Nitnat Sturgeon?????????

[totally tyee]

A friend of mine owns some property on the NitNat River and has been spending a lot of time up there recently. He was telling me a story that happened the other day........Him and his daughter were walking along above the river bank when they heard some splashing in the water, thinking it was a bear that had jumped in the water he moved some bushes so he could see down the embankment into the river. He saw what he described as a “giant fish”, “way bigger than any salmon”, “it was like a Submarine plowing through the water”. He stated it looked like what he thought was a sturgeon and after researching it online he came to the conclusion it was a sturgeon. He is a knowledgeable guy and I trust him however I had my doubt seeing as I’ve never heard of a Sturgeon on a VI River. I started to ask my questions such as could it have been a 100lb salmon? Could it have been a seal? Etc etc. He stated it was too big to be a seal and again reiterated “it was like a submarine plowing through the water”. He spoke to some fisheries officers in the area that stated they have heard of Sturgeon in the area.

Has anyone else ever heard of this?

TT

 

[Dogbreath]

Yes I know an older guy in the Port Renfrew area who's seen them in the San Juan, not often though just once in a while.

 

[RVP]

...yes, the SSS has had numerous reports and caputres over the years. In the mid eighties they did a study on the lower Somas...the largest fish captured was around four feet. Some anglers fishing around holm Isle in the harbour witnessed a sturgeon breach well above the surface - they estimated it to be in the seven foot range.

Cheers,
RVP.

 

[Dave H]

I recall a Sturgeon being spotted in the Campbell River a couple of years back also.

Surprised the heck out of a lot of people.


Take care.

 

[porcupine]

There is a pool on the lower end of the Nitinat that used to be called the Sturgeon Pool.

 

[Shermanater]

There are reports of sturgeon in the lower end of the nanaimo river every year as well. They travel up and down the coast and could possibly poke their nose into any river.

 

[sookabilly]

A few years ago while fishing for cutthroat in the San Jaun estuary I casted at a large rise and ended up foul-hooking and releasing a small sturgeon around 36" that was in poor shape (fungus around fins)but it was a hell of a surprise.

 

[nedarb2]

a buddy of mine has told me their in the top part of the cowichan river

and theres that story of the huge sturgeoun pulling that boat around lake cowichan before the line snapped

 

[adrianna3]

I've heard that Sturgeon will go to salt water, travel, and populate other large river systems. I have heard of sturgeon sightings on the Stamp/Somass, Cowichan, San Juan, Campbell and some up island systems as well.

 

[adrianna3]

I've heard that Sturgeon will go to salt water, travel, and populate other large river systems. I have heard of sturgeon sightings on the Stamp/Somass, Cowichan, San Juan, Campbell and some up island systems as well.

 

[Yote]

I have heard that the natives used to fish sturgeon in Lake Cowichan.

 

[Yote]

I have heard that the natives used to fish sturgeon in Lake Cowichan.

 

[getbent]

They say that 90% of Sturgeon spend 10% of their time in salt water. I know they travel the coastal areas quite a bit and will follow the salmon and oolie runs around. A tagged Fraser fish was caught in the columbia system a few years back. I also read in a BC Outdoors a while ago that the natives caught a # of large sturgeon on the Somass in their nets.

Getbent

 

[TimelapseCanada]

Vancouver Island sturgeon

[7amY0q7ziQo] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7amY0q7ziQoI was at Cherry Point Beach on Vancouver Island on May 7 2012 and I filmed a possible dead sturgeon on shore
Please view video and leave me your comment
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7amY0q7ziQo

 

[TimelapseCanada]

[7amY0q7ziQo] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7amY0q7ziQoI was at Cherry Point Beach on Vancouver Island on May 7 2012 and I filmed a possible dead sturgeon on shore
Please view video and leave me your comment
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7amY0q7ziQo

 

[Finished Business]

There are reports of sturgeon in the lower end of the nanaimo river every year as well. They travel up and down the coast and could possibly poke their nose into any river.

You've got it here...the white sturgeon has been sat tracked on our coasts and specimens have been followed from the Fraser, and further north down to the Columbia. After the big salmon runs in the river, they likely head out to the ocean to feed/grow/migrate.


should have just said x2 to get bents post

 

[Prawnhunter]

I have heard from a few people snorkeling in the puntledge that swear they seen stergeon as well........no reason why they wouldnt check it out really........

 

[Fishingaccomplished]

It sounds that alot of the big lakes on V.I has the odd stergen kickin around in it ive herd of a few in Cowichan lake