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Well I decided to launch at a spot that is new to me, the Gilbert River boat launch. I was really excited to see what that area was like and I really wanted to catch a sturgeon out of small water. I got to the ramp about quarter after 7 and as I unloaded the kayak I realized that I had forgotten the battery for the depth finder. I was so mad at myself. I sat there trying to decide whether to (a) Go home (50 minute drive) and get the battery and fish somewhere closer to home, (b) Just drive to a place I was familiar with and fish there, (c) Just stay and fish.
Well I chose (c) which in hindsight was not the correct choice. As I was getting everything ready to launch I chatted with a really nice guy launching his power boat. I explained that I had forgotten my depth finder battery and I asked him if he could point me to any sturgeon holes in the Gilbert River. He said there is a deep hole at the big bend, but that it was a ways up the river. He also noted that downstream from the launch in the MC that there was a deep hole where it made a bend. He said that was closer than the big bend hole.
Here I made my first mistake. I thought about heading to fishing in the MC. The tide was outgoing and there was good current in the MC, but I really wanted to explore the Gilbert River and catching a sturgeon in that small water just seemed so compelling. I should have fished the MC right away and explored late but instead I started up the Glbert river in search of the big bend hole. I stopped here and there to toss a spinnerbait but did not get any bites. After a bit I just decided to head straight upriver since it was sturgeon that I was truly after. As I pedaled I noticed that there was a fair bit of current that I was working against, but I figured it would not be too far. By the time I got started it was almost 8am.
I would guess that the current was more than 1.5 mph, which doesn't sound bad, but it effectively adds distance when you are pedaling against it. I would have quit several times but boaters I passed by kept telling me it was a mile or so upstream. Well, I measured it out when I got home and it is ~4miles up to the big bend. With that current it was more like 6. It took me almost two hours, two sweaty hours, to finally get to the big bend hole. It was so disappointing when I got there. Apparently you can drive to that spot.
I had worked so hard to have this small water wilderness sturgeon experience and instead I happen upon a spot being fished by a half dozen people enjoying the day. I figured after all that work that I should at least give that spot a try. On my first cast I snagged up and had to break off. I fished that area for about 2 hours (moving around several times, fanning my casts, etc) without a bite. I did not see anyone catch anything while I was there. I was bummed.
Mistake 2. One of the boaters I had passed had mentioned that past the big bend hole there is another good spot where the Gilbert hits the lake. At that point I was so bummed I decided to just head back. If I had been smart I would got my phone out and I could have seen that I was less than 1/2 mile from that spot. So stupid not to at least try the other spot and in looking on the map last night there is no bank access there.
At least on the way back out I had the current helping me and it only took less than 1 hour instead of 2. As I got close the mouth I decided to just randomly stop and try a spot for sturgeon. I cast out and when I pull the line tight it is stuck - snagged again. Finally I decided I should go out and try the bend in the MC. I was mad because I knew the outgoing was supposed to end around 2 and it was already 1. I did not have much time to make something happen.
I got up to the spot and there were a few folks fishing the area. I chatted with them about the shape of the hole and got my bearings. I dropped anchor and started fishing - feeling stressed and desperate since I knew time was running out. The first spot I tried I would occasionally get a pecky bite from some kind of little fish (bullhead, sculpin, pikieminnow, etc) but no sturgeon bites.
After chatting with another boat I moved downstream a bit at their advice. I got the same kind of bites here. They caught a nice sturgeon while I was fishing near them but then they pulled up and left as the tide lessened. I made a cast towards the area the were fishing and I finally felt that old familiar thunk, thunk thunk of a sturgeon bite. I set the hook and knew it was a tiny one. I reel it straight up and it is about a foot and half, but I though at least I got a fish and maybe I am throwing into good water. However the current kept lessening and lessening and the wind started blowing me around quite a bit. It was getting close to 3pm by now.
Shortly after I caught that fish a boat came by and the folks asked my if I wanted some bait since they were done for the day. We chatted for a minute and they told me they were really doing well up where they were fishing. When I told him I did not have my finder with me he told me that they were anchored off a the second log jam. So I decided to go over that area. As I made my way over I was not sure which log jam he meant. Does that count as one or two? Does that log count as one? By the time I decided where to anchor the current had stopped completely. I did not get another bite even though I stubbornly stayed and fished that area for another hour.
Hot, tired, sweaty and knowing I was thwarted by my own bad decisions I made my way back to the ramp and loaded up to go home. To finish off the perfect day I got stuck behind a super slow driver getting the entire way out. Every time we got to a passing zone there would be traffic coming the other way. As soon as the passing zone ended there was no traffic at all.
I don't know what I did to deserve so much bad karma, but for whatever it was I sincerely apologize
Well I chose (c) which in hindsight was not the correct choice. As I was getting everything ready to launch I chatted with a really nice guy launching his power boat. I explained that I had forgotten my depth finder battery and I asked him if he could point me to any sturgeon holes in the Gilbert River. He said there is a deep hole at the big bend, but that it was a ways up the river. He also noted that downstream from the launch in the MC that there was a deep hole where it made a bend. He said that was closer than the big bend hole.
Here I made my first mistake. I thought about heading to fishing in the MC. The tide was outgoing and there was good current in the MC, but I really wanted to explore the Gilbert River and catching a sturgeon in that small water just seemed so compelling. I should have fished the MC right away and explored late but instead I started up the Glbert river in search of the big bend hole. I stopped here and there to toss a spinnerbait but did not get any bites. After a bit I just decided to head straight upriver since it was sturgeon that I was truly after. As I pedaled I noticed that there was a fair bit of current that I was working against, but I figured it would not be too far. By the time I got started it was almost 8am.
I would guess that the current was more than 1.5 mph, which doesn't sound bad, but it effectively adds distance when you are pedaling against it. I would have quit several times but boaters I passed by kept telling me it was a mile or so upstream. Well, I measured it out when I got home and it is ~4miles up to the big bend. With that current it was more like 6. It took me almost two hours, two sweaty hours, to finally get to the big bend hole. It was so disappointing when I got there. Apparently you can drive to that spot.
I had worked so hard to have this small water wilderness sturgeon experience and instead I happen upon a spot being fished by a half dozen people enjoying the day. I figured after all that work that I should at least give that spot a try. On my first cast I snagged up and had to break off. I fished that area for about 2 hours (moving around several times, fanning my casts, etc) without a bite. I did not see anyone catch anything while I was there. I was bummed.
Mistake 2. One of the boaters I had passed had mentioned that past the big bend hole there is another good spot where the Gilbert hits the lake. At that point I was so bummed I decided to just head back. If I had been smart I would got my phone out and I could have seen that I was less than 1/2 mile from that spot. So stupid not to at least try the other spot and in looking on the map last night there is no bank access there.
At least on the way back out I had the current helping me and it only took less than 1 hour instead of 2. As I got close the mouth I decided to just randomly stop and try a spot for sturgeon. I cast out and when I pull the line tight it is stuck - snagged again. Finally I decided I should go out and try the bend in the MC. I was mad because I knew the outgoing was supposed to end around 2 and it was already 1. I did not have much time to make something happen.
I got up to the spot and there were a few folks fishing the area. I chatted with them about the shape of the hole and got my bearings. I dropped anchor and started fishing - feeling stressed and desperate since I knew time was running out. The first spot I tried I would occasionally get a pecky bite from some kind of little fish (bullhead, sculpin, pikieminnow, etc) but no sturgeon bites.
After chatting with another boat I moved downstream a bit at their advice. I got the same kind of bites here. They caught a nice sturgeon while I was fishing near them but then they pulled up and left as the tide lessened. I made a cast towards the area the were fishing and I finally felt that old familiar thunk, thunk thunk of a sturgeon bite. I set the hook and knew it was a tiny one. I reel it straight up and it is about a foot and half, but I though at least I got a fish and maybe I am throwing into good water. However the current kept lessening and lessening and the wind started blowing me around quite a bit. It was getting close to 3pm by now.
Shortly after I caught that fish a boat came by and the folks asked my if I wanted some bait since they were done for the day. We chatted for a minute and they told me they were really doing well up where they were fishing. When I told him I did not have my finder with me he told me that they were anchored off a the second log jam. So I decided to go over that area. As I made my way over I was not sure which log jam he meant. Does that count as one or two? Does that log count as one? By the time I decided where to anchor the current had stopped completely. I did not get another bite even though I stubbornly stayed and fished that area for another hour.
Hot, tired, sweaty and knowing I was thwarted by my own bad decisions I made my way back to the ramp and loaded up to go home. To finish off the perfect day I got stuck behind a super slow driver getting the entire way out. Every time we got to a passing zone there would be traffic coming the other way. As soon as the passing zone ended there was no traffic at all.
I don't know what I did to deserve so much bad karma, but for whatever it was I sincerely apologize
