sturgeon fishers

[WayneChristie]

Ok, so when they bite, when do you set the hook, while they are tap tap tapping or do you wait for a good yank on the line, fishing with worms. Pretty sure I made the aquaintance today, for all of 3 or 4 seconds, unless the Yanks are testing a nuclear sub in the lower Bow. Never felt so much power from a fish, I think i wet myself just a little.

[chubbdarter]

Originally Posted by WayneChristie

Ok, so when they bite, when do you set the hook, while they are tap tap tapping or do you wait for a good yank on the line, fishing with worms. Pretty sure I made the aquaintance today, for all of 3 or 4 seconds, unless the Yanks are testing a nuclear sub in the lower Bow. Never felt so much power from a fish, I think i wet myself just a little.

WC...i went to a circle hook this year.....the hook and the fish do all the work....always hooked in the lips too

[WayneChristie]

I have some I swore off when I tried them for pike, maybe I will give them a shot. Nice pic, thanks for posting

[Robotfish]

In my experience the first bites are very suttle and then your line is slack thats when i tighten up and set the hook. Which always sets in the lips.

[chubbdarter]

shore fishing and boat fishing makes a difference too.
The water is ripping right now...so a stable rod is tough even with a well anchored boat

[Robotfish]

Great point chubbdarter.

[mikeo2]

We've always used circle hooks for sturgeon in the north sask to, never had any issues other than operator area.

[Robotfish]

I have alot of that operator error lately.

[chubbdarter]

we also tryed braid as a leader but it was leaving some marks on the fish...so went back to thick dacron for a leader....didnt leave the line marks in the fish

[buckbrushoutdoors]

depends if are using a sliding weight rig or if your weight is tied stationary on your line but usuall i feel tap tap and rip that hook home and the fight is on!

[WayneChristie]

thanks guys, guess I will head for the river again today closer to the forks and give it a shot, gotta cross them off my list this summer

[Fishfinder]

Wayne, i have another week off. Lets catch some sturgeos. Sorry i never got back to ya yesterday. Busy doing nothing lol. Its amazing how a week of campin/fishn tires a person
I did manage to wake up early enough to catch 3 sturgeos.....all little, then lost a 30 min battle with a hog. Still not too happy bout that so I wont talk about it.....just recommend this.....NEVER FISH FOR MONSTERS ALONE!!

Anyways, shoot me a text, I'll fish anytime. We should hit the SSR b4 the weekend though....WAY less populated, had me honey hole all to myself yesterday

O, and DONT GO TO THE FORKS! Hope its not too late that u already left. Place does not look the same, where there once was camping, is now streams and shrubs. No easy access, super high fast running rivs, brutal roads, dunno if the place will ever be the same.

I woulda thunk the MD of taber would at least post a sign saying road/riv conditions are super bad, but they're too busy handing out tickets on the highway for speeders driving 2 kms past the limit.

O and dont bother stopping to register at the forks either, there are no pens or paper in their lil unmanaged box. I hate unmanaged boxes!!

So ya, shoot me a text wayne, let's do some wrangling!

[coorslight]

guys one day i should make a trip down i would abou****ly love to catch some sturgeon ive tried here but can it be to dirty is that a problem

[Gary K]

is there still campign available at the forks? or is it all underwater? the unmanaged box i assume is where one would register for camping?
I just am looking for somewhere to camp/fish. not to concerned if i cant camp or fish on the island. but somewhere close?

[Fishfinder]

Originally Posted by Gary K

is there still campign available at the forks? or is it all underwater? the unmanaged box i assume is where one would register for camping?
I just am looking for somewhere to camp/fish. not to concerned if i cant camp or fish on the island. but somewhere close?

Ya there's still camping, just set up anywhere u like. As older spots are under water, new ones are being made. U can still fish too in some spots but you'll be fishing the oldman i believe(and she is cruising lika a mofo), everywhere else along there is flooded i believe. We couldn't find any easy access to where the actual river "forks" are. Maybe once the rivers tame down.
Yes, the box is where u would register. It's free to camp, u just register your vehicle. Don't take no lil car as the roads are very rough and if it was to rain, I'm perty sure only 4x4s would make it out.
Hope that all makes sense lol. GL if u go!
Lotsa decent lakes within an hour...ish of lethbridge though, if your willing? Just no sturg in em.
Forks could be tough, very peaceful though

[WayneChristie]

Just got back, FF if you want to go tomorrow the missus and I both want to go, got a batch of sucker strips curing in the back of the truck right now. I fished above the center island, on the Bow side, its way calmer than the Oldman, (not you Chubb) and did ok, no sturg but I managed 3 suckers including a 7 pounder, and another mooneye. starting to wonder if Ive ever caught a goldeye, since all I get around here are mooneyes. Lots of bites, lots of mud, and had to bring the fish through a willow thicket to get them to the shore, but still a good day. Dont think anyone will be able to get to the camping island for a while, looked like a good sized creek running through the road in from where I was, forgot my camera so I couldnt take any pics.

[BeeGuy]

Ya, I was at the forks about a week ago doing some botanizing and the island is literally an island with a full on river and washout separating it at the road there. Road was fairly dry all the way around but with some good ruts in it. Can't really see anyone getting stuck the way it was.

That said, you'll need 38'' tires and a snorkel to reach the island.

F&W and ministry were parked there with a boat trailer, didn't see them on the river however. Lots of fishing garbage everywhere, but that's typical for Alberta.

[chubbdarter]

Originally Posted by WayneChristie

Just got back, FF if you want to go tomorrow the missus and I both want to go, got a batch of sucker strips curing in the back of the truck right now. I fished above the center island, on the Bow side, its way calmer than the Oldman, (not you Chubb) and did ok, no sturg but I managed 3 suckers including a 7 pounder, and another mooneye. starting to wonder if Ive ever caught a goldeye, since all I get around here are mooneyes. Lots of bites, lots of mud, and had to bring the fish through a willow thicket to get them to the shore, but still a good day. Dont think anyone will be able to get to the camping island for a while, looked like a good sized creek running through the road in from where I was, forgot my camera so I couldnt take any pics.

wayne are guys launching trailered boats in the Moat?

thanks
Oldman

[WayneChristie]

thought I heard a couple boats, but they likely came upstream, the Oldman is really rough, I havent seen it that high before, you might do better putting in on the Bow it wasnt bad. went down 3 or 4 inches while I was there.

[Fishfinder]

Originally Posted by WayneChristie

Just got back, FF if you want to go tomorrow the missus and I both want to go, got a batch of sucker strips curing in the back of the truck right now. I fished above the center island, on the Bow side, its way calmer than the Oldman, (not you Chubb) and did ok, no sturg but I managed 3 suckers including a 7 pounder, and another mooneye. starting to wonder if Ive ever caught a goldeye, since all I get around here are mooneyes. Lots of bites, lots of mud, and had to bring the fish through a willow thicket to get them to the shore, but still a good day. Dont think anyone will be able to get to the camping island for a while, looked like a good sized creek running through the road in from where I was, forgot my camera so I couldnt take any pics.

Hmmm so tempting. Let me think about it for a bit. Dont wanna say yes just yet and end up bailing on ya. Have friends from outta town just got in, haven't seen them since Nam......could be a late night.

However...I could always show you a couple spots too, even if i wasn't to fish.

[WayneChristie]

Originally Posted by Fishfinder

Hmmm so tempting. Let me think about it for a bit. Dont wanna say yes just yet and end up bailing on ya. Have friends from outta town just got in, haven't seen them since Nam......could be a late night.

picked up a case of cold Kokanee on the way home, might be a long night here too, but I dont go back to work til Monday, text me if you go before then, I need some expert guidance. The beer I can handle on my own, I have practice
theres another hole on the river in my hood I havent fished with bait, may give that a try tomorrow if nothing else.

[Fishfinder]

Originally Posted by WayneChristie

picked up a case of cold Kokanee on the way home, might be a long night here too, but I dont go back to work til Monday, text me if you go before then, I need some expert guidance. The beer I can handle on my own, I have practice
theres another hole on the river in my hood I havent fished with bait, may give that a try tomorrow if nothing else.

Well I'll definitely fish the riv before monday just not sure bout tomorrow yet. I'll let ya know a day ahead of whenever I do go. And I'm no expert my friend, just lucky enough to know of a few good areas. Location Location Location.

Been seeing alot of smaller sturgeos last couple times out. But the beasts are still there too

[chubbdarter]

Originally Posted by WayneChristie

thought I heard a couple boats, but they likely came upstream, the Oldman is really rough, I havent seen it that high before, you might do better putting in on the Bow it wasnt bad. went down 3 or 4 inches while I was there.

higher the better as long as a guy can launch

[Dale S]

Originally Posted by chubbdarter

higher the better as long as a guy can launch

There is a good launch up the Oldman about a mile up from the forks.The gov. trucks and boat are the biologist that are tagging sturgeon.

[chubbdarter]

i thought that launch was mudfilled.
either way everyone decided we are headed to Turin Forks

[Dale S]

There was a 20ft. Outlaw launch there last weekend.It's a hard gravel bottom.

[chubbdarter]

Originally Posted by Dago

There was a 20ft. Outlaw launch there last weekend.It's a hard gravel bottom.

thanks for the update.....we'll hit it the next week end.....might be a little crowded there.

Dont want to rock someones Dock with a game of jet-tag....this gang is better off away from normal people

[chubbdarter]

the Monarch to Coalhurst water sure looked good yesterday for eyes

[Dale S]

You can see it at the forks that the water is clearing up.Still to dirty to drop a jig and minnow over the side of the boat

[WayneChristie]

Originally Posted by Dago

You can see it at the forks that the water is clearing up.Still to dirty to drop a jig and minnow over the side of the boat

looked pretty muddy this afternoon. may hit it again in the morning, this time I will take my camera.