Fall or Summer Sturgeon on the Rainy River?

[Ed Carlson]

What is the prognosis for Fall Sturgeon on the Rainy River? Good...Fair...Nada?

Do you see a significant run along with the shiners in late fall, right along with the walleye?

Or is there a better summer bite opportunity I'm not clued in on that I should check out?

Ya...I'm itch'n for another sturgeon trip this year...as you can tell.

Thanks,

[Sturg]

I've gone up the past three summers near the end of July. Will be going again this year. In the summer I catch fewer fish but always at least one over 55 in. In the past we bought the Ontario license so we could fish both sides of the river. Now sturgeon is closed on the Canadian side so we won't be fishing their side of the river. We often catch multiple species in the summer. Usually a few walleyes we can keep and smallmouth bass for fun. I fished it MEA weekend last fall but was unable to find nightcrawlers anywhere. Used minnows only and did not catch a sturgeon but we caught 3 walleyes over 27in.

[fishuhalik]

A buddy of mine does really, really well all summer out there for sturgeon. I haven't talked to him yet this year but last year he did better in the middle of the summer for sturgies than he did in the spring.

[MinnesnowtaWild]

Can't you only target them legally in the Spring and Fall C&R season?

[JimBuck]

Jeff, they are open all year from what I understand for C&R. They have a short harvest in the spring followed by a longer one in the fall.

I'd argue that we have done just as well in the fall as in the spring in recent years.

[MinnesnowtaWild]

Hmmmm I did not know that...thought it was just two short catch and release periods in the Spring and Fall.

That is cool though, would love to get up there sometime.

[fishuhalik]

That's true on the St. Croix, but not on the Rainy