Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[leaseman]

Just a quick question. I have seen people fish with their hook and bait off of the bottom. Does it really matter if your bait is on the bottom or just a few inches off?

Thanks

P.S- Nice fish

Usually you do want your bait sitting on the bottom........ but, sometimes a longer leader and let the bait "rise" a few inches will bring success that wasn't there before.....

[Matt]

^I wonder if thats just because the bottom couple inches of water is moving slow compared to current speed and that couple inches off the bottom distributes the scent trail farther.

That's interesting to hear, because I've wondered what would dictate the minimum leader length for sturgeon as they're effectively blind when feeding.  What's to say a 2" (hypothetical) leader would be too short.

[iblly]

Well i've decided to try sturgeon fishing for the first time this year. I have lived in the lower mainland most of my life and i've been fishing for many many years but this is the year. I've decided to try to catch a sturgeon. I have no boat so I am going to be doing it from shore. Im starting from scratch (no reel and no rod - my bar rod probably won't do).

My question is..

What would you suggest, a star or lever drag reel? I have searched the internet and it seems to be a preference thing although lever drags seem to be a little more complicated.

My shore fishing setup for sturgeon is a 10 foot Uglystick and a Penn 321 with 80 lb. Tuffline, solid combo for a reasonable cost.  Landed lots of fish( biggest being 7 footer at the mouth of the Coq )without any issues.  You can pull awfully hard on the Uglystick without any worry.

[leaseman]

^I wonder if thats just because the bottom couple inches of water is moving slow compared to current speed and that couple inches off the bottom distributes the scent trail farther.

That's interesting to hear, because I've wondered what would dictate the minimum leader length for sturgeon as they're effectively blind when feeding.  What's to say a 2" (hypothetical) leader would be too short.

Matt-
Everyone is different in the way they rig (to a certain extent) their bait.... with eulachon I like to take off all fins, front of head (up to the eyes) and gill plates to have them lay flat, especially in faster water... with the two half hitches and other rigging I do, the 22-24" leader now is roughly 14" from the swivel/weight and have fairl constant action with dinos..... if action is slow, I might go with a longer leader, leave a couple of fins on to help "lift" the fish a bit and move it around, sometimes stimulates the fish into taking the bait, even when they are full! For my style of fishing (boat and shallower water at times), I like short(er) leader and heavier leader, have lost several very large fish this year to broken/rubbed leaders (first fish on new leader) and hooks are another consideration!

[azafai]

what is the best type and strength of leader recommend?

[azafai]

I have abunch of roe in my freezer too. It's cured though.


Today I went out and gave sturgeon fishing a go for the first time. Within the first hour i hooked one and lost it after a few shakes and then 15 minutes later got another one on which I landed. Nothing too big but a good start to sturgeon fishing. My first sturgeon ever!!!!!! I can't wait to go again, it was a blast.

congratulations
I am happy you did it

thanks for posting.

[kid fisherman]

Nice fish!!

[Funeral Of Hearts]

Thanks. I think im going to try again from shore this weekend.  Makes me wish i could afford a boat!

[leaseman]

what is the best type and strength of leader recommend?

If I was shore fishing I would use the 96lb dacron sturgeon leader, sold at A & N ..... it is soft with a little stretch and usually shore fishing equals snags so you do want to use less ## than main line! With it being a "flatter" line and soft, it is easier on the fish as  the smallers ones (big one too!) tend to roll. I like 9/0 or 10/0 hooks and the smaller fish will even take these no problem!

The dinos are finally moving around quite a bit now so if you can, pick 3-4 places to fish and if you have the right bait, you will be very successful!

Mike

[oni_kage]

I had really bad luck with snags at that dock! Where did you fish from? I heard a boat sank right off the dock and that might be what I was snagging, either that or all the dead wood around there.

[Funeral Of Hearts]

Ya, LOTS of snags.... but i don't know where else to go...

[rides bike to work]

I tried up from the mission bridge today with worms and eulechins  no luck though just alot of small fish stealing worms and getting our heart pumping nice spot though does the tides make a difference in sturgeon fishing we fished the falling tide so I blame our lack of luck on that.

[roeman]

Another place to try is the Whonnock warf and just up from there on the old docks.  Did really well there when I first started.  One thing to think about on the Penn 320 or 321 is to take off the line guide.  Just a matter of time before you hook into a big fish and the line is on one side of the reel and the guide on the other..
Cheers

[bbronswyk2000]

Another place to try is the Whonnock warf and just up from there on the old docks.  Did really well there when I first started.  One thing to think about on the Penn 320 or 321 is to take off the line guide.  Just a matter of time before you hook into a big fish and the line is on one side of the reel and the guide on the other..
Cheers

I believe they blocked access to the Whonnock wharf now.

[oni_kage]

I just saw this video and I was blown away... I guess this is what it use to be like here in the Lower Mainland. Now we are stuck paying $8 a pack...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fezi0c5d_s