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There is no question that fishing is an enjoyable hobby and fishing for sturgeon is a challenging – yet fascinating – way to enjoy the fishing hobby.
The term “sturgeon” doesn’t actually refer to one fish. It actually means that the fish is a member of one of the 26 different members of the acipenseridae fish family.
They are commonly found in lakes, rivers, and the coast throughout the Eurasian part of the world and North American regions. Simply put, this is a very large species of fish.
They can grow to a size of as high as 18 feet, and they also can often exceed 100 pounds. Moreover, this fish often has the lifespan of a human being, with many specimens living to the ripe old age of 100 years or more.
Of course, as a fishing enthusiast and outdoorsman, this all begs the question: can you fish for sturgeon? The answer to this question is not only yes, but an enthusiastic yes at that. Indeed, whole industries have been built around sturgeon. They are often harvested not only for their meat, but also for the roe portion of their bodies as well. This roe is often sold in specialty shops as caviar not only in shops in regions where sturgeon are often found but in retail establishments all over the world as well.
Considering that sturgeon are bottom feeders who love to feast on worms, waterbugs, snails, crayfish, and shrimp, here are some tips and strategies for properly catching this fascinating breed of fish:
Make sure you have the appropriate tackle equipment for your sturgeon fishing experience.
First things first. If you are going to take on the challenge of fishing for sturgeon, you need to have the right tackle. The rod and reel you use for catching a sturgeon must be very specific. For the rod, you must have a rod that will allow for the unique personality and habits of the sturgeon fish.
First of all, you must realize that these sturgeon might be large, but their bites aren’t. In fact, they are probably some of the lightest biting fish that you will encounter. Thus, you first of all need a rod that will have a soft tip so that you can feel the bite of the sturgeon without overreacting and spooking to the point that they take off.
Of course, what of salmon rods?
Additionally, you want to look for a rod that is constructed of just a single piece rather than an assembled design. Moreover, the ideal rod will usually be between 6 to 9 feet and will have an outfitted line that is durable enough for at least 80 pounds (sturgeon get very large indeed!) and line capability of at least 250 yards.
There are a lot of people who swear by using these kinds of rods for their sturgeon fishing, but the problem with those is that they will usually only hook up the medium-sized sturgeon. What about the larger ones? Don’t sell yourself short. Instead of just using a salmon rod, go with a rod that has the capability of at least a 6 to 16 ounce lead as well as 50 to 65# lines. Most of the time, just going with an 8-foot rod will help you land the great majority of sturgeon fish.
Make sure you get the right fishing reel.
Along these same lines, you also need a good reel as well. One of the things that you quickly learn is that when it comes to fishing for sturgeon, not just any reel will do. Ideally, you need one that will hold up well with heavy leads and will be able to withstand some large fish! Although there are many reels that will fit this category, if you are going to fish for sturgeon for any length of time, you probably would do well to invest in a reel that has been specifically designed for sturgeon fishing.
Get the proper hook and hook size for the sturgeon you want to catch.
Of course, the next thing you would want to do is make sure that your hooks match up with the species of sturgeon you are trying to catch. Generally, most sturgeon fisherman will want to go with a hook that is from 5/0 to 9/0. A 5/0 hook is good for one of the smaller versions of these sturgeons, and obviously the higher you go in hook size the larger the sturgeon you will be able to catch.
Of course, the right kind of hook is important as well. Generally, you will need the right color on your hook as a good starting point. Many sportsmen will often go with the red hooks simply because they tend to stay sharp as long as possible.
However, repeatedly throwing these hooks in the water will often cause them to lose their red coloring and you will then be left with a gold-and-silver plating that won’t quite be as attractive to the fish. On the other hand, many sturgeon fishermen have found just as much luck with a black hook as they have with a red hook.
They still stay sharp for a long period of time, and they are also great because they will usually retain their black coloring much longer than the red ones will. I suppose it depends on what you are looking for.
If you want short-term effectiveness, it’s probably perfectly okay to go with a red hook. However, if you want a hook that will last longer and still catch a decent amount of sturgeon, then you should go with the black, especially if you are the “slow and steady wins the race” type.
Learn how to identify the different types of sturgeon bites you will get on your line.
As you gain more experience in fishing for sturgeon, you will quickly learn that not all sturgeon bites on your line are created equal. For example, during colder weather, you might notice that the sturgeon are going to have a bite that is kind of slow and repetitive.
Of course, for the novice sturgeon fisherman, it can be somewhat difficult to tell whether it is a bite or simply just the tide moving your line about. However, you should focus very closely on the repetition on the line’s movement. If you are sensing a slight jerk over and over again, then chances are it is a sturgeon playing with your line.
Alternately, if you are fishing for sturgeon in warmer weather, the main difference you will notice is that the bite is going to be much more aggressive. Once sturgeon get closer to their spawning season, there is truly a greater sense of urgency. If your rod is either tipping or dipping, then it could mean that the summer sturgeon are going after your line.
Your actions after you feel the sturgeon bite will make all of the difference.
Once you feel this slight bite on your line, it is your actions with your fishing rod that will mean the difference between the fish getting away and the sturgeon being reeled in. A good rule of thumb is that you should pull up on the fishing rod in order to fully secure the catch.
If you feel the slight sturgeon bite, make sure to properly yank the rod so that it will lodge squarely inside the sturgeon and give you a better chance of landing it. Moreover, you also should be sure to reel in the sturgeon as quickly as possible.
These fish can definitely be quite large, and don’t be surprised if it takes a long time to reel them in. Patience is the key here. If your arm is getting tired or cramped, if you have a partner you should consider handing the rod off to him or her.
Some Solid Sturgeon Fishing Tips For You To Consider
Of course, all of this information about sturgeon and how to fish for them is valueless unless you have some fundamental understanding and strategies in mind to help you in the activity itself of fishing for them. Here are just a few of them for you to keep in mind:
Find the sturgeon, and fish for them there.
This seems like a very obvious statement, doesn’t it? Well, that might be true, but ask any experienced sturgeon angler and they will tell you that they have seen literally countless times where novice sturgeon fishermen will stubbornly fish in areas where it is obvious that the sturgeon are just not residing or simply don’t have them at that particular time.
You see, one of the things you must understand is that sturgeon are a very mobile fish. That means they will not move to follow the tides, but they will also move to follow food and move just to simply stay comfortable. You would do well to remember that these fish will often be in an area where you would least expect them to be.
Fish in water that has a great flow.
A good rule of thumb to fishing for sturgeon is that you should focus on areas that have a solid flow. In general, the biggest sturgeon will want bigger food, so the best place to go would be in an area of big and fast-moving water.
Go to almost any of these areas, and you will soon discover that the big fish will always congregate in the fast water and the smaller fish are more likely to be found in slower-moving water such as the side of the river or in the eddies. Simply put, big sturgeon will want big food, and about the only place for them to find this big food is in a place with a fast-moving current.
Get the latest fishing technology.
Another good way to find out where the sturgeon are is to employ the latest fishing technology in order to find out where these sturgeon are. Indeed, one of the best tools to use would be something like the Lowrance HDS series, the digital Hummingbird, or a Furuno fish finder.
Of course, it is valueless to have one of these units if you don’t know how to use it. Before trying to find out where the sturgeon are with it, you should definitely read the manual, take it with you to the water, and do plenty of pre-fishing practice with it. Of course, don’t just read the manual, but get to know that sucker by heart! Once you get to know how to use one of these units, they will definitely become indispensable to you in all of your sturgeon-catching pursuits.
Keep your bait as fresh as possible.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re fishing for bass, salmon, steelhead, or sturgeon, you must always keep the bait as fresh as possible. This means probably paying just a little bit extra simply because its easier to use worn-out bait. However, you need three components in order to have good sturgeon bait.
First, you need to have the component of guts. If your bait doesn’t have any innards, it won’t be pleasing to the sturgeon. Second, you need to have plenty of blood to go with this concoction. Simply put, if your little bait fish doesn’t have any blood, it is no more than just a dead fish on a hook.
In this state, it is highly unlikely that it will attract a sturgeon at all. Third, if you are using either anchovies or smelt, you need to ensure that the bait has a slime coat. This will protect the bait from infection or parasites, which could make it undesirable to a sturgeon.
Finally, you need to make sure that all of your fish baits have a slime coat. This component is what tells other fish that they are dealing with another fish. This also tells predators such as sturgeon that they are in for a tasty meal. If the slime coat, your bait fish will be nothing more than a frozen and unappealing dead fish.
Move around as much as possible.
Finally, when it comes to fishing for sturgeon, it really pays off if you move around often. There is an adage among fishermen of other breeds such as salmon or bass that they “have to come here sooner or later.”
However, that just isn’t the case with sturgeon. A good rule of thumb is that if the sturgeon don’t bite for at least 45 minutes, then it’s time to try another fishing spot.
So there you have it. Yes, you can fish for sturgeon just as long as follow some very specific strategies and know what you’re doing. We’ll see you out on the lake!
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