Where are the sturgeon at?

[Moe]

was wondering where is the best spot to bank for sturgeon right now? And not too far from portland either. thanks any info will help.

 

[southside_10]

The big C by Rooster rock state park. You will see all the rigs parked.
Good luck!

Peace, Tom

 

[beaverfan]

Sorry but that fishery is CLOSING this Thursday thank god!

 

[southside_10]

It's about time. Crazy stuff happening up there.

Peace, Tom

 

[Moe]

I was there last week, all the fish are gone. Everyone there said they all went up to Bonneville, and I only caght a jack. Lots of people were using bare hooks as bait. What does that sound like to you??:naughty:

 

[beaverfan]

It's good that it closed, not just because of the snagging and poaching of shakers and I'm sure some oversize. The fact that 1300 keepers have been caught in a small area of the Columbia and 1000 of them in the slough area is a huge chunk of the yearly quota for the whole river. The fact that 1000 keeper fish were kept in just the first 3 weeks of April in about 500ft of shoreline means that relatively few fisherman were catching nearly ALL the fish in the Columbia ALL in one area. If that were to continue everyone would be complaining about that instead of complaining about them closing it. If it didn't close then Sturgeon fishing would have closed right when fishing started peaking and that wouldn't be fun to hear all the whining that would come with that. Frankly it should have been closed sooner, because as it stands it will cause the Sturgeon season in the Columbia to be cut short. Just watch. Bottom line for me though it's just not fun or in my book ethical to catch fish under those conditions. It's like fishing from the holding tanks at a hatchery. Targeting fish that were likely schooled up and pushed in there in self defense by a predator that is only there because we built a dam isn't cool in my book. All indications are that Sea Lions initially pushed them in there. It would be different if this were the 1800's and we were all fishing because we needed the meat. Frankly we don't though, overall we're doing it for sport. Sports are you vs. the competitor in this case Sturgeon. Fishing like this is like going into the lockeroom and taking out your opponents knee's while they aren't looking. Talk about kicking your opponent while he's down!

 

[Moe]

It's good that it closed, not just because of the snagging and poaching of shakers and I'm sure some oversize. The fact that 1300 keepers have been caught in a small area of the Columbia and 1000 of them in the slough area is a huge chunk of the yearly quota for the whole river. The fact that 1000 keeper fish were kept in just the first 3 weeks of April in about 500ft of shoreline means that relatively few fisherman were catching nearly ALL the fish in the Columbia ALL in one area. If that were to continue everyone would be complaining about that instead of complaining about them closing it. If it didn't close then Sturgeon fishing would have closed right when fishing started peaking and that wouldn't be fun to hear all the whining that would come with that. Frankly it should have been closed sooner, because as it stands it will cause the Sturgeon season in the Columbia to be cut short. Just watch. Bottom line for me though it's just not fun or in my book ethical to catch fish under those conditions. It's like fishing from the holding tanks at a hatchery. Targeting fish that were likely schooled up and pushed in there in self defense by a predator that is only there because we built a dam isn't cool in my book. All indications are that Sea Lions initially pushed them in there. It would be different if this were the 1800's and we were all fishing because we needed the meat. Frankly we don't though, overall we're doing it for sport. Sports are you vs. the competitor in this case Sturgeon. Fishing like this is like going into the lockeroom and taking out your opponents knee's while they aren't looking. Talk about kicking your opponent while he's down!

I couldnt have said it better myself.

 

[bigsteel]

It's good that it closed, not just because of the snagging and poaching of shakers and I'm sure some oversize. The fact that 1300 keepers have been caught in a small area of the Columbia and 1000 of them in the slough area is a huge chunk of the yearly quota for the whole river. The fact that 1000 keeper fish were kept in just the first 3 weeks of April in about 500ft of shoreline means that relatively few fisherman were catching nearly ALL the fish in the Columbia ALL in one area. If that were to continue everyone would be complaining about that instead of complaining about them closing it. If it didn't close then Sturgeon fishing would have closed right when fishing started peaking and that wouldn't be fun to hear all the whining that would come with that. Frankly it should have been closed sooner, because as it stands it will cause the Sturgeon season in the Columbia to be cut short. Just watch. Bottom line for me though it's just not fun or in my book ethical to catch fish under those conditions. It's like fishing from the holding tanks at a hatchery. Targeting fish that were likely schooled up and pushed in there in self defense by a predator that is only there because we built a dam isn't cool in my book. All indications are that Sea Lions initially pushed them in there. It would be different if this were the 1800's and we were all fishing because we needed the meat. Frankly we don't though, overall we're doing it for sport. Sports are you vs. the competitor in this case Sturgeon. Fishing like this is like going into the lockeroom and taking out your opponents knee's while they aren't looking. Talk about kicking your opponent while he's down!

good post beaverfan!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Troutski]

Tummy

Tummy

I must admit...some of them are in my tummy. If they didn't taste so darn good...they would be like the Pikeminnow; there would be a bounty on them. I don't fish for them any longer, mainly because of the size...when you measure a fish in feet it is time step back and enjoy the Trout JMHO

Chuck

 

[The Nothing]

I must admit...some of them are in my tummy....

Chuck
-------
Practice C.P.R.
Catch-Photograph-Release

ain't that funny...

It's unbelievable that you would actually have us think that there could possibly be a bounty on sturgeon if "the didn't taste so darn good". What exactly is your reasoning behind that thought? I find it absolutely ludicrous. Especially since I've not seen a sturgeon cough up a salmon before...

There are 87 species of fish in the Columbia River, 45 of which are listed sensitive or species of special concern (salmon, sturgeon, included). Twelve species are either listed or candidates for listing under the Endangered Species Act, including bull trout and steelhead (and some Chub and Suckers).

It's fairly common knowedge (or so I thought, but your comments seem to prove otherwise) that the building of the dams along the Columbia are the primary cause of the explosion of Pikeminnow population, and the decrease of native anadoramous fish. The introdution of bass, walleye, and striped bass only served to further the damaged man already caused. It's often believed that bass are an even greater predator of salmon fry than pikeminnow. However, because of the huge sport fishery backing that bass have (OR bass clubs, BASS, and others), they have been able to convince politicians to keep bass out of the bounty program.

 

[bigsteel]

I think troutski was being saecastic...i think the sturgeon fishing really got crazy after some kayaker on ifish ran his mouth about fishing holes....i wont name names

 

[fishingfreak]

Moe,
My Cousin is a Sturgeon, Salmon, and Bass guide on the Columbia and has told me a few great bank spots along the Columbia off of Marine Drive. I would post the places public but I am afraid off poachers finding these spots and taking the shakers. I fished there last week for Bass and caught a sturgeon on worms. I also seen many of Shaker carcauses in the woods near the spots, I took pics and sent them to ODFW (sad thing is these IDIOTS were in boats and pulling into the sandbars and walking to the woods to clean the shakers) Anyway send me an email address and I will help you out. The only thing is there are a lot of shakers around. I caught and released 4 unharmed before landing a keeper and my buddy caught and released 7 unharmed before landing his keeper. Let me know. Fish On Fish On!

 

[Moe]

Moe,
My Cousin is a Sturgeon, Salmon, and Bass guide on the Columbia and has told me a few great bank spots along the Columbia off of Marine Drive. I would post the places public but I am afraid off poachers finding these spots and taking the shakers. I fished there last week for Bass and caught a sturgeon on worms. I also seen many of Shaker carcauses in the woods near the spots, I took pics and sent them to ODFW (sad thing is these IDIOTS were in boats and pulling into the sandbars and walking to the woods to clean the shakers) Anyway send me an email address and I will help you out. The only thing is there are a lot of shakers around. I caught and released 4 unharmed before landing a keeper and my buddy caught and released 7 unharmed before landing his keeper. Let me know. Fish On Fish On!

Thank you!! My adress is mohammednorjan@yahoo.com. Thanks again.

 

[Troutski]

Pike Minnow -vs- Sturgeon

Pike Minnow -vs- Sturgeon

ain't that funny...

It's unbelievable that you would actually have us think that there could possibly be a bounty on sturgeon if "the didn't taste so darn good". What exactly is your reasoning behind that thought? I find it absolutely ludicrous. Especially since I've not seen a sturgeon cough up a salmon before...

There are 87 species of fish in the Columbia River, 45 of which are listed sensitive or species of special concern (salmon, sturgeon, included). Twelve species are either listed or candidates for listing under the Endangered Species Act, including bull trout and steelhead (and some Chub and Suckers).

It's fairly common knowedge (or so I thought, but your comments seem to prove otherwise) that the building of the dams along the Columbia are the primary cause of the explosion of Pikeminnow population, and the decrease of native anadoramous fish. The introdution of bass, walleye, and striped bass only served to further the damaged man already caused. It's often believed that bass are an even greater predator of salmon fry than pikeminnow. However, because of the huge sport fishery backing that bass have (OR bass clubs, BASS, and others), they have been able to convince politicians to keep bass out of the bounty program.

Well to start out with...the vast majority of Salmon and Steelhead along with most strains of Trout are a genetically altered fish placed in our water sheds by the authorities with our tax dollars. I just don't understand how anyone could buy into the lie that the Bass, Pikeminnow and other predatory fish are depleting our stock of native fish. There is a very big difference between a Native fish and a wild fish. The native fish population had been corrupted way before my time as an angler, back in the 50's through the 70's the state and fed wild life agency's went on a all out stocking program in the Pacific Northwest ...this is the reason we have the problem with our Native fish populations.
Once a fish is reared in a hatchery and released into the wild and makes it back to spawn, his/her DNA is now passed on to our Native fish; these off spring are no longer Native fish. They are wild fish...quite the difference, over a few decades there are no more Native fish by the true meaning of the word...therefore how can the government list them as endangered...they are not Native.
As for the Sturgeon not praying on Salmon or Steelhead...the fish run up stream to spawn and then die and are part of the bio-mass that feeds the entire echo system, including Sturgeon. Just because you haven't seen a Sturgeon cough one up it doesn't mean it doesn't happen. Most fish are primarily predictors, the bottom feeders are the cleaners of the water system; the food they eat is part of the entire echo system, each fish has its place in the system from the tiny Chub to the mighty Sturgeon.

The endangered fish are on mans head not the Pike Minnow, or the Bass in our system. If you go back in history again, and check out the poor Bull Trout you will find that the Native Americans use to call them the "river wolf", they hunted in packs and feed mainly on Salmon, Steelhead, Trout and all other aquatic life forms. They were considered a trash fish by the white man, once a person caught one they would toss it up on shore and leave it for the birds. Now we consider them an endangered species, the ODFW along with the federal gov. has spent a ton of your tax money trying to save a life form and closing more and more bodies of water to anglers who by our license fees and tax dollars pay for the privilege to have a wonderful angling experience, . It is just like man; just can't keep his destructive hands out of trying to control Nature. Now you throw the pocket biologist into the picture and every place man has gone is corrupt and will never be the way it once was.

On another note, my original comment was meant as a joke; but after your slam I felt I had to respond. I stand by my original statement "if the Sturgeon tasted like the Pike Minnow, the state would put a bounty on them", if you can't see the big picture you might as well get in line with all the other sheep.


Chuck

 

[The Nothing]

I don't see where I slammed you, but whatever. Let me continue this without namecalling (sheep comment) and continue to be civil about things.

I can understand how you describe the differences between "native" and "wild." We're speaking slightly different as I use "native" to mean species that were originally in these waters. By that definition, hatchery fish are considered native fish. While I do not disagree that these fish are genetically inferior, they are not, by definition, genetically altered (though states stocking triploids do push that definition).

I thought I was fairly clear that mankind was the primary cause of species decline. Introduction of predatory fish, along with the damage we had already done, just made things worse.

You yourself mentioned that sturgeon will feed on dead salmon. Yes, they will. Most things in the rivers do. I fully understand how that lifecycle works. How a sturgeon eating dead, spawned out salmon bits causes a decline in fish numbers, and thus necessitating a reduction of numbers by way of a bounty, is beyond me.


before I finish, do I remember at least another thread where one of your "jokes" was misinterpreted?

 

[Troutski]

What ever, you go your way and I will go mine. When we can't even come to terms over the differences between a Native and Wild fish, how can we get over the name calling. I am finished with this thread...hopefully we can let it go.

Chuck