Sturgeon anyone ?

Well closing the fishery from DEC till mar doesn't make much sense as most people are off the river during those times any way then mid April till begin of June the river is generally blown out due to the freshet. The problem is more complex then just letting the fish rest. If you allow the gov to get involved more than it has to then the media gets involved then sierra group and so on then no more fishing for sturgies at all.I have had a theory of sorts to the problem. The guiding industry has to be monitored better. NOW before Bergler, Hot Rod and a few others jump down my throat here me out. I'm not saying tougher regs for established operators on the water, I'm saying tougher regs and qualifications to become operators. What I'm getting at is many of you who have been on the river for many years and can attest to me saying that the sturgeon fishing market has exploded over the last 5-8 years. (I can remember fishing for them 10 years ago and having people say why the hell would you fish for them.) Over the last few years with the help of the Internet you see photos of these fish and claims we regularly catch 6-8 ft fish, well what fisherman wouldn't like to hook into one of these. So you hire a guide, pay your 700 plus dollars and off you go. Now it becomes the guides job to get you into these fish. As the day rolls on fishing is slow so he heads to a hot hole which always holds fish, ie Mountain run. Other boats have been having luck there through out the day meaning the fish are active. So to keep the clients in high spirits in he goes too. They catch a couple 4's and a five or two, both with pin cushioned mouths. Your client is happy, you just had a profitable day so all is good.
Now here is where the problem lies. That client goes out a time or two and sees hey there"s money to be made at this game 700 plus isn't a bad haul for being out for a day. He goes out buys a boat, pays his 450-500 for his guiding license, buys insurance which can be a deterrent due to cost does some advertising or hooks up with a company and voila he's a guide. Now the chasing of the dollars starts. He doesn't give a s*&t about fishing edict, he'll anchor up beside, below, you because he heard there's fish there. If his client does'nt catch fish, he's lost a possible future trip and that means lost revenue.
NOW ALL GUIDES ARE NOT EQUAL. With just over 300 guides registered (that's not including the illegals) between Mission and Hope( I have four different friends that recieved theirs last fall alone), that in it's self creates alot of pressure on these fish.
There are many that are very conscience as to what they are doing, and have a genuine intrest and passion for sturgeon. Aiding in tagging and recording programs. These guys spend prety much their whole season scouting the river not just a few holes. They know and understand the habits of the fish. Now thats a guide, I have had the oppurtunity to fish with a few over the years.
Then there are the ones who will constantly fish the same hole even if there are others in there he caught fish there yesterday, because he doesnt know any other spots to work. The cost of doing business out wieghs the cost of ediquette. I also know quite a few in this bracket.
At the end of the day business is business, the good guides will still be around years from now but with the mad rush of fly by night guides that are swarming the river hope fully they won't screw it up too bad before going broke and leaving the good guys burden the load of why have stocks declined.
I realize there are other factors which include Rec fishers, F/N drifting, Mother nature, and so on.
What concerns me is rumors have been cicurlating over the past year that 2007 will be the last year for sockeye fishing on the river, with that happening will there be a scramble from more of the newbie guides to fish for sturgies in order to protect thier investment.
I did not mean for this to be an attack on the guiding industry. Like every business you have the good and conscience, and you have the more money orientated.
Sorry if it pi##es off any fellow members, but it is just one of the things I' ve noticed on the river the last few years.
There isnt going to be a easy solution like closures and such, even if you did spot closures they open areas would recieve the extra pressure. I can say I'll miss the day I can't take my daughter out fishing for sturgeon because they are either closed for good or are none, except for the ones being talked about around the camp fire during wobbly pops and remember when.
Crazy D

GOFISH said:

But Mike ........ some of us don't like crowding with others on the Vedder or Chehalis ........ and besides .......... what will I tell the wife when I want to get out on the flow, relax and have some fun???

GOFISH 8)

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Time to get yourself a fly rod bud, go out and nail some cutties on the Harrison and Fraser! Now that is relaxing ;D The oppourtunities are endless......

Crazy Drifter said:

Well closing the fishery from DEC till mar doesn't make much sense as most people are off the river during those times

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Perfect time to let them rest, get re juiced, so you can have the advantage of a healthy, mad dashing strurgeon when they become active again.

any way then mid April till begin of June the river is generally blown out due to the freshet.

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Well if you study sturgeon, like myself (makes a good guide like you said or future guide therefore)...you will find that sturgeon actually will travel into side/back channels/eddy's come spring...I would assume they shoot up there in search of food, and maybe to get out of the faster flows.....you would be amazed on how productive sturgeon fishing in these locations is during the freshet.....

The problem is more complex then just letting the fish rest. If you allow the gov to get involved more than it has to then the media gets involved then sierra group and so on then no more fishing for sturgies at all.

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Well no....this could actually benefit us....you see....these sierra group and SARA etc...want us to stop sturgeon fishing period......now if we take the enishative (spelling) of closing them down to all anglers, throughout the whole river/tribs from januaryish-late march...we could get some brownie points...as these fish are getting a good rest, have a chance to heal any injuries...(maybe that sturg I saw without a tail might grow it back) and so the next time these goofs come around they might give us a little lee way on how we should manage our fishing for them etc...could be the icing on the cake!

Well, enjoy your sturgeon!

Mike <")))))))><

That is a good point mike when the water is up high they do move into some of the strangest areas on the river. Channels and little guts that either don't exist or are flowing in a different manner all of a sudden hold fish then when the river drops and they drop back into what seems like familiar holds. Your serious guides will find you fish and know where they are holding or feeding during this time. If you watch the river during this time you will generally run into the same group of guys out there. Then when the weather stabilizes (mid juneish) then the salmon start showing up, the generic guides flood in. I would hate to say it, but if you were to purpose a good will closure what about july aug when the river is full of food and they are gorging themselves on the carcass abundance.
Thanks Rick, I figured you would understand the point of view. The same applies to my industry just because you go out and buy an excavator doesn't make you a qualified operator.
Crazy D

Time to get yourself a fly rod bud, go out and nail some cutties on the Harrison and Fraser! Now that is relaxing The oppourtunities are endless......

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I've already got 3 fly rods Mike .......... and I love doing the trip up the Harrison for cutties. ;D But I also like to drop anchor on a glorious sunny day in February/March and just drop the rods and B.S. with pals while relaxing and testing the Sturgey waters. Don't really care if I catch anything ........ just love being out there.

On a more serious note ...... and don't get me wrong as I do believe every little bit helps ......... but closing the Fraser for Sturgeon Fishing for a couple of months will not have a great impact on the overall Sturgeon population. Sturgeon migrate and in fact are nomadic monsters.

As I have stated in earlier posts ..... the Fraser is only one river that Sturgeon inhabit and what happens here on the Fraser is miniscule in relation to what happens below us at Sturgeon populated rivers in the U.S. or out in the ocean.

When fancy restraunts in Las Vegas, the whole West Coast, and many other areas offer Sturgeon on their menu for fine table fare ...... and it is openly hunted and killed by our neighbours to the south ........ perhaps some of these "Stop the Sports Fisherman" groups should focus on that area.

I'm certain if they were able to institute catch and release and the respect for the species that most of us have up here it would go a long way in safeguarding the Sturgeon population.

My own two cents ...


GOFISH 8)