Sturgeon Fishing around Medicine Hat

[Stella]

Was wondering if anyone could give me any ideas on where to start fishing for sturgeon in or around Medicine Hat. Also, what should I be using for bait or lures or hooks? Thanks.

[SturgeonHunter]

Under the transcanada bridge, Strathcona Park, Behind Crescent Heights, Or the Redcliff pump house are all decent places to try in town. I prefer driving out of town though myself. They're lots of good holes east or west of town if your willing to drive and go for a hike. Minnows or worms both work well. Pickerell/pike rigs work ok, but your best bet is a large single hook laying on the bottom just fluttering in the current. Best time of year is definately early spring up until water levels start to drop after all the runoff has passed through. I've had some of my best luck when they are warning people to stay away from shore because of flood warnings. Something about the fast current a mirky water really gets them going. Hope this helps

[WayneChristie]

Originally Posted by SturgeonHunter

Under the transcanada bridge, Strathcona Park, Behind Crescent Heights, Or the Redcliff pump house are all decent places to try in town. I prefer driving out of town though myself. They're lots of good holes east or west of town if your willing to drive and go for a hike. Minnows or worms both work well. Pickerell/pike rigs work ok, but your best bet is a large single hook laying on the bottom just fluttering in the current. Best time of year is definately early spring up until water levels start to drop after all the runoff has passed through. I've had some of my best luck when they are warning people to stay away from shore because of flood warnings. Something about the fast current a mirky water really gets them going. Hope this helps

hope you dont mind if I borrow this advice too? Id love to catch my first one this year. thanks for posting it. Have you ever caught them up into the Bow?

[madatter]

Whats already been said is all good.
In the Hat there are no sturgeon holes per say but you can always catch a few here and there....they do move around.
Best spots are definitely out of the way and most are accessible only with a jet boat.....thankfully I have a friend who owns one!!!
Minnows are what we use almost exclusively and salted work as good or better than unsalted.Use a minnow trap and get some fresh ones out of the river....
Biggest so far is 60+ lbs....

[wheeler_1]

Drowning Ford just outside of Medicine Hat has been good for me , and the old ferry crossing near hilda has been good. All I use is salted minnows on a 2 odd hook . My buddy uses a pickeral rig with 2 minnows , i use a system where you put a 3 - 4 oz. weight on your line then a hobby bead , followed by a barrel swivel . attach a piece of 25 - 30 lb mono line about 14 inches long from the barrel swivel after. Ive had really good luck this way.

Good luck

[Safety D]

I hear there is going to be a bait ban tell July 1st. At least on the North Sask anyways. So if that's the case no fishing geons tell Canada day????

[Teamprotz]

I like high water too. North Sask near Paradise Hill , Sk. in spring . I rebuild pickerel rigs with heavier main line , braided droppers and gamakatsu hooks. I load the hooks up with night crawlers ! Best days start early ( sun up) and home by about 4pm , got 34 in two days ! Biggest was 55lbs.

[tchow]

Originally Posted by WayneChristie

hope you dont mind if I borrow this advice too? Id love to catch my first one this year. thanks for posting it. Have you ever caught them up into the Bow?

I'll send a PM when the time gets closer when I head down for Sturg. For the Southern waterways, they come up from Sask on the SSR. As you are aware, this forks into the Bow River and Oldman.
They can travel up both til they stop at Bassano Dam on the Bow and the Oldman River Dam.

[WayneChristie]

sounds good Terry, cant wait to get one.

[gunner72]

Everything stergeon hunter said should be writen down and saved. Thats what we do and last spring we caught 31 and some of the biggest ones i've ever caught.seems like we start running into slower fishing when the green slime stats coming down but maybe thats just from not being able to keep the hooks clean?

[madatter]

High water conditions seem to make the sturgeon wander more so getting them is gonna be easier.
Once the river has stabilized or starts to drop it seems they stick pretty close to the holes they like so much.Alot of these places have no real remarkable things about them (to us anyway).
Relatively deep and current breaks(which under water could be anything) are where you will find them once river level drops off...

[Fishfinder]

Originally Posted by Stella

Was wondering if anyone could give me any ideas on where to start fishing for sturgeon in or around Medicine Hat. Also, what should I be using for bait or lures or hooks? Thanks.

drop a pm. i have an idea?

[Fishfinder]

Originally Posted by madatter

High water conditions seem to make the sturgeon wander more so getting them is gonna be easier.
Once the river has stabilized or starts to drop it seems they stick pretty close to the holes they like so much.Alot of these places have no real remarkable things about them (to us anyway).
Relatively deep and current breaks(which under water could be anything) are where you will find them once river level drops off...

In a nutshell...YUP. U know ur sturg me friend
Wayne... i will show u the way, YOUNG Skywalker, hehehaha, only next time i won't stand u up.

[WayneChristie]

Originally Posted by Fishfinder

In a nutshell...YUP. U know ur sturg me friend
Wayne... i will show u the way, YOUNG Skywalker, hehehaha, only next time i won't stand u up.

ET dont answer the phone! you bet.

[Rob.H]

I'm new to Medicine Hat and looking to get into fishing here. I came from Ontario and don't know the area very well. I've got a frogged boat and tons a gear. Throw me a PM if anyone's interested.