Sturgeon Excursion, April 18th and 19th 2009

[Whisker Trout Slayer]

What an absolute blast!! I can't wait til next year, and already have 2 other guys interested in going. The ghost fish was only a 46 but still put up a fair fight.

We do have some video footage that bunt2k aned I will put together and get on the U tube site.

See you all next year.

[Jim Uran]

Looks like a blast, thanks for sharing the stories and pictures.

[Team Otter]

slicker-style of sinker made a huge differnce, 4 and 5 ounce bank sinkers were much better than no-rolls for holding in the heavy current, pyramid sinkers worked well also.

Slicker,

Nick makes a great point. Thinking more about it this morning, I can only remember 1 - 3 fish coming to the boat when using a "no-roll" sinker while the the pyramid-style and bank sinkers royally kicked sturgeon butt.

We had no trouble staying down in the river (or bay) fishing in 12 - 22' of water with 3 - 5 ounces of weight.

[Team Otter]

Looks like a blast, thanks for sharing the stories and pictures.

It is beyond a blast. Mark your calendar for next year. We've already started planning. Ha!

[Wiskers]

Almost sick to my stomache for not being able to make it up there, think I am going to need some counciling. Them awesome pics did not help.. lol..

Great job fellas.. some real nice fish.

[hanson]

Obviously a great time!! Good to meet and hang out with all my old friends as well as meeting some new ones as well!

This was my 3rd Sturgeon Excursion in 4 years, would have been to all 4 but my Mom's retirement party fell on this weekend last year. Mom's still more important than sturgeon!

Here's the highlights...

Sturgeon tag #86,197

55" Length x 22" Girth

Buddy Adam with a big boy!

His first time Sturgeon fishing, HIS first 3 Sturgeon were all over 50"!

Here was the BIG DOUBLE!!

In the Right Corner... its Adam!

In the Left Corner... its WasteWaterGuru!

Who's the winner? 57" for WWG & 58" for Adam! Unbelievable!

Last night... one for the road!

Adam stole the show as a first time sturgeon fisherman should. His first 3 fish were over 50 inches and ended up with a 55", 56", 57", and 58" for the trip for HIMSELF! Fish hog, eh?

[Team Otter]

Love it! Is it April 2010 yet?

[wastewaterguru]

Chris,

Hopefully the motor issues aren't too serious......It was a blast having the whole crew in one boat. I have a few more pics to share.....but I am travelling for work this week and haven't had a chance to download the pics.

[Jim Uran]

Wow, fishing in the fall for these beasts can be pretty productive. I can' wait until October!!!!!!!!

[harvey lee]

Looks like many trophy sturg were landed.

Great job.

[ec30_06]

We did good again this year. I had two first timers in the boat and they will both be back again. I will get some pics and video up soon.

[Scott M]

Wind and debris made things a little tough this year, no doubt about it. Biggest for our boat was 54" and we saw way more 'razorbacks' (young sturgeon covered in sharp scutes) this year. Stole a page from the Tyler Holm playbook and tried a little fishing of the late, late night variety. Caught more fish after dark than in the daytime, but it was Saturday night when all the wind settled down. It was hard to leave on Sunday when you knew the weather was most conducive to fishing, but every once in a while that's the hand you're dealt.

I have to say, it's a little more enjoyable having most of the river to yourself after dark than being boat to boat during the day. I'm always a little on edge about pulling up to somebody because you don't know how far out their lines are and what their 'boat personal space' comfort level is...I remember last year one boat having some words for one of our admin here about fishing too close and he was light years away relatively speaking...

Had another great year of sturgeon fishing but found myself underwhelmed with our boat's average size and # of fish compared to other years. I'll be back some other year, but next year I'm leaving April open for some steelhead chasing with the old Grand Superior Lodge crew.

Good to see lots of big smiles and big fish for the new customers.

[Eric Wettschreck]

Awesome pics fellas. Looks like a great time. Sorry I missed it!!!!

[OTCBigBass]

After this last weekend I think I'm going to have to go back before opener for a few more days!

[Tyler Holm]

Stole a page from the Tyler Holm playbook and tried a little fishing of the late, late night variety. Caught more fish after dark than in the daytime

Very true for us again this year.

[CraigM]

It was our first trip to LOW to battle the mighty sturgeon. Man what fun. We ended up staying at Wheelers and didn't hook up with any FM'ers. Will have to make it to Schusters next year. This will def. be an annual trip.

My sons first sturg was a little one...But his second gave him a good fight... I think I had more fun watching him than catching my own fish. The biggest for us was a 54"er. I ended up with 16 sturges total and only 26 for our boat. It was also my first time river fishing and with that current it was definately a learning curve. Good times were had by all and my boy has a lifetime memory.

[Team Otter]

Right on CraigM!

[Tyler Holm]

57.25" x 23.5" - PB (weight)

53.5"

52"

50"

50"

[fiskyknut]

Nice pb Sturgeonfish Tyler. Fish actually looks bigger than your measurements state!! You are good {read honest} with a tape and that pic turned out great.

After dark who'd of thunk! Good to hear you got that rod back too.. Good catch Chris!

[Gordie]

man those are some great fish and i'm getting fired up cause Merkman and his bro and myself and a coupkle other guys are going up this weekend and that looks like such a blast.

thanks for a the stories and pics

[fishuhalik]

Hey tyler, a couple questions. I went up sunday, and am hopefully gonna be going up again this weekend.

Were you out on the main lake, past pine island, or right at the mouth where the river dumps in? I talked to a couple of guys that were past pine and they got 15 fish, 2 at 65". We were out right where the river dumps in, about 1/2 mile from pine and did ok on Sunday, but nothing too great. Also, did you try fishing really early in the morning, or were those night-time fish?

Here's the only one I got, right around 54".

[hanson]

Tyler was out in the bay nearly the whole weekend, right smack dab in the middle of the boat flotilla. Our crew wasn't all that far away from them either. Guys who were fishing the River stretch from Schusters to Wheelers were catching fish as well.

I'm sure there were some places a guy wouldn't want to drop anchor but it sure didn't seam to matter too much. Try the river for awhile, if nothing is going on, hit the bay, and vice versa.

Hopefully that debris starts to disappear for guys heading up this weekend, that will help for sure. Just make sure your bait is fresh (we used crawlers probably 4 on a hook), hook and sinker are weedfree (check it every 10 minutes), bait is on the bottom (took us 4 ounces), and you hold your rod to feel for that bite (most of our fish would tap 2-4 times and if you didn't set then, they were gone).

We knew some guys who were out fishing at midnight and were doubled/tripled up in the boat most of the time. I don't recall if they had any pigs but they had a ton of action.

Nice fish Tyler!

[DTro]

I'm going to have to put this back on my "must do" list next year.

I think what makes this such an appeal, is that not only are they the biggest fish in the state, the fishing couldn't be much simpler.

Great place to get the kids "hooked" and also a great place to repay the older folks in your life that have spent so much time taking everyone else in the past.

They should rename that area "The Big Smile Zone" because it's tough not to when you hook a beast.

[Team Otter]

And they just keep on comin'. Well done all.

No wonder I never saw Tyler...

[Minnewawa]

Anyone heading up this weekend? We will be staying at Schusters. What are the thoughts regarding night fishing? Should this be something we look more into? How late?