Sturgeon
- Thread starter Normfish
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Chasin' Dreams
Well-Known Member
Yes, if you have reports/pictures etc please post them. If you're fishing in the fresh water section of the Fraser then post it in the freshwater report area, if you are below the Mission bridge then post it in the salt water reports section of the forum.
I'm an avid Sturgeon fisherman and will also be guiding for them this year as well. Looking forward to your reports.
The new large Sturgeon cradle net I made for my jet boat this year. Will also be making one for my ocean boat as well.
I'm an avid Sturgeon fisherman and will also be guiding for them this year as well. Looking forward to your reports.
The new large Sturgeon cradle net I made for my jet boat this year. Will also be making one for my ocean boat as well.
Big Green Machine
Well-Known Member
It’s the bread and butter for FV guides now with all the salmon closures, restrictions, politics.
Three years ago myself and a buddy went over from the island and spent a full day going up part of the lower Fraser and doing some guided Dino fishing. It was a good experience and well worth crossing it off the Bucket List. Being bottom feeders I was expecting it to be like big Rockfish or Halibut which don't fight much and are a lot like bringing up dead weight, but was surprised. Playing large fish that are running, twisting and turning and jumping completely out of the water is exciting.
IGotFishues
New Member
Went out last weekend and caught my first sturgeon of 2019 he was a little guy and didnt put up much of a fight. But man did it feel good getting back on the river.
Ive been sturgeon fishing for 4 years now and still will not catch 1 everyday, and if i do manage to get a bite going the most i have ever caught in a 10 hour day is 3 or 4. So i dont understand how guides can nail 10 fish a day consistently. Any tips ?
Ive been sturgeon fishing for 4 years now and still will not catch 1 everyday, and if i do manage to get a bite going the most i have ever caught in a 10 hour day is 3 or 4. So i dont understand how guides can nail 10 fish a day consistently. Any tips ?
Chasin' Dreams
Well-Known Member
A few tips, there's tons more but here's some stuff that can help you out with more hook ups: It's mostly about knowing the holes they lay in in different times of the season ie up, mid, lower sections of the river and what they are feeding on in the river at the time you are fishing. If the salmon just start to migrate up then the lower section can be very good and they follow runs of fish. As the fish spawn the Sturgeon key in on the spawned out meats of the Salmon to feed on, if Salmon aren't in the system then match baits to what they normally feed on in the river but don't just have one type of that on board. Eulachons are key to use when they are in the river as well. We put multiple different baits out and see what they want to bite on on that day. Scents can help a lot getting that sent down river to the Sturgeon's noses if you aren't right on them. Mixing baits with fish oils can help as well as it holds the scent well and distributes it out well also. If using roe, use fresh roe without cure. We have tested side by side comparision's time and time again with fresh unscented/uncured roe vs cured and/or different scented roes and the natural roe out fishes it every time. If on the lower river fishing slack tides can be key too as it's easier for the Sturgeon to move around scavenging foods to eat. Sonar can help too finding contours/holes on the river bottom that they like to lay on. Marking these spots are key on the chart as you find them. But they can change year to year do to sediment filling some of them in after the freshet. Guides aren't always getting those numbers of fish every time they go out. Personally I don't like to sit on the same holes time after time cause that's not good for the fish at all. But the Sturgeon do wonder up and down the river a lot and out to the ocean and back as well as the tagging has shown so it's not always the same fish being hooked in the same holes. If you find small Sturgeon and other small fish getting hooked up then go to larger hooks. Small fish stealing your bait and getting hooked up can take away valuable hook ups with larger Sturgeon
IGotFishues
New Member
Thanks for the info dreams. Definetaly going to go get some scent oils never thought of that. Any tips on fishing in slack tides or eddies I feel like when the current starts to change it throws my gear around and Mybait presentation is off . Also Would you recommend one of those sacks people put behind the boat?
Fishboy89
Member
A couple of five gallon buckets with a 4-5 inch hole in the middle helps keep you straight. Especially in the lower river as the river switches its flow it can be hard or impossible to present a bait well at slack. Guides know which spots fish best on which currents, and how to maximise their time. It is an acquired skill that I am still learning. I also believe that guides have much more sophisticated side imaging sonar (Helix Mega Imaging or Garmin Sidevu) that shows where the fish are. You can see them circling to check out a hole or flat before they drop. But even then the sturgeon do not always bite.
IGotFishues
New Member
Thanks fish boy went out this weekend and it was windy and messy out there I managed to hook up to two fish, with the help of my newly added 5 gallon buckets! I was fishing straight and in the slack tide my lines were sitting pretty noticed a lot more bites this trip with my new scents as well! Really learning a lot here. Thanks guys
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IGotFishues
New Member
Going out tomorow to fish the lower fraser river. I’ll Let you guys know how the fishing is.
IGotFishues
New Member
Nice calm day on the river. Was pretty competitive fishing at my favourite spots tho. Seen a guide pick up a 6 footer and the guys on the boat were screaming, Sounded like a good time lol.As for us we got three 3-4 footers on hoolies not bad sized fish but not the big one we were after. One massive bite on some old chinook salmon belly’s I had in the freeZer but mist it unfortunately. Great day out overall, can’t wait to go again.
IGotFishues
New Member
I guess no one sturgeon fishes, lol well that’s better for me and they wouldn’t like it anyways. 
Going to island 22 tomorow. Hope in for a biggin.
Going to island 22 tomorow. Hope in for a biggin.
Big Green Machine
Well-Known Member
That post is epic, you and Mike D shared a lot of tips!
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