John's Journal...
Entry
92, Day 2
Where and How to Fish for Sturgeon
EDITOR'S
NOTE: Outdoorsman Thayne Barrie, an experienced
sturgeon fisherman, owns the Sunset Sport Centers in Boise, Idaho. He
and the employees who work at his store can help anglers obtain information
on sturgeon fishing on the Snake River.
Question: Thayne, how do
you fish for sturgeon?
Answer: Once I've located a possible sturgeon
hole by looking for narrowings of the river and those deeper slots, I'll
drop anchor and use a chart recorder or a fish finder. The easiest way
to see the fish is to use bottom track because they are on the river bottom.
They'll show up as bumps and look like logs on the bottom. I'll pull up
about 20 yards above the fish, drop anchor and cast out after I've rigged
our rods and put on the bait. In Idaho, you can get a two-pole permit
and use up to two rods apiece. If we have two guys on the boat, we'll
have four rods out. Sturgeon fishing can be fast and furious, or we may
catch only one or two sturgeon a day.
Question: Do the sturgeon
come up to the bait?
Answer: Yes. I'm trying to get the bait
fairly close to the sturgeon, but these fish haven't gotten that big by
passing up a meal. They're constantly looking for food, and they try to
find food by using their tentacles at the fronts of their noses that attract
scent. Sturgeon can really get a fix on food, and if they're in that hole,
they'll find the food.
Question: What happens when sturgeon take the
bait?
Answer: Well, the rod may go straight down, or you may have action
like a trout bite. If you're getting those little trout bites, you want
to have your rod in your hand. When you feel that little bump, bump, bump,
wait until you feel a little bit of pressure weighed against it. Then
set the hook as hard as you can. If you think you can break that rod setting
the hook, you try it.
Question: Once you set the hook sturgeon, what
happens next?
Answer: The first thing a sturgeon will do is scream downstream,
and you may as well not try to stop the fish. Be prepared by fishing with
quality reels with good drags, and just hold on, because you're not going
to stop those fish.
Question: How far will
sturgeon run?
Answer: Anywhere from 100 to 150 yards.
Question:
What if a sturgeon doesn't stop?
Answer: Then you better lift up anchor real quick and chase the
fish downriver. If you're on the banks, have a good knife with you, because
losing your line is better than losing your whole rod and reel set-up.
Question: How far have you ever run a sturgeon
down a river?
Answer: A couple or three miles.
Question: How big was that sturgeon?
Answer: That one was about 7 feet. The fight is a lot more fun
if you can stay anchored and fight them up to you. The fight is quite
a bit easier if you drift with the sturgeon, but it's not as much fun.
I really prefer to stay anchored and try to bring the sturgeon back to
me.
Question: What happens
when you get the sturgeon up?
Answer: Plan on spending a minimum of 30 minutes fighting the fish.
Sometimes you'll get a 20-minute fish, but generally it's a 30-minute
fight. With bigger sturgeon, fighting the fish may require an hour of
your time.
To learn more about sturgeon fishing on the Snake River
in Idaho, call the Idaho Department of Fish and Game at (208) 334-3700,
or click
here to contact any of these sporting stores in Boise, Idaho.
TOMORROW: Thayne Barrie's Greatest Sturgeon Trip
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