can't catch Sturgeon
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940 Posts
The information provided here is enough to let us know that you have been sturgeon fishing with oolies but not complete enough to know how to help, in my opinion.
Without knowing more info you may want to:
Try a different bait
Different area
Different water depths
Add Scent
make sure your bait is not acting like a propeller in the current
watch the tide times
There is a lot of info on here plus online for setting up your gear. Provide some more info and I am sure some of the more "knowledgeable" members could shed some insight on your quandry. :thumbup:
Without knowing more info you may want to:
Try a different bait
Different area
Different water depths
Add Scent
make sure your bait is not acting like a propeller in the current
watch the tide times
There is a lot of info on here plus online for setting up your gear. Provide some more info and I am sure some of the more "knowledgeable" members could shed some insight on your quandry. :thumbup:
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1,437 Posts
Jimmy,
Sometimes it isn't where your fishing ......... but what you are doing. Whatever you use for bait ........... make sure it is on the bottom ......... a sturg is not going to take a bait waving around in the current ......... they are bottom feeders. :cheers:
In order to do this ........... use adequate weight ............. use short leaders ...... as a rule any longer than your arm is TOO LONG.
Always take and try a variety of FRESH baits (at certain times SMELLY may be the ticket also). Depends on what's happening in the river.
If all your relying on is fresh water smelts then you are only catering to one kind of "customer". Sturgeon are picky and their appetite changes from day to day ....... sometimes hour by hour.
GOFISH 8)
Sometimes it isn't where your fishing ......... but what you are doing. Whatever you use for bait ........... make sure it is on the bottom ......... a sturg is not going to take a bait waving around in the current ......... they are bottom feeders. :cheers:
In order to do this ........... use adequate weight ............. use short leaders ...... as a rule any longer than your arm is TOO LONG.
Always take and try a variety of FRESH baits (at certain times SMELLY may be the ticket also). Depends on what's happening in the river.
If all your relying on is fresh water smelts then you are only catering to one kind of "customer". Sturgeon are picky and their appetite changes from day to day ....... sometimes hour by hour.
GOFISH 8)
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696 Posts
dew worms and roe can't go wrong, unless you can get some eels.
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31 Posts
Looking for these???
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A trick for you to try with oolies is to cut the head tail and all fins offstart your hook through the tail and runit up towards where the head was run it back through, leave the hook dangle out the front. Then throw a half hitch around the tail. 16oz should hold you on the bottom. A decent spot is where the Stave runs into the Fraser, try upstream about 15-25ft off the shore in about 25ft of water. Or look for holes and fish above them. Good luck and wish I could join you.
Oh and for another thought run about an 18" leader.
A trick for you to try with oolies is to cut the head tail and all fins offstart your hook through the tail and runit up towards where the head was run it back through, leave the hook dangle out the front. Then throw a half hitch around the tail. 16oz should hold you on the bottom. A decent spot is where the Stave runs into the Fraser, try upstream about 15-25ft off the shore in about 25ft of water. Or look for holes and fish above them. Good luck and wish I could join you.
Oh and for another thought run about an 18" leader.
This is exactly were I have been fishing but in about 35 ft of water and I have bee fishing the entire fish. hook through the middle of the body head down and 2 half hitches around the body and tail. There don't seem to be any roll but it is great being able to get out and try with the kids. I am heading out again this afternoon if the rain stops.
Thanks for the info.
Thanks for the info.
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1,030 Posts
If I were you I would try either moving to a different spot, as the sturgeon from what I saw yesterday are on the move now (different holes, mainsteam etc.) and maybe try different baits....maybe the oolie feed is off now, and they might want some roe etc. instead....
Just food for thought....
Mike <"))))><
Just food for thought....
Mike <"))))><
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31 Posts
I started in about 35ft of water and had no action at all, so I moved down stream and fished the seam where the Stave and Fraser join right on the seam but out enough so the main current holds the boat. There is a big hole in there but the fish size range from 24-48". But as Mike said they maybe moving around and try some roe. I never had a bite on roe while I was there but they were saying it was working then.
Shoot Moosefinder a PM he might be able to steer you towards some and tell you where to find them if they are on the move.
Shoot Moosefinder a PM he might be able to steer you towards some and tell you where to find them if they are on the move.
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909 Posts
Hey Jimmy,
Like Mike said the fish are on the move right now. With the water up so high they cruise in spots that you would'nt think there would be and when the water recides won't be. The other thing with the water up like this the current pattern changes and productive holes become barren. This am in a matter of 20 or so min i saw 8 different fish flop all around the 5 to 7 ft. range. Alll were out in the main stream. Tried roe, worms, pike mins, and a usual bait , but no takers. Did see a dead 7+ ft floating by, dont see that often.
Cheers,
Crazy D
Like Mike said the fish are on the move right now. With the water up so high they cruise in spots that you would'nt think there would be and when the water recides won't be. The other thing with the water up like this the current pattern changes and productive holes become barren. This am in a matter of 20 or so min i saw 8 different fish flop all around the 5 to 7 ft. range. Alll were out in the main stream. Tried roe, worms, pike mins, and a usual bait , but no takers. Did see a dead 7+ ft floating by, dont see that often.
Cheers,
Crazy D
Going out right now with the boy, we will try the same area for now them we may work our way up river above the bridge. I will report thanks for the info guys. We have ooligans and roe and we will pick up some dow worms as well.Crazy Drifter said:
Hmm, I don't really have much to add that hasn't already been said, but i'll throw my 2c in anyways! Don't be disheartened...they are around, and they are biting...I've been doing pretty well as of late.
Remember:
-short leaders. The sturgeon don't seemed to be nearly as spooked by your rig as you may think. I fish 18" at the very MOST. If fishing smelt/herring/euchalon, no heads, tails, fins, and make sure its straight. Lower it into the water and see if it does a big spiral/loop in the current. If it does, dont even waste your time....bring it in and re-rig it!
-Depth. The higher the river gets the shallower I seem to find the Sturgeon. I'm not saying they aren't in those deep holes, but those shallow backeddys just off the current are certainly worth a couple quick drops to 'test the waters'.
-Check the lines. The Fraser can do some very interesting things to your rig. Nothing more frustrating than waiting 20mins for a hit, pulling in your rig to find your leader managed to crochet itself around your weight. Keep the bait fresh, and work the water. Find where the fish are moving.
good luck! ;D Hope this helps!
Remember:
-short leaders. The sturgeon don't seemed to be nearly as spooked by your rig as you may think. I fish 18" at the very MOST. If fishing smelt/herring/euchalon, no heads, tails, fins, and make sure its straight. Lower it into the water and see if it does a big spiral/loop in the current. If it does, dont even waste your time....bring it in and re-rig it!
-Depth. The higher the river gets the shallower I seem to find the Sturgeon. I'm not saying they aren't in those deep holes, but those shallow backeddys just off the current are certainly worth a couple quick drops to 'test the waters'.
-Check the lines. The Fraser can do some very interesting things to your rig. Nothing more frustrating than waiting 20mins for a hit, pulling in your rig to find your leader managed to crochet itself around your weight. Keep the bait fresh, and work the water. Find where the fish are moving.
good luck! ;D Hope this helps!
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3,378 Posts
One other thing I have learned over the years, and I am relatively new to S. fishing.........Go and fish where you see boats everyday!...The guys running the charters usually know where the fish are and they have 5 or 6 spots they hit every day....If you see boats there every day you can usually assume they are catching fish.......Ortho 8)
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940 Posts
from what I have learned over the years is that sturgeon prefer the bait to appear dead. If the bait is swimming or spiraling, in my opinion and my encounters, I hook up a lot less. I may be wrong, but this is what I have seen.89RS said:
I too cut the tails off to keep them from spinning though
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735 Posts
Doug-
Everyone has given you some good info here...one last thing I will say is if you can find some ditch eels from anyone/where, try them, they are by far the best year round bait and will/can outfish everything else except fresh roe in September....
Mike
Everyone has given you some good info here...one last thing I will say is if you can find some ditch eels from anyone/where, try them, they are by far the best year round bait and will/can outfish everything else except fresh roe in September....
Mike
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