Sturgeon decline in NS River studied - Page 2

Smokey · #31 11-30-2011, 03:45 PM

I once found a minnow sturgeon on the bank of the North Sask, I picked er up, and yelled at my cousin to come over. He said get that thing in the water now, grabbed it and tried to get it to swim away.

Ive learned since then, its best not to target them. The thrill to catch one ain`t worth the risk of loosing what we got, which is not that much.

BeeGuy · #32 11-30-2011, 04:22 PM

Hey Wayne,

You should find this info pretty useful. The SSR and NSR fish are likely to vary a bit from this data, but it should be correct more or less.

Lake Sturgeon Size-Age-weight

BeeGuy · #33 11-30-2011, 04:27 PM

The small ones are likely less than 3 years old.

Dale S · #34 11-30-2011, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smokey

I once found a minnow sturgeon on the bank of the North Sask, I picked er up, and yelled at my cousin to come over. He said get that thing in the water now, grabbed it and tried to get it to swim away.

Ive learned since then, its best not to target them. The thrill to catch one ain`t worth the risk of loosing what we got, which is not that much.

You must not fish in the river then. Every time you baitfish in the river you target them along with walleye,sauger,pike and the elusive sucker.

WayneChristie · #35 11-30-2011, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeeGuy

Hey Wayne,

You should find this info pretty useful. The SSR and NSR fish are likely to vary a bit from this data, but it should be correct more or less.

Lake Sturgeon Size-Age-weight

good chart, thanks. from what I see the NSR ones the same length as ours seem to be heavier, or maybe they stopped growing lengthwise so much and started filling out. more nastys for them to eat in there too

WayneChristie · #36 11-30-2011, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smokey

I once found a minnow sturgeon on the bank of the North Sask, I picked er up, and yelled at my cousin to come over. He said get that thing in the water now, grabbed it and tried to get it to swim away.

Ive learned since then, its best not to target them. The thrill to catch one ain`t worth the risk of loosing what we got, which is not that much.

sure it wasnt a stickleback? I dont know, Ive never seen a sturgeon minnow. sticklebacks I have seen plenty, found one last weekend that had been on the ice in pretty much zero water for 24 hours, and it swam away no problem when I put it back. thats tough!

BGSH · #37 11-30-2011, 05:59 PM

I would think your sturgeon would be 3-7 years old. would be cool to catch such a small sturgeon like that then 50 years down the road thinking he could still be alive.

WayneChristie · #38 11-30-2011, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BGSH

I would think your sturgeon would be 3-7 years old. would be cool to catch such a small sturgeon like that then 50 years down the road thinking he could still be alive.

never thought of it that way, that fish will be peeing in the river long after Im gone, maybe my grandkids

can catch the same ones.

BGSH · #39 11-30-2011, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WayneChristie

never thought of it that way, that fish will be peeing in the river long after Im gone, maybe my grandkids

can catch the same ones.

Yea it is cool to think of it like that, because Sturgeon can live 175 years, so that is why we should handle them with due care.

BeeGuy · #40 11-30-2011, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BGSH

Yea it is cool to think of it like that, because Sturgeon can live 175 years, so that is why we should handle them with due care.

A good reason for fishing guidelines/education with respect to sturgeon inhabited waters.

Imagine being gut hooked for a few decades?

BGSH · #41 11-30-2011, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeeGuy

A good reason for fishing guidelines/education with respect to sturgeon inhabited waters.

Imagine being gut hooked for a few decades?

i have to laugh, but yea honestly it would suck, yea and being a sturgeon they are a very tough species of fish meaning when they get hooked and hooked and hooked again time after time, there mouth would probably start getting sore, that is why i very rarely bait fish.

greylynx · #42 11-30-2011, 07:09 PM

Has anyone e-mailed the student at the U of A?

BeeGuy · #43 11-30-2011, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greylynx

Has anyone e-mailed the student at the U of A?

Good point, I looked it up yesterday but could only find an empty profile on the UoA website.

It would be great to hear from the experts.

greylynx · #44 11-30-2011, 07:28 PM

I think this is not a serious study, but a half hatched sampling that is quite common with SRD.

Stuff like this is used to feed the media, that "something" is being done to protect the public's resources.

BGSH · #45 11-30-2011, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greylynx

I think this is not a serious study, but a half hatched sampling that is quite common with SRD.

Stuff like this is used to feed the media, that "something" is being done to protect the public's resources.

You cannot really do anything to really protect the sturgeon, if someone really wants to keep one, what is stopping them?? the only thing that could be done is ban fishing in highly populated areas that hold good numbers of Sturgeon, other then that it is up to you and me to look out for this beauty.

Kim473 · #46 12-01-2011, 06:08 AM

Decline?? I have heard of twice as many sturgen caught in the last year than in the previous 5 years. Does this not mean that the populations are increasing?

pikehunter1989 · #47 12-01-2011, 06:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kim473

Decline?? I have heard of twice as many sturgen caught in the last year than in the previous 5 years. Does this not mean that the populations are increasing?

I think the large amount of sturgeon caught were due to the high water levels. They like deep holes and they dont move a whole lot from those holes...so I think with high waters they were moving around a bit more than usual. I could be wrong but there did seem to be alot more being caught this year... He'll even I caught 2 this year.

Dale S · #48 12-01-2011, 06:48 AM

BGSH why do you even suggest closing more fishing down.The SRD dose not have a clue of the number of fish in the river systems.I know in the S.S.R. I've never seen so many sturgeon caught in the last few years.70 years ago they use to gill net the river and keep every thing.Maybe thats why the oldest fish they tag was 63 years old.Leave the rules alone and stop the pouching would sure help.

BGSH · #49 12-01-2011, 08:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dago

BGSH why do you even suggest closing more fishing down.The SRD dose not have a clue of the number of fish in the river systems.I know in the S.S.R. I've never seen so many sturgeon caught in the last few years.70 years ago they use to gill net the river and keep every thing.Maybe thats why the oldest fish they tag was 63 years old.Leave the rules alone and stop the pouching would sure help.

Not close down fishing, just certain areas where sturgeon hang out, just a suggestion that is all.

aulrich · #50 12-01-2011, 09:03 AM

Sometimes selective closures are effective, I am not sure about river habitat though river fish are far more migratory.

How long has Alberta been c&r for sturgon? I am pretty sure it was at least 10 years before the improvment was noticable. Also poachers with nets are a lot easier to see on a busy lake that a river.

BeeGuy · #51 12-01-2011, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greylynx

I think this is not a serious study, but a half hatched sampling that is quite common with SRD.

Stuff like this is used to feed the media, that "something" is being done to protect the public's resources.

What are you basing this on?