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Sturgeon fishing...big fish...big fun


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4 MIle Bay is wide open and the Sturgeon are biting.

This is big fun, easy to do and pretty much your only

chance at a fish over 40 pounds in our state.

The peak time is now until early in May.

Spool up some heavier line(35# or better), use a 3 oz

weight Lindy style rig with big hook globbed with crawlers

or smushed up minnows. Anchor along the river channel

in 4 Mile Bay(bring a good anchor) cast out and be patient.

Big BIG fish and, most days, plenty of em.

My first trip Sturgeon fishing was last spring. We went

again Saturday late in the day and most of Sunday. If you

catch a couple of fish you will have a good day and, you

may hook into 10 or 12 in a very tiring day.

Don't stop just because Walleye season is closing. Come

up and catch the biggest fish of your LIFE!

Its a catch and release season only right now so bring

a camera and treat the fish with some respect.

Good fishing all

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Curt, let's see the pics. of those sturg. I'll bet Paul's dad is "hooked"! Sounded like a great trip.

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Yeah, c'mon Curt. You can't make a post like that and not back it up without any pictures.... wink.gif

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We're headed up to fish for sturgeon on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. I cannot wait!

You said to anchor in the river channel? Do you mean in the lake itself? If so, how far out are you talking? And how deep of water are you typically fishing in? Thanks for any help.

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Leech, shoot me an email at eyeslayer at hotmail dot com. I'm pretty sure I'll be up there Sunday, so I'll get you my phone #'s, and we'll figure out a plan of attack. Do you have a depth finder on that boat? If not, if one of you guys has a Vex or something for ice fishing you'll want to bring it. The channel runs through 4 Mile Bay to the gap at Pine Island where it enters the main lake, and without a depth finder, you'll waste a lot of fishing time trying to find "the right spot".

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I will try to get pics up in a day or so.

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I'll gaurantee Pauls dad had fun. Know how I could tell other than that ear to ear grin and the charlie horses in his hands? He took his throw away camera in to get pics developed with several pics left on the roll! lolol Hes never really spent much time in a bigger boat than mine and was reealllllly impressed with justins ranger, thought it rode pretty nice! Thats a pretty big compliment coming from him.. I had to ask him 5 times if he wanted to come along with and my mom finally convinced him, now I think we'll be back up this fall chasing sturgeon instead of heading to the winnipeg river for greenbacks. Which of course is fine with me because I had a ball too!! Tanks Curty and all! Paul

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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • mulefarm
      With the early ice out, how is the curlyleaf pondweed doing?
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the south end...   The big basin, otherwise known as Big Traverse Bay, is ice free.  Zippel Bay and Four Mile Bay are ice free as well.  Everything is shaping up nicely for the MN Fishing Opener on May 11th. With the walleye / sauger season currently closed, most anglers are targeting sturgeon and pike.  Some sturgeon anglers are fishing at the mouth of the Rainy River, but most sturgeon are targeted in Four Mile Bay or the Rainy River.  Hence, pike are the targeted species on the south shore and various bays currently.   Pike fishing this time of year is a unique opportunity, as LOW is border water with Canada, the pike season is open year round. The limit is 3 pike per day with one being able to be more than 40 inches. All fish 30 - 40 inches must be released. Back bays hold pike as they go through the various stages of the spawn.  Deadbait under a bobber, spinners, spoons and shallow diving crankbaits are all viable options.   Four Mile Bay, Bostic Bay and Zippel Bay are all small water and boats of various sizes work well. On the Rainy River...  Great news this week as we learned sturgeon will not be placed on the endangered species list by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.     The organization had to make a decision by June 30 and listing sturgeon could have ended sturgeon fishing.  Thankfully, after looking at the many success stories across the nation, including LOW and the Rainy River, sturgeon fishing and successful sturgeon management continues.   A good week sturgeon fishing on the Rainy River.  Speaking to some sturgeon aficionados, fishing will actually get even better as water temps rise.     Four Mile Bay at the mouth of the Rainy River near the Wheeler's Point Boat Ramp is still producing good numbers of fish, as are various holes along the 42 miles of navigable Rainy River from the mouth to Birchdale.   The sturgeon season continues through May 15th and resumes again July 1st.   Oct 1 - April 23, Catch and Release April 24 - May 7, Harvest Season May 8 - May 15, Catch and Release May 16 - June 30, Sturgeon Fishing Closed July 1 - Sep 30, Harvest Season If you fish during the sturgeon harvest season and you want to keep a sturgeon, you must purchase a sturgeon tag for $5 prior to fishing.    One sturgeon per calendar year (45 - 50" inclusive, or over 75"). Most sturgeon anglers are either a glob of crawlers or a combo of crawlers and frozen emerald shiners on a sturgeon rig, which is an 18" leader with a 4/0 circle hook combined with a no roll sinker.  Local bait shops have all of the gear and bait. Up at the NW Angle...  A few spots with rotten ice, but as a rule, most of the Angle is showing off open water.  In these parts, most are looking ahead to the MN Fishing Opener.  Based on late ice fishing success, it should be a good one.  
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    • smurfy
      good......you?? living the dream..in my basement playing internet thug right now!!!!!! 🤣 working on getting the boat ready.......bought a new cheatmaster locator for the boat so working on that.   waiting for warmer weather to start my garden!!!
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