Sturgon

[hunterb]

Just to get you through them winter time blues.
Caught on the SSR near Medicine Hat in the fall. I think this fish was 45 pounds, the biggest one for the day.

[sheephunter]

Sweet...thanks for sharing!

[Duk Dog]

They are quite the unique looking fish. Maybe a weird question, but do sturgeon have scales?

[sheephunter]

They are quite the unique looking fish. Maybe a weird question, but do sturgeon have scales?

Nope they don't have scales as such....more like armour plateletts that are sharp as heck on the smaller ones....speaking from experience....lol

[Alberta Bigbore]

awesome photo! nice back ground scenery too down there.

[hunterb]

It was cold that day. I would say -5 with the wind. Fought with this fish for over an hour. Its awesome to see a fish this size come right out of the water and then strip another 30-40 yds of line.

[thumper]

Those prehistoric sturgeon look right at home down in dinosaur country!
Great shots on a unique fishery Thanks!

[gramps73]

Nice fish
Were you fishing on your own or was that a guided trip?
G

[pecker]

nice to see those big ones in alberta's river systems . may be hope for our fisheries for a long time to come. congrats and thanks for sharing.

[Versatile]

Not looking for any secret techniques but how do you fish for sturgeon out of a boat? I know from shore we just cast it out and wait or we might drift it along but I am interested in hearing how one does it on a boat.

[Drano]

Thanks for sharing

[Pigshanks]

Yes, there is some real nice sturgeon hols around the Hat. Nice pics.

[hunterb]

Gramps73
No, this was not a guided trip. I just like fishing for sturgon. I caught and released a few hundred sturgon last year

RyanGSP
What i do is anchor the boat side ways in the river or try to, depending on current. I use somewhat of a light line ( 17 pounds) with a slip weight and a leader with a single hook. Best bait is day old river minnows. Keep them store bought minnows back at the store and set some minnow traps out a day or 2 before you go out fishing and salt the crap out of them. I seen boats down at the holes using store bought minnows and there catching 2-4 sturgeon a day. We pull up and catch 15 plus sturgon a day.
I can e-mail you the set up if you would like.

[Versatile]

Ya that would be great I am interested in seeing it.

I assume you just let it sit there and wait?

[hunterb]

RyanGSP
Your right, let the sit but keep it in tension.
As soon as i get some pictures of the set up i will send them off to you.

[Versatile]

Alright, Thanks

[LongDraw]

With you catching and releasing all of those sturgeon, what was the biggest one you caught?

[hunterb]

Biggest one to date out of the SSR that i caught was 86 pounds. Most times when we go out we catch quite a few in that 15-30 pound range with 1 or 2 that over 30 pounds. Best day we had was 31 sturgon out of the koomati hole in the suffied military range. Very hard to get down there in a jet boat, You have to know where to go or be very good at reading the river. Massive rocks that are waiting to bite your boat.
Everyone should have a chance at fishing these critters. Very powerfull fish that do not want to be caught. They can spool a reel if your not carefull.

[madatter]

Every year I tell myself I need to buy a jet boat but every year the $$$$ just are not available.
I've beaten the heck out of alot of props on the river though.
We've always wanted to do a float from the Hat to Sandy Point but as with alot of things it has'nt happened yet!
Spent alot of time upstream of Redcliff this year but never really got into any sturgeon,lots of eyes ....
We did a canoe float from Bow Island to the Hat a few years ago(spent a night along the river) and stopped just downstream of Rattlesnake Lake at what locals call Olechowski's.....2 of us caught 15 sturgeon in about 2 hours,best fishing I've ever had for sturgeon!

[LongDraw]

Great stuff. I've caught sturgeon in BC, but never in Alberta.

[hunterb]

madatter
I've fished the rattlesnake hole hundreds of times but i think the fish are moving on. This year the fishing was ok. Maybe 6 sturgon a day. We moved down to the koomati hole and fishing picked up to 20 plus sturgon a day and some monster's. Problem is you have to run river narrows and the is butt puckering sometimes. Huge nasty sharp rocks and a current to back it up. Once you log a passage on the GPS your fine.

[Binny]

Heres a Sturgeon I caught last fall in BC

[Binny]

Here is one I caught a couple falls ago near the Hat

[hunterb]

Nice fish.

[sneer]

Couldn't help but notice the noose on Binny's BC sturgeon. Here's an article that expresses my feelings on this technique. And might I add, I landed a 11ft2inch sturgeon with Cascade Fishing Adventures in 2006...I can't imagine putting the life of a fish like that at risk by putting a noose!


"Sturgeon fishing has become extremely popular. In fact, more pictures of sturgeon seem to be taken than ever before, showcasing the immense size of these freshwater giants. In the past, you would never see coarse rope wrapped around a sturgeon’s tail, while beaming anglers proudly displayed their catch. But due to the methods incorporated during the sturgeon study, many feel its the thing to do. Lets set the record straight right here and now. Whether you’re a weekend angler, or a professional guide, there no justifiable reason to endanger or cause harm to a sturgeon by putting a rope around a sturgeon’s tail to retain the fish. Dragging a fish backwards is a good way to kill a fish and improper noosing can result in permanent damage to the fish’s notochord (backbone) and skin.

My first experience with nooses was when I became involved with the Fraser River White Sturgeon Spawning Study in 1995. Noosing was only permitted under the authority of a Scientific Collection Permit, issued by the Ministry of Environment. I was at first shocked by noosing, and so were many other fishing guides at that time. As the study progressed, noosing was used less and less, usually to hold a fish for tagging. Out of necessity, the study team was properly equipped and trained to put a noose around the tail of a sturgeon. This rope was not your average "bailing twine". It is thick, finely braided, soft cotton rope that would reduce the pressure on the skin and muscle tissue due to its thickness, and would not cause rope burns because of its very fine braid and soft material. It was very smooth rope indeed and I’ve never seen it in any local shops. When the study team used setlines, or had a number of boats angling with them, inevitably, more than one fish would be caught and be ready for tagging at the same time. However, only one fish can be tagged at a time, and therefore, tethering or noosing the fish to the boat allowed us to tag the most fish in the study period. It was less than perfect, but a serious attempt to reduce harm to the fish was implemented. We never liked it then, and we don’t like seeing it now.

As a professional guiding operation, I would never think of noosing a fish for our clients. First of all, noosing can cause severe damage to the sturgeon if not properly used. Secondly, its detracting from the photograph. We are experienced enough to handle a fish properly and safely without a noose, and still get the "wallhanger" picture that has become the trademark of sturgeon fishing. If the fish gets away, well, that's fishing. With all the pictures of noosed sturgeon, anglers get the wrong impression that "tailing" is an absolute necessity for getting a sturgeon photograph. Nothing could be further from the truth. It sends the wrong message.

In Washington State, it is illegal in some rivers to pick up or retain a sturgeon for photographic purposes. You get to bring the fish to the boat and that's it, cut the line. Period. I dread the fact that sooner or later, with the poor handling techniques being "promoted", that could happen to us. One damaged, or dead fish with a noose on its tail, is all it will take. Who wants to be responsible for that? A recent message on an internet discussion board relates the story of a Columbia river angler that landed a 9 foot sturgeon that did not fight very well. No wonder he claims, the sturgeon was without a tail! I doubt this fish would live to 9 feet if it was born without a tail. Apparently, noosing is a common-place method in the lower Columbia, and it sounds like it is becoming a problem with fish being dragged all over the river. My guess is that this fish was either noosed too tightly creating blood vessel damage and subsequent amputation, or, the fish got away while the tight noose was still attached to him, and the lack of blood flow caused amputation. You may be thinking to yourself, ‘I wouldn’t tighten the noose on my sturgeon’. Well, what if the fish did it itself by taking a run for freedom while attached to the noose? Job done.

To properly handle a sturgeon, use the leader to bring the fish toward you, or to lead the fish to shore and to hold the fish in position. Often, most played out sturgeon will lay on their backs. When this happens, hold the fish firmly by the mouth. Most often, the sturgeon will hardly move when they’re on their backs as this seems to calm them and keep them docile. Don’t lift a fish, particularly larger fish, by the tail. You can damage the fish permanently. Avoid lifting or holding a fish by the operculum (gill plate) as you may damage the sensitive gill filaments and reduce the fish’s ability to take in oxygen. To get that ultimate picture, firmly grab the fish around the caudal peduncle (the "wrist" in front of the tail) with one hand, and support the belly behind the pectoral fins with the other. Larger fish may require two or more persons. Be quick, be gentle, and that fish will swim away with no harm done to be caught again by another lucky angler. The task of taking a photo is then accomplished and the memory of the most terrific Fraser river sport-fish is preserved forever on paper.

I’ve done the "don’t do’s" that I previously mentioned, in the past and regret it, knowing much more now than I did then. But I learn from each experience and each fish that we handle. That’s what its all about; learning. And that starts with passing on knowledge and experience to others who may not get the opportunity to do what fishing guides do on a regular basis.

There are enough professional guides out there to serve the purpose of setting an example of proper fish handling techniques to those who don’t get to handle fish as regularly as guides or other die-hard sturgeon fanatics. Professionals see large fish regularly, and know how to handle these fish. I encourage all the guides and other sturgeon anglers to start setting an example and sending the right message. Remember, it about the fish first. If we don’t, we will create the mentality that its OK to utilize rough fish handling practices, and noosing is one of those rough practices. We can nip it in the bud right now, and start giving the sturgeon the respect and fair handling that it rightfully deserves."

[madatter]

madatter
I've fished the rattlesnake hole hundreds of times but i think the fish are moving on. This year the fishing was ok. Maybe 6 sturgon a day. We moved down to the koomati hole and fishing picked up to 20 plus sturgon a day and some monster's. Problem is you have to run river narrows and the is butt puckering sometimes. Huge nasty sharp rocks and a current to back it up. Once you log a passage on the GPS your fine.

How far downstream from Rattlesnake are you fishing now??
Are you upstream or downstream of the Suffield pumps?
I've never heard of the koomati hole before.
We've been launching upstream of Redcliff and working some deep holes in maybe a 1 mile stretch but can't get any farther upstream from there.
We never did go up to the Suffield pumps ......
It seems that the last 2 floods we've had on the Soth Sask has sorta changed where the sturgeon are......maybe it's just me though!

[Binny]

Sneer,

You do not know the facts. That fish was reeled right up to the sandy shoreline by reel. Then while we were getting our waders on, The Guide (That was on "Fishin Canada Show" and highly complemented on their techniques of caring for the fish) held the fish with a very soft, thick rope for a total of about 4 minutes including the picture time. I can tell you that fish was not in any harm at any time. Handling of this fish was far less hard on it that all the other obstacles in life it will be challenged by living in the Fraser. Also, this fish you caught, the 11ft 2inch sturgeon, I would find it hard to believe that you would not have photos of this fish. I would like to see how your photos were taken.

[hunterb]

The komatti hole is by far the best hole for sturgon. Most times we unload the boat in the hat but if water levels are way down then we unload at a local ranch north of medicine hat. From the hat is a 1 hour jet boat trip to the sturgon hole. It's right in CFB suffield military range so the only way to fish it is by boat.
As for the rattlesnake hole, we unload the boat most of the time at the suffield pump house. Nice easy trip down there if you have a shallow drifting jet boat. That run did rip a hole in a big outlaw jet boat last year. Most local guides unload at the pump house too. One guide in particular will run from the hat to the komatti hole or rattlesnake hole. First year he had the boat he sent it back to outlaw to get the steel bottom replaced/repaired. You might know who i'm talking about.

[sneer]

A noose for a total of 4 minutes is 4 minutes too many...what if the sturgeon had decided to take off, instantly the noose would have tightened putting the fish at risk.

My 11ft2inch sturgeon was handled without a noose...so I can assure you it can be done! Had it decided to take off before a picture was taken, so be it...luckily that wasn't the case and I got plenty of pictures.

[sneer]

And might I add...if the noose was only on for 4 minutes and the fish wasn't in any danger....why put a noose in the first place???

And as for life in the Fraser...your absolutely correct. These fish must survive props, nets, garbage...etc....they have a hard life...why put them at further risk with a noose?

My 11ft2inch sturgeon was immaculate...a rarity these days...most large sturgeon have many scars that go as far as chunks of fins missing...unfortunately that only leaves me to wonder how many don't survive when they get a chunk of a fin lopped off....

[Binny]

Your on of those guys that are on the water for 300 days a year and get a lot of chances to catch these fish. When guys like myself spend 250-300 days a year in the oilfields, we tend to really appretiate the chance to get a quick (and I do mean QUICK) photo of our catch if possible. That noose you are having so much trouble with was far from tight (the guide brought that to our attention), even if that fish would have got away.There is no way it would of stayed on (2-3 whips of the tail and it is gone) You must know that rope slacks off very easy. I have been on a lot of these type trips and I would not want to be the guide that let a fish like that go, by trying to hang onto it by the tail, while the group are getting there waders on. I'm all about "That's Fishing" but for a few minutes that fish was in no danger. While we were fishing in the fall for 6 days, we caught 2 fish that were over 7 ft, and had been previously tagged by our guide service. Both must have been able to survive the "4 Minute Noose". They would have had photos taken of them within the last year and a half (being that size). That noose that you taked about earlier in your rant (very special soft rope), not everything you need for fishing is bought at a tackle shop. In final, I believe you truly care for Sturgeon. That is very admirable, because I to care for them. I have probably caught 225-250 of these Prehistoric Fish between the South Sask. River and the Fraser. Not one time did I see blood from any of these fish (we took that good a care of them), and I never kept a single Sturgeon for the table, even when we were allowed 1 a year with a tag. I have a young son and daughter that I can't wait to take Sturgeon Fishing someday soon, so you will never see me put one in harm.

[sportster]

The komatti hole is by far the best hole for sturgon. Most times we unload the boat in the hat but if water levels are way down then we unload at a local ranch north of medicine hat. From the hat is a 1 hour jet boat trip to the sturgon hole. It's right in CFB suffield military range so the only way to fish it is by boat.
As for the rattlesnake hole, we unload the boat most of the time at the suffield pump house. Nice easy trip down there if you have a shallow drifting jet boat. That run did rip a hole in a big outlaw jet boat last year. Most local guides unload at the pump house too. One guide in particular will run from the hat to the komatti hole or rattlesnake hole. First year he had the boat he sent it back to outlaw to get the steel bottom replaced/repaired. You might know who i'm talking about.
sometimes other known as minor flats or drowningford holes

[hunterb]

I've fished them holes before and the one i'm refering to is further down stream. The only way way you can fish this hole is by Boat.
We catch some monster walleyes there as well.

[BBJTKLE&FISHINGADVENTURES]

Bump this way to the top just to get motivated and blood a pumpin .