Is it time to sturgeon fish yet.?.?.?

[TK72583]

Thought I would start the conversation. What's everyones thoughts on when she'll open up? I hoping to be fishing 4 mile bay/the gap on the weekend of April 18th. But would love for the docks to be free of ice!!

[side_laker]

I can't wait to get up there and chase them sturgeon it's about the only fishing trip my wife's goes on. I also would like for the docks to be ice free makes it easier to land the boat not to mention dodging the ice floes while fishing. Let's all pray for warm weather soon

[Big Country]

Prayers have been answered. Keep it coming Lord BC

[TK72583]

I'm thinking I booked too late in the year (3rd weekend in April) I fish the gap and 4 mile. If the river is open for a couple weeks prior will the sturgeon still be there?? How about flow and debris? Last year is the first time we fished em and it worked great but the spots I fish opened only a week prior....???

[bassbuster1]

The Little Fork river is low .Barring a bunch of rain there is not gonna be a huge run off.I don't know what to tell you about 4 mile ,I get there as soon as it opens ,which is the best.I would guess there would still be some fish there, if not you could always trailer up the river always.

BB1

[GJBison]

What is the season on these bad boys? Can you sit out there with your big rods with circle hooks and say that you are out fishing for walleye or is it kosher to fish for them now?

[maxpower117]

What is the season on these bad boys? Can you sit out there with your big rods with circle hooks and say that you are out fishing for walleye or is it kosher to fish for them now?

Fishing for any species during the closed season is illegal and more importantly immoral.

Sturgeon is open for catch and release fishing well into April and I think it closes down completely in late April to early May. You'll want to check the reg book for exact dates.

[GJBison]

That's great! We've seen guys on the water with huge rods before during the special spring season for walleye. I didn't think sturgeon opened until July. Catch and release is all we'd do for sturgeon anyways. It'd be a shame to kill such an old fish.

Also, I found the full reg.

http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/areas/fisheries/baudette/rainy_river_brochure.pdf

[JacobG]

With temps in the single digits this am, and a forecast in the 30s to low 40s should make for a slow recession of the ice. But in years past this slow thaw has made river conditions more stable and provided better fishing, so ill take the bad for the good

[fiskyknut]

So tell me the story of your "holder of state record Sturgeon (released)" line ya got there JacobG. Whats the deal with that ??

[JacobG]

This fish was caught on 4/20/2008. The fish measured 74 inches long with a 35" girth. Math on that fish says 125 pounds. Current state record is 94 pounds. Would have beat the state record by at least 25 pounds. I posted this a few years ago. Also made the outdoor news as well as pioneer press. Was a special moment with some great friends. I always enjoy sharing this pic as it was one of my finest catches of my fishing career.

[fishuhalik]

Holy huge sturgeon batman!! Beautiful fish sir!!!

[bassbuster1]

Nice fish,it's kind of hard to believe that we have these big beautiful monsters so close to us here in Minnesota.I just love fishing and catching sturgeon.

BB1

[JacobG]

Me too! Made my first trip in 2001 and have been back every year since. Made 2 trips a year for the past 3 years. The top/First pic was taken by a nearby boat that was cheering us on. Andy i belive was his name. That pic displays the massive girth of the fish. An armfull! Since then ive caught some good ones, nothing like that but we did get a 68x30 in 2010. Another 75 pound class fish. Like kelly,BB said its pretty cool that those fish are available to us. A fishery that can produce 100 pound sturgeon and walleyes that can hit the teens! Pretty cool

[TK72583]

WOW!! Congrats Jacob thats impressive!! I had one on last year that made the 60 inchers we were catching seem like perch, I had him on my muskie rod with 100 lb braid and drag tightened as far as it would go and he just pulled it out like he wasnt even hooked.!! Eventually he just pulled off because I had to start thumbing the reel so I didnt run out of line But its what keeps me coming back, they are truly amazing fish!

[fiskyknut]

Ya man a true beauty Jacob, congrats. I posed my question when your sig line did not include the word "unofficial" thinking you maybe held some kind of official line class record or one of those kind of obscure fwfhof release records or sumtin like that eh.

That 94 pound mark has been bested many times up here over the years that's for sure. I spose it's just a matter of time b4 someone with a tag will claim the official title.

Hopefully it will be you that'll catch her again one of these years Jacob, I think she likes you and knows you'll let her go. We may have had her up to the side of the boat in October of 2012... A buddy of mine snagged her by the anal fin whilst we were Walleye fishing!!

Enjoy the spring season Jacob.. Appears you've been doing that up well as I was keeping up with your URL exploits a coupla weeks back.

Maybe see ya out there.... fiskyknut

[JacobG]

Thanks for the compliment fisky, appreciate that. I agree that the 94 mark has been bested many times and they are all still swimming. Ill be up on monday for a few days. Then again in another week or so conditions pending. Was thinking about doing upper red for an eve followed by a few days on the river but i think im done with the ice for the season. The sturgeon thing is my favorite trip of the year and i learn the river a little more every year. Always looking for another giant, and always enjoy the search!

[cookie129]

who you going to fish by if I'm not there? sorry buddy. Yes I blew it that year and only fished with you guys the first day. They landed that bad boy the next day. Darn the luck next time

[TK72583]

ITS TIME!!! Headed up tonight, lets go!! Who else will be out there this weekend? If ya see a 16 camo boat with a couple doofy lookin dudes throw us cold one

[bassbuster1]

I have a group of sturgy fishermen in ,yesterday they got a 62 and a 72 incher plus some smaller ones.

BB2

[JacobG]

I made it up for a few days wed-thurs. Fishing was slower than normal. Caught 12 fish for the trip which was one of the lowest numbers I have ever caught. Saw sturgeon splashing everywhere. All around us. But the bites were few and far between. Talked to several other boats and they also had slow fishing. Not sure why? Lack of current? No current? I'm not sure why but the fish just weren't the same as years past. Fished from 4 mile bay down to town and also put in at vidas for Friday morning. Good luck to everyone that's heading up or is up. Hopefully you have better results than we did

[BSG]

I'll be up 24-26. Black Lund pro guide tiller. 3 people. Plan to fish vidas area.

Staying at wigwam.

Good luck!