I have read that the fish are usually keeper size winter through spring. Has anyone tried Tillamook bay sturgeon fishing from a yak? I have not fished there so I do not know how feasible it would be. Could probably even do some perch and greenling fishing on top of it (although this may be the wrong time of year).

One of these days we should get a Tillamook sturgeon fishing trip organized. I have read that the fish are usually keeper size winter through spring. Has anyone tried Tillamook bay sturgeon fishing from a yak? I have not fished there so I do not know how feasible it would be. Could probably even do some perch and greenling fishing on top of it (although this may be the wrong time of year).

It's much slower than upriver fishing. 

I need to rig a ring on the stern side of my jam cleat so I can anchor off the bow.  In a lot of places you want to anchor in the deeper sections but cast up onto the sandbars as the tide is eating them away to expose clams and shrimp. 

That's all I have to say on the topic.... 

-Spot-

One of these days we should get a Tillamook sturgeon fishing trip organized. I have read that the fish are usually keeper size winter through spring. Has anyone tried Tillamook bay sturgeon fishing from a yak? I have not fished there so I do not know how feasible it would be. Could probably even do some perch and greenling fishing on top of it (although this may be the wrong time of year).

It's much slower than upriver fishing. 

I need to rig a ring on the stern side of my jam cleat so I can anchor off the bow.  In a lot of places you want to anchor in the deeper sections but cast up onto the sandbars as the tide is eating them away to expose clams and shrimp. 

That's all I have to say on the topic.... 

-Spot-

Thanks for the tip. I will remember that for when I get there!

Sturgeon movements are not well studied. It is believed that they move between the Willamette and the Columbia on a regular basis. A fish caught in the Willamette may have been there for a day or all its life. Personally, I would eat sturgeon from the estuary or Tillamook, but probably not from anywhere near Portland.

One of these days we should get a Tillamook sturgeon fishing trip organized. I have read that the fish are usually keeper size winter through spring. Has anyone tried Tillamook bay sturgeon fishing from a yak? I have not fished there so I do not know how feasible it would be. Could probably even do some perch and greenling fishing on top of it (although this may be the wrong time of year).

They actually do a lot of sturgeon tagging to track movements of Columbia basin sturgeon.  Fish tagged in the Columbia have been caught as far South as San Francisco Bay and up North in the Frazer River.  I have caught three with tags in the Willamette.  All three had been tagged earlier in the Columbia.   Coastal bay sturgeon fishing is a fickle and tight lipped fishery and thats all I'll say about that

Coastal bay sturgeon fishing is a fickle and tight lipped fishery and thats all I'll say about that

Reminds me of a picture I saw once.