We need a special forum for Sturgeon

[fish4cats]

Would love to here some personal bests on sturgeon. Whether it be Rainy river or elsewhere.

Mine is a 66" out of the Rainy River 3 years ago on 6 pound test line fishin walleyes.

Would love to go up there sometime just to fish them.

What is the best time to go?

[Shamu]

My pb is a 60", 60# sturgeon caught on rainy. That was a great fishing weekend this last spring. That was at the sturgeon excursion. Can't wait to get out there and fish them bad boys again this sept. on the st. croix.

[harvey lee]

Anything you would like to know about sturgeon can be found either on this forum or do a search. If you cannot find it in a search, ask and you shall recieve.

Most of the talk about sturgeon on this forum is starting around Feb. before the Sturgeon excursion in April or about now for the fall St. Croix bite. If you would like to go to the Rainy river in the spring for sturgeon, Fishing MInnesota has the Excursion at the end of April for a weekend. Many will be there and you can get all the help and direction needed to have a great time catching sturgeon and talking with fellow FMers.

If you need more help thats what this forum is all about.

Good luck this fall.

[Tyler Holm]

52" 50# caught on the rainy this spring

[harvey lee]

My pb is 55" and looked up the weight it it said 29#'s for its length and girth. Looks like I caught a skinny sturgeon. Rainy river.

[sparcebag]

Come on Harvey Lee#### your a fisherman! 1 lb. per inch maybe a bit more on the one that the dog ate the pic!

[Tyler Holm]

Caught a 51.5" that was 45#

Girth matters baby!

[hanson]

Here's my personal best from the Rainy-

58", 53lbs (Dtro's scale!)

Here's my dad's personal best from the Rainy-

54", unknown weight

[harvey lee]

By the looks of the lengths and weights go, I maybe measured the girth wrong as a 55"er cannot be that light. It was still a good fish.

[icehousebob]

Hey Cris, I just e-mailed you some pictures of my #3 son holding his personal best. It was 66 inches and weighed just about 80 lbs. Look at the girth on that pig. If you could post the third picture for me, I would appreciate it. I'm computer semi-literate. Thanks.

[harvey lee]

IH bod

Sounds like a real dandy.

[DTro]

2006 61x24

2007 60"

[Farmboy1]

Here is my biggest 66" and did not get a girth.

[harvey lee]

Very nice fishy.

[Scott M]

That's sick. That fish is probably older than you, and prettier too.

It's got a head like a horse.

[Farmboy1]

Just so you know, I'm the one one the right in the picture The one on the left is the fish

[ocf1]

I thought that was a shark by the first pic, lol. Ive never seen a sturgeon in person before, but now i wish i have.

[dps]

This is a few of our 2006 fish, all are from he Croix.

61.5"

63.5" Caught by Mr Kebs better half "Whisker Hooked".. this was the winning fish for the 1st Moores Bait contest last year. Sorry for the huge pic... notice all the Lamprey marks!

61" caught by a friend

60" about an hour later(another friend)

Mr Special's 60" fish caught from WWG's boat near us the same day, we assisted in landing the fish.

I didnt write down girths, or weigh any of these fish... all I can say i they get VERY heavy for their length, and can be a bear to hold after fighting them!

Notice none of these fish have gill holds... please dont do that!

[Larry FlatCaster]

Here is a vid of my 58 inch.

This one came right on the heels of Shamu's 60 inch 60 lb.

We were tired after this one.

http://s114.photobucket.com/albums/n280/LarryFlatcaster/012607/?action=view&current=100_338258inchCPREDfinal.flv

[big musk411]

Now that is a Sturge Farmboy! Seriously, the biggest mug I have seen. Our biggest is in my avitar, not caught by me .

[fish4cats]

thanks for all the replies guys, now for the other part of my question. What are you guys using for bait and what time of year? I am sure we are talking about March, April and May for Lake of the Woods, but what about St Croix? I really want to fish sturgeon more this year.

Thanks in advance.

My pb like I said was 66", but unfortunately the pic was not taken on a digital camera. I will figure something out to get it posted.

[dps]

The sturgeon season runs from sept 1st to Oct 15th on the croix. Its open from Taylors falls to Prescott.

Bait of choice last year was shad, cut sucker, cut sheephead, and 2 crawlers if you didnt mind getting bothered by smaller fish. The fish bite by night or day.. but will usually be more active one or the other especially early in the season(usually night early).

A basic slip sinker rig with enough weight(1oz - 3oz) to hold your bait in place in the current(when there is some), and rods with a sensative enough tip to detect bites, but enough lifting power to get the fish to the boat(often 30' deep)... leave the pool cues at home. For line, 15# mono - 65# power pro is the most common. Weight, good swivel, 18"-24" leader with a 3/0 Gamkatsu CIRCLE hook is perfect. The hookup ratio is excellent with the circles, and very rarely does a fish swallow the hook(these big fish are old, takes a long time to grow another one).

[fish4cats]

No different than fishing cats then?!?

[hanson]

Quote:

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No different than fishing cats then?!?

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Same thing.

Fish a gob of crawler, on the bottom, in a river with sturgeon and you'll eventually connect.

[hanson]

Quote:

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Hey Cris, I just e-mailed you some pictures of my #3 son holding his personal best. It was 66 inches and weighed just about 80 lbs. Look at the girth on that pig. If you could post the third picture for me, I would appreciate it. I'm computer semi-literate. Thanks.

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I didn't get the pics or an e-mail.

You wanna try sending me it again to my address below.

Your kids do any cattin' this year? How did they do?