06/18 - 06/19 - Lower Columbia Sturgeon Fest

[TyBoo]

I am just throwing this up here to get some talk started.

There is a little problem for me. The mill where I work has decided to rebuild the recovery boiler, and so a good part of the pulp mill will be down. And guess what? The entire month of June is restricted for maintenance guys' vacations. I will give it my best shot at power whining to get whatever weekend we do this thing off, but it is doubtful I'll get much time. No matter - I'll be there all that I can be.

June is the best month to do the sturgeon thing. By late May, the fish are getting pretty plentiful and active down here, but in June the catching is almost guaranteed for Tiffany, and she usually lets me reel in a couple of hers.

So, someone want to start picking a weekend in June for this? I'll have to look at the tide tables, but an in-between-the-big-tides weekend would be best for both the sturgeon fishing and the possibility of an early morning run outside the CR bar for some miniature salmon. (Yep - them 15 pound coho in August are about 3 pounds in June.) But any time in June will work.

Edited 06/04/05 by TyBoo:

It looks like we picked a weekend. June 18-19, 2005 is on the calendar for the first annual Sturgeon Fest. The signup list is in place.

[Helen O]

June 11 has a high morning tide at 4:00 am. We could fish until about 11:30 am.
June 12 has the tide running almost an hour later.

[Pat Anderson]

OK, have fun...I will be in Long Island, NY, for a wedding that weekend, and at the Eastern Shore C-Dory gathering on the Chesapeake Bay (really) the weekend before. In-between we have the kind offer of Otter from Otter Tom for cruising up the Potomoc. So it looks like next year for Sturgeon Fest for us...

[Mr. Fisherman]

I may be on my way home from Alaska or heading up to visit Ma and Greg on the 13th give or take a day or three....

[dan365]

Hi, The weekends of the 5/6 and 25/26 both have considerable tide swings.

Either weekend work?

Dan

[B~C]

The date doesn't matter to me, but, I might suggest waiting untill they set the opening date for ocean salmon. If the weather Gods cooperate, a person can run out to the salmon grounds on the flood and return and harrass the sturgeon before the ebb. Last year we caught some nice salmon on the opener, twas one of the better days of salmon fishing. They had some size to them and there where more hatchery fish than later in the season.

[Lynn Marie]

Not that it makes a big difference to the final outcome but I will be gone the first week of June on an annual trout trip to British Columbia and won't return till Sunday the 5th. After that I am around for the balance of the season. I would like to be here to help host the gathering, mooch some B~C smelt, haul some boatless fishers, etc. but do understand that it would be best to make it work for the most. Ken is probably right about checking the salmon opening as a side adventure but another possibility would be the minus tides the week-end of the 25th & 26th so those that have an inkling good go dig some razor clams, that could also happen the week-end of the 4th & 5th. I do know that we don't want to push this thing to far back because they can always look at catch quotas and close things early. Damn shame to have a Sturgeon Fest that is all catch and release.

Tim

[B~C]

Well...if it does turn out to be catch and release....we could always eat smelt....cept we don't have any of those either. I going to cast my vote for whatever weekend would be the best for "shutdown" Mike & crew

[Lynn Marie]

Ken,

I'll 2nd that.

Tim

[TyBoo]

You guys pick. If left to me, I would first see if there is a weekend that Daydream can make. And J & CL, who I hope can persuade Dusty to join. And we have to skip the first week - the Lynn Marie crew has to be there.

Who knows what them engineers at work got planned. Just pick a weekend, and I will get out of work for at least a day, maybe two.

[Helen O]

June 18th. Hightide is at 11:38 am.

June 25th. Hightide is at 3:55 am. This is a little early in the morning for fishing sturgeon, right? They need to be fished on the outgoing.

Seems to me that they closed the sturgeon season just before the July 4th weekend last summer because the quota was met.
I can make it any weekend. This gathering is going to be extra fun. We can all go out and anchor in 16 ft. of water and watch each other reel in some very big and good eating fish. Y'all don't want to miss this one. Check your schedules and chime in here. We want as many of you as possible to be here.

[Work Release]

This sounds like a great fish gathering. I have always wanted to try this fishery, suppose a guy could get a few pointers from someone who has fished this? When the word fishing trip is said I will take the time off. Count me in if there is room.

Just got my boat back tonight from the factory. Extras added on:
> Radar Arch
> Inside Curtains
> Inside overhead rails
> Reversible Port front seat
She looks mighty happy in the shop.

Jim, Work Release

[Helen O]

[Lynn Marie]

Helen O Larry,

You're forgetting the most important player/players on this lower river team, Raven Dave and maybe even his brother Heron Chuck. They don't get on here and say much but you can bet they'll be at the dock and out on the flats dishing out a little bit of their river learnin of about a 100 years between them. That's a pair of teachers that can't be left off any list.

Tim

[Helen O]

(slapping myself on the forehead) How could I forget Raven Dave & Bro.

I suppose I should also clarify my above post when I said