Sturgeon Fishing '07

B

bncwaite

New member
My wife and I got to take the Dory out for her first overnighter in the Delta this past weekend. We met up with several other sturgeon folks and had a flotilla going. All I got was a 40" but the wife landed her first sturgeon ever...and a 46.5" keeper to boot!!

Got to try out the new transom bar/pole holders that worked awesome and the new Alpine stereo sounds great!!!





Ready for the smoker!!


Tight lines!!!!

Brandon
 
Nice work! Can ya give us some cleaning instructions? :) That's still my worry the first time we catch a keeper -- it's always been my job to clean the fish :crook

Caty
 
Caty,

They fillet like a lincod basically. The only issue is getting your first cut along the spine. Those small hard plate things they have make it a little tough. You basically have to trim around them. You might even try making the initial cut with a nice sharp, clean box cutter.
 
flapbreaker":24rwwjxv said:
Caty,

They fillet like a lincod basically. The only issue is getting your first cut along the spine. Those small hard plate things they have make it a little tough. You basically have to trim around them. You might even try making the initial cut with a nice sharp, clean box cutter.
Click to expand...

They don't actually have a bony spine with ribs, do they? just the scutes, I think -- but there's a cord in a gristle tube that runs the length of their topside. I wonder if slicing off all the scutes first, cutting around the tail and behind the head carefully so as not to disjoin the cord at the tail and yanking it out! hmmmm....I'm just going to have to catch me a keeper and give it a whirl. :)

Funny, every time I catch a sturgeon, I always think "you need some sun!" They're so pale looking when they come out of the water.

Caty
 
Brandon- ..............Cool!!!!!!!!!!! Seeing fish pictures makes me ache for spring......... Nice fish!. Do you cook them as you would any fish? Some have said they are oily . Is this true?

Chris Bulovsky
 
Caty you are correct, no spine. Bad choice of words in my post. Yes cut the scutes off and fillet away. Call me a softy but I think sturgeon are kinda cute. I have a hard time bonking them. I probably won't retain anymore because I don't think their meat is worth it. It's not that it tastes bad but it just doesn't really have it's own flavor. Lots of people like it though.
 
My three favorite ways to eat sturgeon are fried, Scallopini, and the best is smoked.

Smoked sturgeon on a cracker with a spread of cream cheese topped with peppercini's is a must have come Super Bowl Sunday!!

As flapbreaker said it doesn't really have it own taste. That's why alot of people who "don't like fish" can like it too.

Chris- I don't think its oily at all.
 
Thanks Brandon, I look forwarding to seeing them and maybe copying them....

How long does sturgeon season last up there? Are you usually successful in your outings? Maybe I need to trailer C-pelican up there to give them a shot.

J
 
The season is just getting started. As soon as the rain starts to fall the bite will be wide open. Every trip out the last two months we have had fish on the Fish Finder all day long but not too many hook ups.We usually manage at least one shaker a trip. But with the water temps so low the sturgeon have been sluggish.

The season lasts thru May but they can be caught year round. If you're heading up for the Delta C-Gathering in Spring that would be an oppurtune time to fish for them. If I'm on the water anytime close to the gathering :roll: (what a silly remark of course I'll be on the water) I'll let you guys know how's the fishing been and might even give ya' a spot or two to drop a line into 8) .
 
I have fished that area for stripers and sturgeon several times back in 2000 to 2002 before I moved up north to washington. I never did land a sturgy there but have be broken off a few times. I really liked the delta but do not miss the heat at all. Good luck and keep the pics coming.
 
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