Little Fishy!!!

[jerkbait]

I had 3 friends up ice fishing from the cities that I used to work with down there. This was the 1st time they have ever fished LOTW. This was the 1st day and the very 1st fish that Mark put a hook into. He caught the fish on 4 lb mono and it took 4-1/2 hrs to put on the ice. Measured 58-1/4". It was exciting for all 4 of us.

Here it is coming up the hole.

Here he is posig with the fish.

[Iowabrewcrew]

That's a cool fish. I've never caught a sturgeon in my trips up there, nor seen one caught. What are the regulations for them on LOTW? Limit? Length restrictions? Are they worth eating?

[LakeoftheWoods]

that is the 3rd sturgeon i've heard caught through the ice this winter. i'm sure its happened in the past before, but this is the first time i've heard of them coming up this time of year. and 3 in 1 season!!!! thats cool IMO lol

[sturgeonator]

did you use a gaf to get it up the hole or did you get the head worked up?

[Boar]

Wow cris that is awsome good for your freind, Nice job. 4 1/2 hours wow! I woulda cut the line an got back to walleyes, but they wernt bitting for me anyway. Cool. Boar

[EW6]

Nice fish but next time lose the gaff cause you gotta release them...

[Boar]

You should check into a 4lb line record.

[jwmiller33]

nice fish but you should NEVER gaff a fish that you are going to release. never.

also, you shouldnt hold a sturgeon up by its gills and you shouldnt hold them vertically (per MN DNR). that, along with the gaff probably resulted in that fish dying shortly after it "swam away". sorry to sound so negative but that fish is older than you are and needed to be handled with care.

[JPowell]

He never said anything about a gaff. our did i miss something?

JP

[LakeoftheWoods]

He never said anything about a gaff. our did i miss something?

JP

check out the very first pic.

[jerkbait]

I gaffed it right in the lip. I was very CAREFUL to make sure where I hooked the gaff. I guess what is the differance between the hook on the jig sticking it in the lip or a hook in the lip from the gaff. Sometimes I wonder why people even bother sharing stories.

Thanks to all that did enjoy the story and pics.

[CANOPY SAM]

I'm sure it lived. It was probably pretty tired, but those things are as tough as nails!

Cool story, and epic fight. Don't think I would've hung in there that long though - unless it was a walleye!

[soldoncass]

Wow, over 4 hours! Hard to believe one that big CAN be landed through the ice on 4# line. What did everybody else do for 4 hours? I'm SURE nobody could fish in that house at the same time. How was fishing there rest of the day???????????

[Craigums]

That pic is AWESOME!!!!!

[Boar]

I hear ya JB, cant please everyone, it's sad wen people take away from one accomplishments. Thats awsome catch, those fish have survived this long so im sure it fine. Later boar

[jerkbait]

Not much fishing happened after that, But it was still exciting. Mark handed off a couple of times, potty break. None of us have ever seen one come through the ice before, so the time went really quick.

[jerkbait]

Thanks Boar!! And the fish took off like a blaze of glory when it hit the water.

[Big A]

That is awesome...

Someday... Id love to be around when someone in my group hooks into one of those.. wouldnt even matter if it was me.. Id just love to be there to see it.. but of course.. THAT WOULD BE FUN TO CATCH!!

I have heard of several that have been caught over the years... someday...

Great catch guys. Im sure that was worth every minute of the fight!

and also congrats on doing that with 4 lb mono.. very impressive!

[iceranger792]

I gaffed it right in the lip. I was very CAREFUL to make sure where I hooked the gaff. I guess what is the differance between the hook on the jig sticking it in the lip or a hook in the lip from the gaff. Sometimes I wonder why people even bother sharing stories.

Thanks to all that did enjoy the story and pics.

Ahh dont let those few over concerned bother ya. If you told any story, good or bad, to a large audience you'll get a few negative hollars outta the crowd.. But most will clap with Congrats!!! Great job with the gaf looks like you hooked it just right Cant wait till the day i hook into 1 of them!

[mnsportsmanjr]

Wow what a great catch! I am heading up to LOTW in mid-february and would love for me or my buddy to hook into one! Sounds like a great fight.

[EW6]

You share a pic, you're open to critazism just as you are gonna get some pats on the back. I just get annoyed when every muskie like the one in your avatar is landed in a cradle then babied and held perfectly. Then the very same guy that knows better gaffs and holds a 60lb sturgeon by the gills. What do you think the novice guy that sees this picture is gonna do when he catches one?

How hard is that?

[Walleye One]

ahhhhh.....what?

[fiskyknut]

Ahhh what is right.

I remember my first Sturgeonfish.

If I was a novice I'd think that was a BIG one EW6.

Rarely do I get to edit.

60 pounds right!

Lean back.

60 seconds this post may get released unharmed.

[jerkbait]

EW6. I tell ya, you have some pretty sharp eyes don't ya. That is a pike in my avitator and cradles are for the birds. We land them by hand. I love all the expert opions from the elite crowd.

Like I said before thanks to all that enjoyed the story.

[EW6]

So it is a pike, I've clearly destroyed all my credibility. Well then I'm probably also wrong about just trying to remind people to handle those big sturgeon in a good way. That's all. If you want to gaff'em and hoist 'em by the gills I guess its your own buisness.

[jerkbait]

What confuses me is why my avaitor picture became blurry. It used to be nice and clear before. Any ideas?

[EW6]

You just blurred it out so that I'd look like an [PoorWordUsage] calling it a muskie. You are a sneaky one jerkbait. Big pike though.

[jerkbait]

Well, it worked...

[harvey lee]

I have also has a few avatar's change to a blurry picture after it was placed there for a week or two. When it was first uploaded, it looked fine and then became distorted.

[MichaelSwan]

I scaled your image so the ratios fit the avatar that HSO wants so it doesnt blur...