Blackjack4295

I found out that shovel or short nosed sturgeon have migrated into the Cedar River below Elk Run. They only get about 5 pounds iI read. Has anyone fished for these? What do you use for bait and how? Are they any good to eat?

Justoldjim Loc: JUNCTION CITY, OR.

The sturgeon from the Columbia river in Oregon are great eating of course we can't keep them under 44 inches

Big dog Loc: Bayshore, Long Island, New York

I’ve seen some of those Columbia River sturgeon, WOW they get big! I guess any fish that you use a railroad spike as a sinker for would Have to be Big.

GlennMc928 Loc: Tualatin OR

I grew up fishing the Calif Delta for sturgeon and there we used grass shrimp,ghost shrimp and also we used pile worms. I moved to Oregon and up here the only bait that they use up here is shad and a 4/0 hook but in Calif we used a 6/0 hook but for some reason a 6/0 hook won’t work up here in Oregon so basically just use what works best as there is no one type of bait to use. A rig setup in Calif was a 2 foot steal leader with a swivel on one end and a swivel and clip on the other end with a 6 oz sliding sinker. Up in Oregon they do not even use a steal leader only a 4/0 hook and a 2 foot mono leader and sliding sinker for your setup and bait. Your setup that you need my be different but try those setups and just fish with whatever bait you use in that river but fish it on the bottom as sturgeon are bottom feeders and very taisty to eat.

Blackjack4295

I think these in Iowa are smaller variety and can be kept at any size.

Blackjack4295

Thanks GlennMc I'm gonna try bait shrimp and cut bait. I heard they are in the fast water. Are they tough to clean?

GlennMc928 Loc: Tualatin OR

Fish in the fast water and heavy current and if you are in a boat anchor and fish when you find a drop off on the bottom. By drop offs I am talking about just about any drop off change of 2 feet or to 4 feet as sturgeon face into the current and feed on the bait that washes in to them.

Dennisjj Loc: Kinston N.C.

Cant sturgeon live for years and years and get to be a very large fish.

GlennMc928 Loc: Tualatin OR

Easy to clean and very tender and yummy meat but always bleed those fish as soon as possible even before stringing them up on the stringer/rope and just let them bleed out while in the water and then eat well.

Smoke fish and eat.

GlennMc928 Loc: Tualatin OR

Yes Sturgeon can live for hundreds of years and a they grow very slow but The biggest one that I ever fought was only 85 pounds. I have seen and a few that were cough that weighed in at 250 pounds and the biggest ever if the pic was real was cought up in Washington coming in at 2000 pounds but there is a lot of if’s about that pic.

GlennMc928 Loc: Tualatin OR

Fishing gear to use 7 to 8 foot med/heavy to heavy boat rod with a good flexible tip for detecting a sturgeon bight and a bait casting reel that will hold up to 350 yard 30lb mono line but I use 80lb braid. No need for a super heavy sea rod outfit as sturgeon do not put up a large fight unless they are super big and even at that most sturgeon will simply swim and lay on the bottom so don’t break your line.

Pmetscher Loc: Roseville, CA

Where is a good place to fish for sturgeon in the sacramento area?

Blackjack4295

The shovelnose sturgeon in Iowa run about 5 pounds and live about 9 years. Other varieties get enormus in size but not here. We only have shovelnose.

GlennMc928 Loc: Tualatin OR

Above Martinez and up to Benicia by old steel bridge that crosses the river it is best from middle ground of the river to just about anyplace in between. At one time the Benicia Suisun Bay was pretty much known for having the biggest sturgeon and was peaty famous in all the fishing magazines.

Rio Vista Bidge was known to put out some of both the bigger striper and sturgeon and both
grass shrimp.ghost shrimp and live Mud Suckers,but the Mud Suckers were used more for the striper run as we kind of fished double duty for both fish with Mud Suckers.
Bullhead have a horn behind there gills that will make one remember so we would cut those horns off before baiting it and fishing it and I am sure the fish thanked us for it. Fishing with Live Mud Suckers and Gobies and is very slow like in you getting skulked a bunch of the time but you catch bigger and better fish and I think that is do to the smaller bass having a much smaller mouth. When you guys bait fish for striper make a 8/0 hook your only hook for fishing bait and not those 2/0 to 4/0 hooks that most guys think are big hooks because striper are not hook shy and they cannot spit the large hook out but they can take it in without a problem. Another thing that the larger hook does is you catch more keeper fish and not those small trash fish and who likes catching small fish. I almost forgot to mention to hook you Mud suckers at the back end by the tail and the dental rubber bands that the dentist uses work good for attacking the hook to the bait and it does not kill the fish.

The Clam Bed is located on the corner just after Daus Cliff Haus 1 mile from the Rio Vista Bridge on the east side of the Sacramento River. There is a little park (fee) that has a couple of picnic tables and offers access to the clam beds in the river. You may clam there to and catch striper and sturgeon.


There is a location called the Dairy Just go from From Three mile Slough at the Sacramento River. Heading north toward Rio Vista. The Dairy is an area located near Light 26. From just north of this light to just south of it you can drift live minnows, troll with your favorite worm-tailed broken-back Rebel or drop the hook and bait fish. When fishermen refer to the Dairy they’re usually talking about the east or red light side of the channel.

Decker Island is located on the east side of the Sacramento River just down stream of Three mile Slough.
located near Light 26. From just north of this light to just south of it you can drift live minnows,troll with your favorite worm-tailed broken-back Rebel or drop the hook and bait fish. When fishermen refer to the Dairy they’re usually talking about the east or red light side of the channel.

Daus Cliff Haus is 1 mile above the Rio Vista Bridge on Highway 160 going north on the east side of the Sacramento River. You can anchor your boat over the clam bed here and catch striper and sturgeon. Be careful that the tide does not go out and leave you stranded until the next high tide.

Decker Island is located on the east side of the Sacramento River just down stream of Three mile Slough.

Sherman Island Public Access Facility — From Interstate 5, turn west onto Hwy 12. Near Rio Vista at signal light, turn south onto Hwy 160. Shortly after crossing over the Threemile Slough Bridge, take an easy right onto Sherman Island Road. Continue south on Sherman Island Road until it enters the park. From the Antioch Bridge on Hwy 160, take a left onto Sherman Island Rd. and follow it to the park entrance to a large parking lot and boat ramp. This place is good in the fall run and spring run striped bass and when fishing Silver or Gold or Red and White Rattle Traps.

I hope that helps.

Pmetscher Loc: Roseville, CA

Wow does it ever. Thanks.