Reel Repair by Alan Tani

Below is a short clip of a White Sturgeon that is in captivity with a bunch of other smaller relatives at the Bonneville State Fish Hatchery.   If you ever get in the area, Its worth seeing as well as Salmon rearing ponds, easy on off the I-84 highway that goes east-west on the south side of the Columbia river.    A nice little rest stop....        gst.

Yep!  Big and prehistoric looking.  The closest I came to catching one took my rod and reel over the side.  I set my rod down to take care of something on my boat when I heard a scraping sound.  I turned around to see my whole fishing set up go over the side.  I don't lay my gear down anymore.  Lesson learned.  I always use the rod holder now.  Dominick

I have hooked two, got the first one close to the boat dock after a 15 min fight and broke it off, estimated to be 5', the second I hooked from shore it ran and broke off after a 10 second run......very powerful fish......Bill

Alot of fun to catch. Have caught a few over the years. Now I don't buy the extra part for the license to fish for them. Just seen a post on a fishing in group I'm in and they are having a catch and release tournament at the end of the month. Alot being caught here locally right now.

My old fishing partner HRN with an 8' we took in the Fraser some years back now we don't bring them to shore at all; this one was slim as Sturgeon go but we have taken some real fatties over the years.

As you can see no need for a big fancy boat just local knowledge, dedication, decent gear, and a close eye on river conditions the Lower Fraser is a working river-huge log tows and barges a fact of life.

Usually use a 6.6' Seeker 665H (pictured) and a TLD 20 spooled with 80 Tufline with that rig I can  beat most fish to the boat in 5 minutes pressuring them hard it's 100% C&R fishery.

Nice! I'm not surpriced on the TLD 20, I had the opportunity to work on a couple and really liked them.
Sal

Hey I was just there in late October! The Columbia river gorge is a nice drive and we accidentally stumbled on that hatchery after seeing Multnoma Falls. That big sturgeons name is Harold or something if i remember correctly. The huge rainbows they had in the ponds were fun to feed...i wish i could've hooked one.

Land based sturgeon fishing is on my bucket list. I want a monster on cast gear.

Quote from: Alto Mare on January 05, 2017, 02:24:24 AM
Nice! I'm not surpriced on the TLD 20, I had the opportunity to work on a couple and really liked them.
Sal

x2.

TLD's are one of my all time favorite reels.

Stainless Steel gears, simple but robust quality construction. powerful smooth sealed drag and very versatile.

I cannot think of another reel that represents better value for money.
~

Glad to show the clip,   I shoulda said its great for kids too, as they can learn, and burn off some energy outdoors on the walks....Herman is the fishs name , Its 10 ft long and captured in the early 1990,s.......Before the Damm was put in Sturgeon were considered a trash fish,  and there is few better fish, deep fried, or smoked in my humble opinion,,,and pictures have recorded the larger one to exceed 19 feet in length.  Overharvest, pollution, and Impoundment have changed the fishes future,   Its another sad American lesson in history,     It seems Bleakly Bright.

We have green and white sturgeon in the river estuary just blocks from my house. They still allow catch and keep, but its a tight slot limitation and any larger ones are released.

According to fish biologists, there are only 2 rivers on the west coast where sturgeon spawn. The Columbia, and the Frazier in BC. From those 2 rivers the offspring can migrate many hundreds of miles in salt water to other west coast river estuaries, but will eventually return to where they were born to spawn.

Gary,  I went fishing with a guy a few years back.  When it slowed down a bit he whipped out some smoked sturgeon.  It was incredible, even more so than salmon.

Quote from: Maxed Out on January 05, 2017, 11:18:39 PMAccording to fish biologists, there are only 2 rivers on the west coast where sturgeon spawn. The Columbia, and the Frazier in BC. From those 2 rivers the offspring can migrate many hundreds of miles in salt water to other west coast river estuaries, but will eventually return to where they were born to spawn.

And if you ever hook one of those ocean going Sturgeon they'll kick your butt.

I said upthread I can beat a fish to the boat in 5 minutes but not one of those animals they aren't always bigger but the sliver colour and sleek look are a dead giveaway as well as the astounding fight-think Steelhead as opposed to garden variety Rainbows.

One of my best memories is sturgeon fishing with my grandpa on the Columbia River near the city of Hood River. Really fun to catch. In his dying days I asked him to tell me his honey holes, his answer was priceless, he grinned reel tired and reel big, and said something along the lines of our family being able to put fish "those city boys" I am from the city and he never told me his spots. He may have been getting in a good last joke about being much better at fishing than me.

And my kids love the fish hatchery, they never want to stop feeding the trout.

Smoked sturgeon is definitely something I want to try one of these days. As good as our smoked fish is here in Hawaii (swordfish is my favorite), I have a feeling I'd really like it. Guess I'll have to visit Oregon again and book a charter or ask one of the family on here to go fish.