White sturgeon in BC Canada

[Backcountryj.laf]

Hunting and fishing are my passions, and after 6 months of frozen lakes it was time to find some open water. Fishing sturgeon is something I do a few times a year but this trip was pretty special. Day one we landed 11 fish with the largest just over 8’. Day two we put 17 in the boat with the largest 9’6.

. With all the borders closed many of the fishing companies are struggling here in Canada if you get a chance to do it you won’t regret it.

. If you want to fish the upper stretches of big canyons call you the boys at river monsters adventures. If you want to fish the lower stretches call up kevin and Yves at sturgeon slayers.

 

[GKNOX]

Congrats on a great trip. Sure gave the arms a workout.
I did it a few years ago for my fathers bday and was thinking it was time to try it again. It is truly an amazing experience

 

[WilhelmM]

Never thought white sturgeon were particularly pretty, but to land one sounds very exciting and challenging.

 

[Backcountryj.laf]

Never thought white sturgeon were particularly pretty, but to land one sounds very exciting and challenging.

I’d agree with not being pretty but they are incredible. A 9 foot fish leaping completely out of the water is something else. And there’s not another fish I’ve ever fought that regardless of equipment you can’t overpower. The heaviest hand held rods you can imagine with 200lb test and when they decide to leave there’s not a damn thing you can do about it.

 

[spike.t]

Hunting and fishing are my passions, and after 6 months of frozen lakes it was time to find some open water. Fishing sturgeon is something I do a few times a year but this trip was pretty special. Day one we landed 11 fish with the largest just over 8’. Day two we put 17 in the boat with the largest 9’6. View attachment 395250. With all the borders closed many of the fishing companies are struggling here in Canada if you get a chance to do it you won’t regret it. View attachment 395251. If you want to fish the upper stretches of big canyons call you the boys at river monsters adventures. If you want to fish the lower stretches call up kevin and Yves at sturgeon slayers. View attachment 395252

Wow they are big....catch and release I presume?

 

[PARA45]

Wow they are big....catch and release I presume?

I was going to ask the same question. Wow, what a great experience.

 

[Shootist43]

I used to go sturgeon fishing with my dad generally during the late summer and the fall. My biggest at 64" was a piker compared to yours. I haven't fished for them in quite a while. I do recall there being restrictions like anything less than 4' had to be released because they were protected and anything above 6 or 7 foot was considered breeding stock and needed to be released. I've seen several sturgeon "tail walking" in the moon light.

 

[Backcountryj.laf]

I used to go sturgeon fishing with my dad generally during the late summer and the fall. My biggest at 64" was a piker compared to yours. I haven't fished for them in quite a while. I do recall there being restrictions like anything less than 4' had to be released because they were protected and anything above 6 or 7 foot was considered breeding stock and needed to be released. I've seen several sturgeon "tail walking" in the moon light.

All catch and release but big ones get a photo first.

 

[spike.t]

All catch and release but big ones get a photo first.

Excellent

 

[375Fox]

This looks really neat. How old is a sturgeon like these? How is overall population? Are there any specific regulations to try and protect these fish such as barbless hooks or only single hooks? I’m guessing they may be caught and released by quite a few anglers while they are in river.

 

[Backcountryj.laf]

This looks really neat. How old is a sturgeon like these? How is overall population? Are there any specific regulations to try and protect these fish such as barbless hooks or only single hooks? I’m guessing they may be caught and released by quite a few anglers while they are in river.

There’s quite a program for them. In bc most of the guides I’ve used have rfid scanners and they scan each fish and record the length girth ect. Any fish that doesn’t Havnt a chip is given one. Populations are pretty good estimated around 40000 mature fish in the river I was fishing if I remember right, but like everything they aren’t what they used to be. The fishery requires single barbless hooks and we see fisheries enforcement regularly.

 

[GKNOX]

Our guide when we went, estimated these fish were likely over 75 years old. Truly dinosaurs of the river.

 

[Ragman]

One of these days Ima gonna head west and try them. Don't know if I'm man enough to handle a nine-footer anymore!

 

[cpr0312]

Congrats and thanks for sharing!

 

[Milo]

I plan to fly down to do it once your government allows travel. What are best dates to target them?

 

[Backcountryj.laf]

I plan to fly down to do it once your government allows travel. What are best dates to target them?

Any time other than run off is pretty good. Weather is best in July and August, fishing is fantastic august-November but it was pretty fantastic for us February and March. Runoff usually takes place mid April-beginning of June.