Kerry Hansen Loc: Bremerton, WA

I have been extremely fortunate in my life time to catch a lot of Sturgeon including a lot of Over sized ones that I have mentioned, but here are pictures of a few of them. One you will see a measuring stick showing the distance from the tip of one's nose to his mouth as one foot. Another not shown here which was my first plus sized one was too long for my fishing partners carpenters rule which kept bending in the middle when trying to extending out to the tail, so I said get the oar and lay it next to the Sturgeon. That worked, the fish was about 4" longer than the oar and the oar was 9'. You will also see a jumping Sturgeon. I have had numerous one jump while on line even one that I have told you before that jumped up in the bow of my sled that turned out to be 8', but this one I saw the line start to rapidly rise so I was fortunate to have a camera near that I took its picture when it jumped. All of these fish were in the Columbia back in better days. I hope they give you a little pleasure as they gave me a LOT of pleasure. Thank god I had the opportunity! Thinking about these beauties and listening now to music brings tears. These were all plus 9' fish. I hope some are still alive and breeding. My largest Keeper was 5' 4" when the limit was 5'6" that is the one I am holding by my sign in name for Fish Stage.

EasternOZ Loc: Kansas City Metro

Those are monsters Kerry

Thanks for sharing the pictures

Adrian

Nice catches Kerry, l have not for sturgeons but I live in central Minnesota and fish the border waters between Canada and in Wisconsin where they are common. I fish for muskie and walleyes mainly. I have seen some big sturgeons taken out of the saint croix river and the rainy river. I just don't want to hit one in my boat. 🛶

Ben Bragg Loc: Dayton Ohio

Huge fish. Thanks for sharing those

Danger25 Loc: Philly/ Cape may New Jersey

What do you use for bait? Cats?

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

Kerry: You are definitely a winner. You are welcome to lead the parade! Just Sayin...RJS

Kerry Hansen Loc: Bremerton, WA

RIVER SMELT, ANCHOVY'S, SAND SHRIMP. River Smelt are getting hard to get. Need in my opinion bait they are used to eating.

Kerry Hansen Loc: Bremerton, WA

Thanks for your kind words Bob.

Justoldjim Loc: JUNCTION CITY, OR.

They are fun to catch

Fredfish Loc: Prospect CT.

Fantastic fish Kerry, I've never even seen a mount that big. Congrats and thanks for sharing the "Good old days."

FourchonLa. Loc: Fourchon Louisiana, South Louisiana

Wow. Just wow. Reminds me of seeing some huge garfish rolling in the swamp. That had to be so much fun.

OJdidit Loc: Oak Creek Wisconsin

Amazing fish Kerry, thanks for sharing the pics.

Budreaux Loc: Boise, ID

When I was a sprout, my Grandad told me stories of farmers setting out ropes with multiple hooks in the Columbia River overnight. In the morning, they often used horses to pull the ropes in to the bank...with one or more sturgeon along for the ride. From these stories, I formed the impression that catching a sturgeon was very much like catching a water-soaked log. Later on -- much later, sad to say -- when I actually caught a sturgeon on a fishing line, I learned the truth. A great, fighting fish! (And I've never caught anything in the "plus size" range.) Kind of like a fresh-water marlin in my book.
Super pics, Kerry...thanks for posting.

PBFisherman

When I was a kid I saw them going close to 20ft long. Too many people keeping them has taken its toll

Kerry Hansen Loc: Bremerton, WA

I have told the story before on here about the Fisheries catching a guy who had a lot of guys catching the huge breeders and bringing him the eggs that he packaged them in his Vancouver, WA motel and sending back east to Chicago to a company that finished making caviar and selling. They figured (can't remember the exact number although I have the article up in my rod room) he and his group killed 25% of the breeders on the Columbia river system. This is so sad because of the very long time it takes a Sturgeon to reach a maturity to lay eggs which I have read approximately a 6' fish and 25 years. Way longer than the 3 to 5 years for a salmon to spawn. When Salmon fishing in WA fell on its lips many years ago many fishermen started fishing for Sturgeon, me included and were in my view over fished and now limits have been drastically reduced.