Sturgeon Excursion Ettiquette

I am a newbie heading up to the 2010 Sturgeon Excursion, and have reserved a cabin at Adrians for the weekend. After watching videos and looking at pictures of past excursions, I have a couple of questions:

1. What is the acceptable distance away from other boats? (It appears that boats stack in pretty tight, but I don’t want to tick anyone off)

2. What do you look for on your electronics to help decide where to drop anchor, holes or humps?

3. Any other tips to be a courteous angler who is new to the Sturgeon Excursion?

Because of what I have read on this forum, I already have my no roll sinkers, 3/0 circle hooks, and 2 anchors. Anything else anyone would suggest would be great.

Thanks,
Folke

A big net, to keep the fish in the water as long as possible.

I always ask, is it OK to fish this close. It seems the anchor never bites quite like you’d want and at times you can end up closer than intended.

It’s pretty laid back fishing compared to Pool 4 in the spring. I enjoy the part of being able to anchor close to friends and rib each other. Makes the day go fast if the bite happens to be off a bit.

Be sure you stay on the MN side of the river or risk getting a ticket.

Pray for the ice to melt fast to open lots of river so we can spread out a bit.

Any variances on your electronics you can find is a good start. Its pretty featureless, and the fish are pretty much every where.

You will see how close others are fishing together and you can take a cue from them. One thing thing worth mentioning, IF you see someone with a really big fish on and its heading toward your stuff, if possible try to help them and yourself out by pulling lines out of the way and sometimes anchors.

Make sure your using appropriate heavier gear. Standard walleye gear…. though fun… can put undo stress on the fish as well as make it very difficult to control and get fouled in anything and everything close by.

It will be a fun time.

Be prepared to move around. The bottom is pretty featureless there and fish will hold in a location that does not look any different than any other. Once you find a good spot, keep it because it will usually continue to work. Bring plenty of warm clothes and rain gear, the weather can be pretty iffy that time of year.

Prepare to have a great time and catch the fish of your life.

These guys covered everything pretty good.

I guess for a person first time fishing for sturgeon, I would recommend looking around your boat and visualize yourself with a very large fish on. Standing up with the rod bent over the side of the boat. Now look around on the floor, what’s in the way when the sturgeon starts leading you around the boat…and I’m talking from the front of the boat all the way to the back and then up to the front again on the other side.

You’re partner should have a plan worked out so when one is fighting the fish, the other might be lifting up the other rod for you to walk under…or have him real it in. Are there marine radio antennas or anything else in the way?

Not everyone will catch a fish that large but there’s an extremely good chance that you will.

I don’t know how many times a larger fish has swam towards the boat while it’s being reeled in, giving me the false sense of security, thinking it’s a little fish only to find out I have ZERO control of the big guy.

Plan for a big fish!

PS Please support the whole body of your sturgeon. Gill plate holds and holding a large fish vertically is not helping these guys any.

HEY! Welcome to IDO!

I hope you have a great time here on line and at the Sturgeon Excursion!

Remember, you represent yourself both ON and OFF the water. I’ve been up there 3 of the last 4 years and have been completely insulted by members of a number of the different internet forums that are present. Seams happy hour starts the minute the sun rises and you’ve got to be on your toes.

I told you I didn’t really mean it Chris.

Wasn’t you BK, or maybe it was? Things usually get a bit foggy for me much later in the night.

Just an FYI for you folks… doesn’t matter what kind of gathering it is, you get your bad apples. Just has been quite surprising over the years that its some of the folks you read online that can wreck your day as they started tipping them very early in the day. I’m just saying…

Shoot… I’ve got an e-mail from a “local guide” that I should post some day for fun…

Chris if you can’t remember, I’m not telling!

Good point though. I do recall a complaint about some guys that were having a very good time on the water and the nasties were flowing. If I recall there was a family with in an ear shot.

The one great thing about the sturgeon fishing up there is that they are pretty much all over. A short move up or down stream will take care of the party fishermen.

It still amazes me that whating others catch a good sized sturgeon is just as fun as catching one yourself. Sometimes it’s a gut buster!

Fisher Dave comes to mind out on the St. Croix a few years back. He was fishing alone and we were about 75 feet away shooting the breeze.

He hookes into a good one 50+ inches. I don’t recall who was along, maybe Chappy. We were rolling watching Dave hold on to the rod while reeling in his second rod and then lifting the back anchor. I don’t know how we could have helped, but I still chuckle when I think about it.

Sturgeon=Great Times!

Don’t anchor over another boat’s bait. You can fish pretty close side by side, but if you are over their bait, the sturgeon don’t like that and the fishermen won’t either. Might get a little lead whizzing into your boat.

Here’s hoping you hook up with a monster. There is nothing like it. If you have not caught a sturgeon before you are going to be amazed at their raw power. Just nothing like it in the freshwater fishing world.

Not opposed to having a refreshment in the boat, but I really don’t have an inclination to meeting with a local CO for a breath test. My plan is to “learn” the sturgeon excursion with the hope of bringing my young son up there in a couple of years.

I am really looking forward to this trip, and want to thank everyone for their valuable help to a newbie. Please keep them coming.
Another Question: What type of bow anchor should I be using (I have a 16 1/2 Pro V)?

Folke

BWI’s don’t look good on resumes.

I use a River Spike style anchor for my 17 footer. My back anchor is a 16 pounder.

There’s some current there so make sure you have enough rope too.

All the excursioners might want to brush up on the new Ontario regs on the Lake Sturgeon. Word has been passed along that the proper Ontario authorites have deemed them “endangered species” and will actively be enforcing the law against catching, harassing, etc on the North side of the river. Most of us don’t cross the line anyways, but a fair warning to those that might.

Quote:

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Most of us don’t cross the line anyways, but a fair warning to those that might.

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That is key here.

Aqua Joe gave me a heads up on this a month or so ago. I checked with the Baudette DNR Office because I was concerned the fishery was being hurt.

According to them, the Providence was closed in Oct of ’09 not because the LOTW/Rainy fishery was in danger, but because of “some dams that are or will be in place throughout the Providence” are hurting the fishery in those areas. They also said “all of the LOTW’s/Rainy data shows an improving fishery”.

If I recall, we had a few people that would get a remote border pass. Since they banned sturgeon fishing, there’s really no reason to buy a Canadian fishing license or go over to that side.

Like before don’t fish on the Canadian side there’s not really any reason to before and less of a reason not to now.

I would just like to say a big thanks to all of you that gave me a lot of great information. My group of 4 didn’t catch any monsters (biggest was 45″), but we had a great time, and will be back again next year. May the fishing gods smile on all of you this season.

Folke