Columbia River Sturgeon

Columbia river Sturgeon fishing Guides and Sturgeon fishing charters on the Columbia River

How to catch Sturgeon

How to catch keeper Sturgeon

How to catch trophy Sturgeon

Be Careful What You Fish For Guide Service: Our favorite and most productive area is the Columbia River between Portland and Longview. Literally millions of salmon, steelhead and Sturgeon flood past this area every year. We fish out of a fully enclosed Thunder Jet river sled that accommodates 4 fisherman. I am Coast Guard Licensed and insured.

Washington State Boat Launches Every boat launch in the state of WA is listed here along with a ton of information about the facilities!

State Fishing Records:

Links To Popular Sturgeon Fishing Websites:

• Sturgeon Charters

• Fishing Guides Sturgeon

• Sturgeon Fishing Guides

• Columbia River Sturgeon Fishing Guides

Dept of Fish & Wildlife

Idaho
Alaska 

Local Water Levels for Oregon coast.

 depends more on bottom structure than depth. Fish of all sizes can be caught in water 20-30 ft. deep if it is in a feeding lane or trough. Anchoring in the upper end of a trough or off to one side of the trough and casting or drifting bait into the trough is an effective way to entice fish. Study a good chart of the river bottom to get an idea of where to start fishing. Be patient. Most sturgeon bites are as light as that of a trout. If you experience a lot of "jump-uppers" ones that cause you to jump out of your seat and grab the rod and then not get another bite, try reducing the size of the hook to a 5/0 or 6/0 hook. In catching several hundred sturgeon over the past 5 years, I have never had a sturgeon swallow the hook to a point where it was not visible in the outer mouth area.
 Upriver Sturgeon fishing requires heavy butted sensitive tip rod that is 7-7 1/2 feet in length. Short boat rods allow for detecting the lightest of bites while providing power for the largest fish. The shorter rod all but eliminates accidental injury caused from casting or setting hooks on longer rods. This is especially true for less experienced fishermen. Best bait day in and day out above John Day Dam is Roll-Mop Herring with a hook no larger than 7/0      (barbless). Being able to break loose from the anchor will assist in making light rods and line      (50# high tech type) more desirable to use, easier to cast and sufficient for the big boys.
Name: Bob Wimberly
email: wimbocondo@msn.com

Thanks to Ultimate Guide Service, NW Sturgeon Adventures and J and J Guide Service for the Sturgeon photos on this website.

Washington fishing guides

Oregon fishing guides

Idaho Fishing Guides:

Big Fish Guide Service Guide Josh Frederick guides on the Columbia, and most its tributaries. We angle for Sturgeon, Salmon, and Steelhead. Trips include, top of the line tackle, fresh bait, and we even provide your lunch.

Different Types Of Sturgeon

White sturgeon

• Before Pre-historic man walked this earth....the Sturgeon swam in its waters - our modern day Sturgeon is a carryover from those times. Some people say that Sturgeon can live for 50 years......some say 100 years....and a couple say the original species is still alive....swimming around in a land locked lake somewhere in Europe....

• The White Sturgeon is one of approx. 27 species of Sturgeon.  It is the largest and most recognized and can grow to 20' in length and 2000# in weight.  The Sturgeon of the Pacific North West (Columbia and Fraser Rivers) mature at an older age and larger size - than the Sturgeon of the Sacramento & San Joaquin Rivers. That is one of the reasons for the different size limits of the sturgeon. The size limit was adjusted to protect the female "spawning" sturgeon.

• The record for the biggest Sturgeon from the SF bay area is 468 lbs. That record "may never be broken because it was set prior to the max. size limit of 72" was set by Joey Pallotta out of Crockett, Ca..  As is common now a days, the conservation of the species is more important than its  record size. Though anglers may argue that point.

Columbia River Sturgeon Fishing

Pallid sturgeon

• This Gentle Giant is really somewhat less than a Giant. At its max. size it can grow to 6ft. and 100lbs. It inhabits the waters of the Mississippi, Missouri, and Yellowstone Rivers. The Pallid Sturgeon "Scaphirhynchus albus" has been on the endangered list since 1990 and will likely be there until at least 2225. The numbers of fish in the northern Missouri and Yellowstone may be as low as 250 in the states of North Dakota and Montana. The number of fish surviving in the lower Missouri and Mississippi River systems, is estimated at 16000. In 1997, 750 farm raised sturgeon were released into the northern rivers to try and re-populate them. Hopes are that by the year 2040, fisher people will be able to catch a legal sized sturgeon in their catch and release program.

Columbia River Gorge Sturgeon

Green sturgeon

• "Acipenser medirostris" The Green Sturgeon of the Pacific region of North America . is found from Southeast Alaska to Ensenada Mexico. This Sturgeon with its moderate Snout is a primitive bottom dweller that swims with the White Sturgeon, but, only  grows in size to 7 ft. and 350 lbs. were as the White is the largest  Sturgeon of all - reaching over 2000 lbs. in weight. The Green Sturgeon may travel a lot more than any other species. Often know to visit the entire Pacific Coast during its travels, spending the winter in Ensenada - only to return to its spawning grounds at either California's Sacramento River, Oregon's Rogue River, or the Trinity/Klamath Rivers of northern California. San Francisco Bay's population of Green Sturgeon is put at 500 to 1000 adult sturgeon, while the number in the spawning areas is unknown. Census due out in June 2002 could put it on the endangered species list  If you catch a Green Sturgeon, take its picture and let it go. The flesh does not taste good like the White Sturgeon.

Shad And Popular Sturgeon fishing Bait

White sturgeon of Idaho

• White Sturgeon of Idaho are found in the Snake River, Salmon River, and the Kootenai River. The fish of the Snake River and Salmon River are common White Sturgeon found in the West and Pacific northwest. The sturgeon of the Kootenai River are a genetically distinct population of White Sturgeon. Populations have declined. In 1972 the Libby dam began its hydroelectric operations and drastically changed the river's flows, thereby changing the spawning conditions for sturgeon. The White Sturgeon of the Kootenai River is now an endangered species and the river is closed to fishing. 

How To Anchor When Sturgeon Fishing

Shovelnose Sturgeon

• The Shovelnose Sturgeon is at home in the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers and the main tributaries that flow into these water sheds. The largest shovelnose caught came from the Des Moines River weighing in at 12 lbs. This small sturgeon matures at 5 to 7 yrs and grow to 20" to 24" in length. Spawning occurs in May & June. Buff to olive drab in color; covered by heavy plate-like scales; flattened long nose, threadlike filament attached to top lobe of tail fin; 4-8 lb fish common.

• The Shovelnose - like the Lake Sturgeon is a bottom feeder that scavenges insect larvae, clams, and what ever enters its suction tube mouth.

• In Iowa approximately 50,000 lbs. are harvested annually by commercial fishermen from the Mississippi River.

thanks and hats off to http://www.sturgeonfishing.com/ for allowing us to use this information.

Tips For Catching Sturgeon

• If your not getting sturgeon bites within at least half and hour move. Move as much as possible until you catch fish.

• Have enough bait, and make sure it's fresh and stays fresh. It's also a good idea to have several kinds of bait in your boat.

• If bait steeling trash fish are bad wrap your bait with elastic thread, if they are worse wrap it with spawn sack cloth too, if they are even worse, move. Usually if there are sturgeon in the area the trash fish aren't too bad.

thanks to Vic Carrao for photo