The Original Sturgeon Excursion - April 19, 2008

[Ralph Wiggum]

Kylersk,

3/0-5/0 Gamakatsu circle hooks work great.

A big net is nice to have, but not a necessity. You can usually grab them near the tail if need be.

[DTro]

We're rounding the last turn and coming into the home stretch. Just a short month away and we'll all be sharing stories of GIANTS.

[harvey lee]

April 19th will not get here soon enough for me.

[Tyler Holm]

29 days till I wet a line in the Rainy River!

[crazyice]

Getting really antsy right now. Watching some open water videos, and talking alot about open water. This will be the first real open water trip this year, so it can't come soon enough.

[harvey lee]

Agreed. I have went eye fishing on the sippi a few times and also hooked up with one sturgeon and now, I want more and the sooner the better.

[benelli_dude2002]

Was down by the airport by Baudette yesterday and got a 34 inch sturgeon. Cant wait to fish for them when open water is here.

[ec30_06]

Sounds like the river is opening up nice!

[Tyler Holm]

Less than 3 weeks! Hope that river keeps opening.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Tick tock, tick tock...

[fisherking01]

Anyone catching any CRAWLERS yet?? I think I heard some trying to pick axe their way through the frost. hehe... Buying them again this year!!

[Tyler Holm]

The past two years I was able to pick about a hundred each year, but I still buy a flat. No crawlers in Roch yet.

[DTro]

It sure does appear that we might want to start doing a Sun dance pretty soon.

Sounds like the open water has made its way to the Birchdale landing (correct me if wrong).

Looks like the same deal as last year, pretty much the same progress too.

Last year, showed me one thing though. It’s best not too even worry and just let Mother Nature do her thing.

There will be a place to fish....somewhere

Still would be nice to dock the boat at the resort.

[Tyler Holm]

From the archives, It looks like we are 1-2 days ahead of last year with the open water at Brichdale.

It's got a long ways to go yet, but it can open several miles a day when the weather is right. We need that too because its got over 30 miles left to get to LOTW.

I'm just hoping to have it open to ClementsonAccessOnRainyRiver by the 17th. I'm pretty sure it was open to Baudette last year by then so we should be good.

[wall_eye_assasin]

This year I will be staying at the Sportsmans lodge but I wish all you great luck like we had last year. Hope to see you on the river. Tyler, Hanson, Dtro, Papa gump, I hope you all have a good weekend up there.

[harvey lee]

I have not picked crawlers yet but I always have picked 40-60 dozen by the 15th of April. Water in the cracks in the street in front of my house so, the frost is starting to come out. A week to 10 days and a little rain and I will be picking.

The ice will be out and we will be fishing.

[Kylersk]

How many crawlers do you all recommend taking up?

[crazyice]

Alot. For example, Tyler and I are bringing up the crawlers for our boat (3 maybe 4 peeps) and one other boat (for sure 4 peeps) and we are bringing 2 flats. Each flat is 400-500 crawlers if I remember right. But now we ar also fishing from early thursday till mid day on sunday.

[harvey lee]

The last two years I have had three total in the boat and we have had very good fishing. I took approx 25 dozen crawlers and had enough.

[iffwalleyes]

I used up a 1/2 a flat last year from Vados for 3 people and had to pick up another 4 dozen for the last day. A flat is probably too many for 3 but you will have enough. So pretty much on the same lines as Harvey said.

[hanson]

I think 1 Flat of Crawlers for 2-3 fisherman in one boat for 3 full days fishing will cover you. You want crawlers! I usually put 2 full crawlers on a hook each time I cast out. Once half of it is pecked away by suckers, sheepies, sturgies, and other rough fish (ahem... walleyes) its time to rebait.

The bait shops up at Wheelers and in Baudette might be more in "tune" with the flight of sturgeon fisherman up north. It used to be hard to find worms up there, not sure if that is the same story or not so its good to bring plenty with.

Good Luck guys!

[Scott M]

I've getting pretty psyched up. I hope more guys bring video cameras. You really don't have an excuse not to, you won't find a better battle and better conditions for getting it on tape. You know you'll get a few fish at least.

It's going to be myself, my buddy Lip Em, and another buddy, one of Iowa's finest, a fisheries technician from Iowa DNR. I haven't broken it to him that you have to catch and release all your fish. You know Iowa guys, always trying to keep everything

I've got the weekend set aside, the room booked, and the flat of crawlers reserved. I just have to make sure the boat is operational beforehand and the gear is in order, then we can gas up, food up, and go. Should be a great time.

[Hibbing]

Anyone else staying at Riverbend? I'll there from the 19th through the 25th or 26th. Staying in "Nappers" trailer with a bunch of other Iron Rangers along with a stray 612er that we picked up last year. Feel free to stop for a "pop" or two. Looking to beat my personal best of 65x32.

See ya on the water!

Jeff

[harvey lee]

Thats one nice sturgeon Hibbing. Hope to see you there.

[Tyler Holm]

The water is nearly open at Frontier. Another 13ish river miles and it will hit ClementsonAccessOnRainyRiver. Oh boy!