sturgeon thru ice

[bucketmouth64]

A friend at work showed me a picture of her daughter holding a sturgeon caught on LOW thru the ice a couple weeks ago. It was 48 inches. They had a hard time getting it positioned to come up thru the hole. Ice was too thick to reach down and grab it. They somehow managed to get the head up far enough the hole to grab it. She didn't know how long the fight was. They were fishing for walleyes and did well with that too.

Never heard of a sturgeon being caught ice fishing. Is this pretty rare?

[mainbutter]

There's a couple videos on a popular video sharing HSOforum of people catching 'em under the ice.

I don't think it's very common, I don't know if you can specifically target them. I've heard of them being caught while fishing for walleyes, and also while fishing for northerns.

[fishuhalik]

I know a guy that I work with targets them on the St. Croix and does really well.

[DTro]

I know a guy that I work with targets them on the St. Croix and does really well.

geez I hope not, since they are out of season on the Croix

[fishuhalik]

I know, I've told him but he doesn't really care. And I'm not gonna report him as long as he throws 'em back. Maybe I should but I'd rather have a friend than call the authorities.....

[DTro]

That's your choice I guess.

But don't think for one second that this is any different than going out and catching walleyes in April.

[fishuhalik]

True...

[DTro]

Then again if I was making the laws, catch and release fishing for all species would be open year round