captjim Loc: Antioch Ca

Which brings up a question of technique. Once your bait is out there and you are waiting for a bite, do you have the drag tightened up or do you leave it loose.

I would never leave a rod leaning against the transom either, but if the reel is in free spool or very light drag the rod stays in the boat.

In the area where I have fished sturgeon the most there are also sting rays, sharks and stripers. Until the first rains San Pablo Bay is full of sharks and rays. Rays are notorious for the "suicide fish" type bite and run. If at all possible I leave the reel in free spool with the clicker on. Drag is pre set to about 50%. Sturgeon bite I thumb spool to set hook, engage spool and the fight is on. Sting ray hits strips a lot of line while reel is in free spool. I lock down spool wait for sting ray to swim out the slack and set the hook. Sting rays can get to 125 lbs in this area, though most are about 10 lbs. They are extremely plentiful. When the rays are in the bay I figure 10 ray hook ups to one sturgeon hook up.

It is all a matter of personal preference. So lock down before or after bite?

Baddonut Loc: Pittsburg CA

Hi Kerry thanks for the info really helpful. My understanding from youtube is sturgeon move with the current and dont hold in one place? So if no joy on the hole edges after a hour or so do you move with the current?

Baddonut Loc: Pittsburg CA

Nice the rays sound like a good sport. I wont leave the rod loafing, its in my hand or in a holder and Ill leave the reel free spool with clicker.

Jeremy Loc: America

I have a buddy that fishes for Channel cats with spinning reel in open position. For sturgeon in a current on a boat I do NOT leave reel open. Maybe loose drag with clicker. The current alone will spool you here. Sounds like a fun fishery to catch more than just sturgeon. When i target them in Willamette and Columbia there is no ther type fish biting.

Kerry Hansen Loc: Bremerton, WA

No, I don't back of on the drag. if he starts to run with the drag set, he will hook himself. I don't want to have to keep screwing with the drag. I sure as hell wouldn't want it free spool. It would not be good untangling a rats nest with a big Sturgeon tugging on it!

Baddonut Loc: Pittsburg CA

Yes the current will take you here with open spool but Ill listen to the guys fishing here and see the advice and will keep you informed on the result......maybe a mahoosive sturgeon!

Baddonut Loc: Pittsburg CA

Really interesting the views on the drag question. My biggest point on reel open is how to detect V gentle bites...

Baddonut Loc: Pittsburg CA

Saw1 you getting into this debate as on you wall Ive seen sturgeon tails!

Baddonut Loc: Pittsburg CA

hi Jeremy my understanding was WD40 is no good, its hydrocarbon oil not fish oil and I got that from this forum somewhere.... you have differing opinion as I have seen on other forums. So even if hydrocarbon you have luck with dubbs?

Kerry Hansen Loc: Bremerton, WA

Yes they do move. Another place I used to fish is Near the side of the river. With my fish finder I would look for an area where the river takes a steep drop off. I would anchor near the bottom of that drop off. They seem to follow that drop off up or down stream in my experience. I always viewed Sturgeon fishing as very relaxing especially if everything was going to crap back in the office or the boss was being a butt hole. I would relax and even have a pocket book. Also you can never tell by the bite if it is big or small. I have already told the story when fishing on the Columbia and we were being bothered by little Bullheads stealing our bait. Got so pissed I figured I would try to hook one of those little bastards. So I did set the hook. Ended up being an 8' fish that jumped into my boat up in front of the windshield. He eventually flopped back in the water and I played him about 20 minutes and got him to the boat, measured him in the water then released him. Scared the crap out of the guy I was fishing with who was sitting with his back to the windshield and he turned and saw a huge white belly and said #$@%&^$#X why didn't you tell me he was so big! I was glad he didn't jump in the boat where we were with all our tackle boxes. They would probably knock some out in the river.

Kerry Hansen Loc: Bremerton, WA

Two more things, my old fishing partner used to use WD40. It worked for him. OK now about seeing the bite. Just because it is in a lot of cases a BIG fish, You don't want a broom handle for a rod. I used to make and donate a fishing rod for my wife's Hospital charity every year where they had a big fund raising event just before Christmas and was attended by people in formals and Tux. One year I donated a Sturgeon rod with roller guides and part of the deal was the winner would be taken in my jet sled to the Columbia to fish for Sturgeon. Well the gentleman who won the auction who owned a number of assisted living complexes, sadly on the fishing date he had other commitments so he asked his maintenance supervisor to go in his place. He also offered that the guy could use the newly won rod. his guy said I have it covered, I have a lot of rods. So my Brother-in-Law and I met him there. The rod he brought was a shorter, stiffer rod. He set up his rod over the stern between me and my Brother-in-Law. We had rods that I made that had soft tips. So we are anchored in the river along one of those sloping drop offs I mentioned before. There was a fair amount of wind that day so the stern of the boat had a little bounce. Every time the boat bounced his stiff rod didn't flex so he was jerking his bait, whereas our two rods flexed with the bounce and didn't bother the bait. We spent the whole day fishing. He never had one single bite (same bait) so my brother-in-Law and I let him hook or play a fish on our two rods!

Bdubya06 Loc: Salem OR

Kerry is absolutely right! No open spool! A birds nest while fighting a big sturgeon would be a nightmare! And NEVER try to grab that braid and hand line a sturgeon in. Ive seen it! It ain't pretty! Get your weight and bait on the bottom. Reel up the slack tight, put your rod in a holder and watch your tip closely.
Youll get em!

Bdubya06 Loc: Salem OR

Don't overthink sturgeon fishing! Its about as simple as it gets!

workaholic Loc: Pittsburg, ca

Wheeler island is a great place to fish. it is deep and has a lot of fish in it. grass shrimp or ghost shrimp. I have taken a lot of sturgeon out of there.

Baddonut Loc: Pittsburg CA

Great tip thanks! This weekend is my time I feel it!!