Sturgeon Excursion Teaser - Ice Out

[Rick]

Here's a little clip on our sturgeon excursion last spring.

Enjoy: Sturgeon Fishing Clip - CLICK HERE

Dial-up Users:

Sturgeon Fishing Clip small - CLICK HERE

Mac & Quicktime users:

Sturgeon Fishing Clip - CLICK HERE

[DARK30]

If I didn't have to pick and choose my trips very carefully....That does look like a good time. What were the DNR guys doing?

[fiskyknut]

Dark, they take the Sturgeonfish from anglers to measure, sex, and tag them.

[I Da Man]

The anglers or the fish?

[I Da Man]

Hey Rick! That's a great video!

Are you going to make it up to Rainy for the Sturgeon Excursion? Hope so...I'm looking forward to meeting you and the others I haven't met yet. With the number of folks that are filling up the one resort and Shustlers (Mod, please correct my spelling), there is no doubt that we'll be all over fish and grand time will be had by all!

[Deitz Dittrich]

Dark30, that fish that the DNR took from me was a tagged fish.. I wrote an article on the fish...

I wrote this article about the trip up north...

Fish # 82,456

I had the pleasure of meeting fish number 82,456 on April 23, 2005, and it’s one I will not soon forget.

The largest species of fish that swims in Minnesota waters is the Sturgeon. Not too many bodies of water are home to the Sturgeon, but a few of the larger lakes, and a few of the river systems that make up our lake and river systems here in Minnesota do. Rick Paquin and I set out in search of the elusive sturgeon for the first open water Hot Bite Fishing Show of the 2005 season. We met up with WalleyeJon, Curt Quesnell, Kjos, and Rusty of Wiskers Guide Service at the abnormally large body of water that we share with the country of Canada: Lake of the Woods.

Understanding that we would be wrestling the largest fish that swims in our waters, we were rigged with heavy gear: 5/0 hooks, 50 lb line, heavy swivels, and 3 oz No Roll sinkers were the norm for the day. Throw in a gob of night crawlers to draw the fish in, and we were set. The weather was far from perfect as the wind chill dipped into the single digits, a stark contrast from the upper 60 degree weather of the weekend before. This fact made me quite nervous--I have fished many cold fronts in my life and have often met up with a very hard day on the water. WalleyeJon (Jon Berns) consoled me by saying that these fish seem much less susceptible to cold fronts and high pressure as they are really more of a scavenger than a predator in the water.

We were on the water by about 9:30 a.m. with our rods in their rod holders, and the worms hopefully doing their job attracting the prehistoric fish. Quite a bit of time elapsed with little success; however, Justin Kjos pointed out that the bite really didn’t start till about 11 a.m. and continued until around 3 p.m. Braced by this knowledge and considering the temperature, I did my best to keep my spirits high. It was at 11:05 that fish 82,456 and I began our acquaintance.

Curt pointed out to me that my rod was starting to do the dance that we had been waiting for. I grabbed it from the rod holder, took a deep breath, and set the hook in such a way as to let whatever was on the other end of the rod know who was boss. Although the hook landed firmly, I failed at letting it know who was boss as it came screaming to the surface, jumped, and dove back to the bottom from which it came before I was even able to let out the battle cry! It was a grueling twenty later that fish # 82456 finally decided to give me a break and enter Curt’s boat for a few pictures. I’m quite sure she had more time in her, but she knew my arms had enough. After a picture or two and a measurement (47.4”), we turned her over to the Minnesota DNR and pointed out she had a tag on her. They took my name and address and said they would send me information on the fish, hence this article.

It turns out that fish #82456 received her tag almost one year to the day I caught her, April 28, 2004. She was caught in the same general area and was tagged by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. On that date in 2004 she was 46.7” in length and was aged 21 years old. Surprisingly, in one year she really only grew about 1/2 inch. The DNR told me that the largest fish they had tagged was 71.3 inches in length, however, that fish was never weighed. The largest fish they have ever weighed was 77.9 lbs. and 65.7” in length. Both of these fish came from the Little Fork River.

From the Minnesota DNR:

Intense commercial exploitation during the late 1800s and early 1900s decimated the once abundant sturgeon population. After the decline of the commercial fishery, the sturgeon population was unable to rebound due to water pollution in the Rainy River, the primary spawning area. The pollution prevented the sturgeon from spawning successfully most years. Sturgeon are however an extremely long-lived species. Enough individuals managed to survive, and reproduction was enough to maintain a small population. With the passage of the Clean Water Act and it’s amendments in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, the sturgeon population stated to grow and reproduction is currently successful in most year. Today, the Lake of the Woods? Rainy River system is one the few areas in the country that has a lake sturgeon population that is healthy enough to support a fishery. Male lake sturgeon are able to reproduce when they reach 17 years of age, while female sturgeon do not mature until they are about 26 years old. After maturing, males spawn only every two to three years while females spawn every five to nine years.

We saw the direct effect of this in boating five sturgeon in the 20-30 inch range. It was very fun to see a fishery like this able to rebound as it has. I was also able to go toe to fin with two other large sturgeon later in the day with Rusty of Wisker’s Guide service. One measured 48” and another that went 52” and tipped the scales at 41 lbs. Rick Paquin, the leader of FishingMinnesota.com, battled 4 sturgeon of his own. Rusty also landed two. All in all, ten sturgeon for one day’s fishing was not a bad day on the water when the weather was not cooperating.

I know I will be back someday, and hopefully I’ll meet up with #82456 again. She still has four more years until she is mature enough to spawn. I have to say that battling a fish only 12 years younger than me has a bit of an eerie feel to it. I can’t wait again to do it again!

Deitz Dittrich

[Dan Thiem]

Cool video. I like the way that warden stuck his net out there.

It sure looked like a lot of boats. And a lot of action.

[fiskyknut]

Yepper Dan the past few years it has became a near zoo out there on the weekends anyhow. Miles of river to fish if you wanna get away from the crowds of visitors that swarm into 4-mile bay.

[Rick]

Thanks I DA MAN. That was only a small percentage of the fish we caught that day. I was the film-maker and director. Darin is the one who put this clip together and I thank him for a job well done on my botched film-making.

I look forward to seeing you up there as well Brian. We'll have a good time. Good people are bound to have a good time.

I'd also love to see Dark30 up there. What do you say dude?

Good people and good open water fishing in very early spring there's little more a guy could ask for.

Again, nice job Darin!

[DARK30]

Rick, I'll be chasing April browns that weekend down in the bluffs (but) lets plan on chasing some Mudeyes in June eh? I'll talk to you at the Horseshoe thingy.

Merry Christmas

[I Da Man]

Dark, the browns will be there before and after...but the sturgeon are only schooled for a short time...and with this bunch of rascals...we're going to need you to set the pace!

Besides, kissing a trout just isn't the same as a big ol' sturgeon!!!

I'll hold your camera!

[smallie_hawgin]

Think y'all would allow a Mississippi River rat up there to get on the sturgeon??? Is this an area I might have some issues runnin my Lo-pro?? Somehow I doubt it. Just thought I would ask....

[Dennis Steele]

A river rat is a river rat.

Doesn't matter what river that rat runs!

Just imagine catching a 80lb smallie!

These sturgeon surge, use current to their advantage and do some sky walking too!

[Rick]

I'll hold you to that Dark!! Mudeye in June it is then!!

Some of the best sturgeon anglers are Mississippi River rats and the Low Pro should work like a dream smallie

[I Da Man]

Hmmm, this is starting to sound like River Pro Meeting.

Someday, maybe just someday...I'll be one of "the boys".

[smallie_hawgin]

Sounds like fun.... might have to see if I can make it.

[Random guy]

I can't wait for the Sturgeon Excursion to kick off. I can not think of a better way to start the open water season then catching some big ol sturgeon on the river. As a musky guy I always have to wait until June for big fish, now I only have to hold out until April.

[iffwalleyes]

Hey even with out sound it was still good. Some nice fish for sure. Might have to try and make it up for that one this year.

[walleyejon]

That trip was by far one of the best fishing trips of my life, and you can definately count me in on the next one. The video is great, but can't do justice to the power of those fish. Mark this one on your calenders folks, you won't be disappointed. We can probablly sneak over to the West side of the lake before or after the Excursion for some of the hot Spring Pike action too. See ya there....

[Deitz Dittrich]

Jon- I even noticed you got your 5 secconds of fame on the show!!! LOL, it was a blast! for sure.. cant wait till this next spring!

[LEECH21]

Hey Jon, LEECH here. Thanks again for taking us out last April to show us "how its done". We are planning on making the trip again this April, but not sure on the dates yet.

You mentioned pike. I'd love to get into one bigger than my personnal best of 32.5 inches. I know pretty pathetic! Where would be the spot to try on Lake of the Woods. And what types of presentations would be best. Thanks and take care.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Leech if your going up around the same time, just throw some dead bait out from the dyke in baudette. We did that the day before the sturgeon Show and had a blast.. I think Rick tangled with the largest of all of us... think his was 42+ inches.. but I could be wrong.. We all hooked into a good fish.. 2 foot leader, no roll sinker.. just like fishing the sturgeon.

[fiskyknut]

Dike in Baudette? Where is that? Sure you don't mean jetty in Warroad Dietz?

Leech, there are spots along both of the south shores with good Pike fishing. Warroad at the jetty/river mouth, Swift ditch area, Zippel and Bostic bay areas are the most popular.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Oopsy... yep, I'm a dork.. it was in Warroad!.. Thanks for keeping me in line Fisky!

[fiskyknut]

Just a momentary lapse in the vast depths of Deitzy's memory bank.....You're not a real dork like me!