Fighting White Sturgeon

[Vagabond]

After the adventures at Tasu with Salmon and Halibut (see two threads on the Sea Forum) we had four days on the Fraser River, Chilliwack, BC and had a go at the White Sturgeon.

 

What attracted me to sturgeon was the reputation they have of tail-walking like marlin, and we were not disappointed. They are VERY powerful, and make long runs downstream, aided by the strong current, and quite a few leaps in the air.

 

These fish are strictly catch and release, and we soon picked up from the attitude of the guides that these fish need unhooking and releasing quickly - no time for anything but a video shot OR a couple of stills (not time for both), an estimate of length, and back they go.

 

You soon learn the three styles of trophy shot

 

For little ones

 

For medium-sized ones

This was on day two with guide Harry

 

For bigger ones.

This was measured as 74" from snout to fork. Took about 30 minutes to land. When the fish is nearly played out, you slip the anchor, and lead the fish to a suitable beach for your piccys. That's guide Marc, and you can probably see my back is killing me!

 

Then you need to return the fish safely.

This shot is of the same fish as in the previous shot - note it looks much smaller belly-up as I start to turn it right side up.

 

Once upright, away it goes

A most rewarding sight

 

This was Norma's biggest at 72".

These fish can still be full of fight even when beached, and Marc the guide has restrained the tail with a loop of rope. A split second after I took this shot the fish lashed out and knocked Norma backwards into the water. Unfortunately the film was still winding on, and before I could take a second shot she had regained her feet. A request for an encore was ignored.....

 

We had several more fish which were videoed only, including one on the second day estimated as well over 7 feet long. We got it to shore after a fight of over an hour. It objected to shallow water and made three more long runs before I beached it. Marc then advanced on it with the tape measure and unclipped the ledger weight. He got hold of the trace, and was just about to unhook when all hell broke loose. The fish spun towards him, wrapping the trace over its back (and cutting it on the sharp dorsal scutes) Marc dropped the trace and tried to grab the fish by the tail. No chance! Hilarious, and we have it all on video.

 

We caught at least six sturgeon on each of the four days, but the last day was the climax. Just after the two beached fish pictured above, I hit a huge fish of over seven feet which tailwalked across the river before diving deep into a snaggy area (the "snags" are whole dead pine trees, poking out of the water at an angle of about 30 degrees - or worse NOT poking out, and only detectable because of the subsurface boil they make) With Marc displaying great skill at boathandling, we followed it into the snags, with the line twanging off the stumps, but after a half-hour fight the fish found a bad snag and broke the 60 lb trace at the hook-knot.

 

Then came the fight of a lifetime. Still feeling the effects of a couple of hard fights, I had a series of plucks, and struck, just getting feeble resistance. Wound the fish close to the boat... and then..... WHAM! Rod arched, reel screaming, put lever clutch to about 3/4 power and hung on. Fish kept going. Increased drag to 7/8 power. Fish kept going. Watched 300 yards of main line disappear downstream> Fish kept going. There followed over 200 yards of backing. "Unless it stops I'm going to get spooled" I said, "can we follow it - its gone right through the snaggy area"

 

Marc slipped the anchor, and we followed the fish through the snags - the line again twanging off unseen logs below the surface as we tried to gain line on the fish. It felt truly enormous, much bigger than the six and seven footers I had had so far. I was suffering from a ricked back (for the ridiculous reason of looking up at crossbills in the treetops with binoculars), so was obliged to play the fish from a sitting position by arm and shoulder strength alone - no harness, no butt pad. Never have my arms taken punishment like it - I'm sure they are now a good two inches longer.

 

The fight went on and on. Sweat trickled into my eyes, Norma wiped my forehead every few minutes to stop it. I was given a swig of water. That was vital. My back protested in spite of sitting down. I thought of Santiago el Campeon - Hemingway's hero of the Old Man and the Sea. I thought of the pain in his cramped left hand as he fought the giant marlin. I thought of Hiawatha's battle with the giant sturgeon. I thought of lots of things, but managed to hold on. More swigs of water. More back pain - into the right sciatic nerve, now screaming it's protest.

 

Now, incredibly, I had the backing recovered, and the main line was gradually leading into the water at an ever steeper angle. "We are through the worst of the snags" said Marc. Line was gained until the spool looked nice and plump again. The fish was not far away. Now I had to raise the fish. Somehow I did. Marc grabbed the leader, only to have it torn from his hand as the fish make a furious dive for the bottom, twice more this happened, and now the fish began to sulk - not much movement, just a dead weight dragging down current. At full drag the clutch still slipped against the weight of the fish, so to gain line I had to assist the clutch with my thumb. At last the leader knot was again visible.

 

"Every bit of power needed now" said Marc. "Give it all you've got - if it breaks, well, it breaks"

 

Whether Marc meant the trace, the rod, or my back I am not sure, but clamped my thumb on the fully tightened spool, pointed the rod handle up at 45 degrees, and noted the tip was vertical in the water. The leader knot was just outside the rod tip. I rose to my feet keeping everything clamped down, and an enormous white shape appeared as the fish showed properly for the first time.

 

I could see a tail, but the body and head stretched into the middle distance! The beast was foulhooked in the tail - no wonder it had proved so difficult to handle. No wonder it didn't tailwalk (foulhooked fish rarely do) Because it was tailhooked there was no question of trying to tow it to land, either by trace or tailrope. That would risk drowning the fish (a classic way to kill sharks is to rope their tails and tow them backwards) NO WAY did I want to risk that fish just for the vanity of a trophy shot, so Marc unhooked it. It was fairly well beaten and belly up.

 

"Just LOOK at the size" said Marc "Eight and a half feet long at least" He tried to turn it right way up, and had half-succeeded when with a great slap of its tail it was gone.

 

Judge for yourselves from the two snaps Norma took how big it was -

 

Note the fins visible in the picture are the pelvics and the anal fin. The tail is some distance out to the right, and the front of the body and head are somewhere in the middle distance to the left. Remember too, from the previous pictures, how much smaller a sturgeon appears when it is belly-up

 

Marc tries to turn it rightway up. As you can see from a previous picture, Marc is a big guy - he used to play rugby as a loose forward - one of those who can pick up a rugby ball with one hand - just LOOK at the thickness of the tail wrist!

 

I still can't quite believe it myself.

 

An interesting twist is that an angler who has yet to catch any fish over 20 lb was very anxious to tell me the biggest fish "didn't count" as it was foul-hooked! Well, there is a difference between accidental foul-hooking whilst fair angling, and deliberate snagging. This fish was struck in good faith on feeling a bite, and the hook might well have been in the mouth initially, but pulled free and stuck in the tail. Anyway, if it "didn't count" I am in good company - Hemingway's hero's fish "didn't count" either, as it was mutilated by sharks as he tried to tow it home.

 

Of course none of these fish "count" anyway. None were weighed,(note I haven't "claimed" any weights) only two were measured for length. We are quite happy with the memories, the video sequences and a few snaps. Its called "pleasure fishing"

 

As we take alternate strikes, Norma finished up with 14 fish to my 13, but I had the three biggest!

We each hooked four fish over five and a half feet long and each landed three - I lost one to a snag as described, and Norma lost a six footer that leaped and shook the hook out. A fishing trip to remember.

 

[ 04. September 2003, 02:32 AM: Message edited by: Vagabond ]

[Newt]

Now THAT is a fishing trip. Thanks for the description and the Pics. Great looking fish.

 

It sounds like the Canadian folk are really managing that fishery to let these beauties bounce back.

 

They are doing the same with large catfish in another province.

 

All in all, I'd have to say the Canadian's are very much on the right track.

 

Will you need a few weeks to recover or have you a return match planned soon?

[Dick Dastardly]

Thanks for taking the time to post that Vagabond well interesting.

[Paul_D]

Indeed....A good read. Thanks.

[HOPPY4]

Vagabond,

Those are some Beautiful Fish and the read was fantastic. I am Very Happy for you and Norma and trust that you will do it again. Cheers!

[corydoras]

Vagabond

 

Thanks for sharing that with us all. A great story and some wonderful pictures to boot. If you need a bearer or porter for your next expedition 'I'm free ...'

[badexcuseforanangler]

Well im jealous as hell Looks like you had a fabulous time. Did you on a "package" with a holiday company or did you book it all yourself?

Ive got some savings coming out next year and thinking about a trip somewhere

[jeepster]

nice one!

[dogfish]

Hi

I do not know about Canada but it is very easy to organise a trip for youself to the Columbia River in Oregon.Just book a flight, a car and a motel and then either do your own thing or hore a local guide.Sturgeon can be caught from the bank especially below the Bonneville dam but you need proper beachcasting type gear.The guides wiil have a boat and will probably be your best option.

I go to Portland in Oregon quite a bit( my brother lives there) and flights can be cheap as are motels then it is up to you.Portland is a good base as it is not far from good fishing.Not just for sturgeon but also Steelhead,carp and salmon.It also has some of the best real ale in the US!

Go for it!

[GLOBE]

The Frazer is a great place to fish for sturgeon, although I prefer the Columbia for a larger number of fish with a bigger average size. You can expect almost all the sturgeon to be over 350lb, with plenty exceeding 500lb, and some over 600lb, with 1,000lb+ possible. You of course can target any size specimems, depending on your bait, location and techniques. My best so far is 700lb+.

 

Carp fishing is also wonderful on both rivers, but again I prefer the Columbia for larger sized specimens exceeding 40lb, with some 60lb+ present.

 

Fishing on the upper reaches of the Columbia in Canada can also be very good, in beautiful surroundings, although the average size is normally only in the 150lb-350lb region.

 

I can give you details of the best places, guides etc.

If anyone would like me to guide them on an actual expedition to these areas, or anywhere worldwide, just contact me.

 

globetrotterworld@hotmail.com