My first sturgeon from the yak

I headed out to Central Ferry on the Snake R today to target sturgeon.  Catching a sturgeon from my kayak was my one big fishing goal for the year.  However, I procrastinated installing my anchor setup for most of the summer.  I fished last week below Lower Granite Dam and it was sturgeon 1- Allan nothing.  The water temperatures have been really warm here and I was wondering if I had waited too long.  On a suggestion from a buddy of mine I headed further down river for deeper water.

When I reached the boat dock, I was surprised to find that it was actually chilly outside.  The weather has been in the 90’s-100’s for about a month and I’m out there in shorts and a T-shirt thinking I should have worn some warmer clothes.  Well, unloading the yak got the body temp up and I was fine.  Headed out on water that was dead calm with barely any current.  I paddled around and found a few likely spots for fishing and decided to anchor up and give it a go.

I spent quite a while at the first spot with no luck and the bites I was getting were not sturgeon.  Then I moved to the next spot I thought might produce some dinosaurs.  Within five minutes I had a takedown.  I released my anchor and began my sturgeon sleigh ride.  I think it took about ten minutes to get the beast to the surface.  It looked like it was probably over-sized, but I attempted to measure it.  I couldn’t get its tail end to surface and measuring the fish proved to be difficult/ impossible with the tape measure I had with me.

Ultimately, the fish ended up breaking off before I could decide whether or not it was a keeper.  I am not too upset that I may have lost a keeper, but I’m kind of bummed that it left with a hook in its lip.  I guess since it’s a barbless hook it might spit it out and hopefully not swallow it.  So here is what I learned and the questions I have for those of you with more experience than I have sturgeon fishing from a kayak:

1.   Bring a glove for handling the leader when you have t he fish at the surface.
2.   Bring a first aid kit for when you don’t bring a glove.
3.   For those of you that have fished sturgeon solo, how do you measure the fish by yourself?
4.   Once you determine the fish is of legal size what is your technique for landing and euthanizing your catch?

Thank you for your thoughts and sorry for the subpar pictures,

Allan

I headed out to Central Ferry on the Snake R today to target sturgeon.  Catching a sturgeon from my kayak was my one big fishing goal for the year.  However, I procrastinated installing my anchor setup for most of the summer.  I fished last week below Lower Granite Dam and it was sturgeon 1- Allan nothing.  The water temperatures have been really warm here and I was wondering if I had waited too long.  On a suggestion from a buddy of mine I headed further down river for deeper water.

When I reached the boat dock, I was surprised to find that it was actually chilly outside.  The weather has been in the 90’s-100’s for about a month and I’m out there in shorts and a T-shirt thinking I should have worn some warmer clothes.  Well, unloading the yak got the body temp up and I was fine.  Headed out on water that was dead calm with barely any current.  I paddled around and found a few likely spots for fishing and decided to anchor up and give it a go.

I spent quite a while at the first spot with no luck and the bites I was getting were not sturgeon.  Then I moved to the next spot I thought might produce some dinosaurs.  Within five minutes I had a takedown.  I released my anchor and began my sturgeon sleigh ride.  I think it took about ten minutes to get the beast to the surface.  It looked like it was probably over-sized, but I attempted to measure it.  I couldn’t get its tail end to surface and measuring the fish proved to be difficult/ impossible with the tape measure I had with me.

Ultimately, the fish ended up breaking off before I could decide whether or not it was a keeper.  I am not too upset that I may have lost a keeper, but I’m kind of bummed that it left with a hook in its lip.  I guess since it’s a barbless hook it might spit it out and hopefully not swallow it.  So here is what I learned and the questions I have for those of you with more experience than I have sturgeon fishing from a kayak:

1.Bring a glove for handling the leader when you have t he fish at the surface.
2.Bring a first aid kit for when you don’t bring a glove.
3.For those of you that have fished sturgeon solo, how do you measure the fish by yourself?
4.Once you determine the fish is of legal size what is your technique for landing and euthanizing your catch?

Thank you for your thoughts and sorry for the subpar pictures,

Allan

Excellent job man!

What kind of leader are you using? With darcon braid you should be able to bare hand it up, but i like to wear gloves because of the shakers.

1-good idea
2-Bleeding is a good sacrifice to the fish gods...
3-i try and get the fish upside down (they relax) then I pull the fish up with the leader and then try and wrap a leg over them. Ideally they will remain upside down and between you legs. I then get the tape measure out and get a measurement. It's hard to get an exact measurement but you should be able to get close.

4-I think most people just put a rope through their mouth and gill plate and put them back in the water.

Congratulations! (Not that I know what I'm talking about, but...) it sure looks like a Jaws 2.0 to me. Great job.

That's a great report -- fun to read.  Congratulations on your catch, the first of many no doubt. 

Noah,

Thanks for the tips.  If I would have thought to get a leg around it I probably would have got the measurement.  I am using the pre-tied leaders (eagle claw I think) and I don't know what the braid is called.

That sounds like the right stuff. It helps if you can get a little momentum going too. You can also get a thumb in their mouth to help control them.

Great report.  Way to get your dino on.

That sounds like the right stuff. It helps if you can get a little momentum going too. You can also get a thumb in their mouth to help control them.

Could you mark off the keeper length on the side of your yak, then measure the fish against it? Throwing a leg over sounds like an interesting way to get a hook buried in one's thigh ...

Could you mark off the keeper length on the side of your yak, then measure the fish against it? Throwing a leg over sounds like an interesting way to get a hook buried in one's thigh ...

Getting the tail end of the fish to the surface was the issue I was having.  So, even if I would have had the length marked on the yak it wouldn't have done me any good.  Wrapping a leg around the midsection of the fish (~25" away from the hook) seems like a feasible technique to me.

Forward momentum + sturgeon snare.

http://www.northwestkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=3327.0
http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/tp-images/Image/508sturgeonsnare.jpg

Only Wussies and Californians (I know, redundant...) use sturgeon snares. 

Nuff said?

With some practice you won't need the snare at all. I believe they're not legal in OR but might be okay in WA?

Nice work man!  Super jealous

Thanks everyone, for your comments, tips and encouragement!

We should meet up on the Columbia below McNary for some salmon and steelhead fishing.  I've also attempted to fish for sturgeon there as well.