Non-Fly Got a Monster Sturgeon Today

Breck

Breck

The Whisk(e)y Dick
Did a thing today. Keep me honest, but I estimate between 9 and ten feet and 400 - 500 lbs. The boat is 32’ and it was easily 1/3 the length of the boat. Once I finally landed it, we revived it and it slipped back into the depths. I imagine it’s likely as tired as I am. It was like pulling a Volkswagen off the bottom of the Columbia.

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Breck said:
Did a thing today. Keep me honest, but I estimate between 9 and ten feet and 400 - 500 lbs. The boat is 32’ and it was easily 1/3 the length of the boat. Once I finally landed it, we revived it and it slipped back into the depths. I imagine it’s likely as tired as I am. It was like pulling a Volkswagen off the bottom of the Columbia.

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But a Volkswagen that often jumps clear of the river. Amazing, or "Awesome" creatures, well done!
 
Hell yeah!

not gonna lie, that just looks like work!
 
Looks like an honestly big-azz fish to me! I’m into it. That’s a River Monster. So I guess Breck is basically Jeremy Wade.

Yard Sale said:
What kind of bait do you use to catch a fish that can perform operations? I gotta imagine they are pretty smart. :p
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Can’t say sturgeon fishing has been on my bucket list. I know, narrow minded. I would love to see 10 foot sturgeon clear the water in real life, rather than on YouTube.
 
Breck said:
Would you believe me if I told you it took a sand shrimp? True story.
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Well, they do make quite a bit of money so I'm not too surprised they have a seafood heavy diet.

Teasing aside, I think I'd like to catch a sturgeon once. Once... My buddy used to catch them fairly regularly on a full salmon head with a 10/0 hook. They'd hook them off the sandbar then jump in a boat and chase them for like 45 minutes even with tuna type gear. I'd bet you are cooked!
 
Sam Roffe said:
Can’t say sturgeon fishing has been on my bucket list. I know, narrow minded. I would love to see 10 foot sturgeon clear the water in real life, rather than on YouTube.
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It was quite a spectacle, to be sure.
 
Yard Sale said:
Well, they do make quite a bit of money so I'm not too surprised they have a seafood heavy diet.

Teasing aside, I think I'd like to catch a sturgeon once. Once... My buddy used to catch them fairly regularly on a full salmon head with a 10/0 hook. They'd hook them off the sandbar then jump in a boat and chase them for like 45 minutes even with tuna type gear. I'd bet you are cooked!
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I finally figured out my typo. Fixed it.
 
Breck said:
Not gonna lie either. It stripped nearly 400’ of line on its first run. Halfway through the battle, I was like “fuck this. This sucks”. I saw it through though. I’m absolutely smoked. Gonna be sore tomorrow.
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I think the 100lb mark is a roughly the limit on what I could consider "fun," on any species. Huge fish and hour+ long fights are a slog for angler and fish.

My immediate impression at 19 after landing a marlin more than twice my substantial body weight? "Trout on a fly are just as fun and you can do it as many times as you want."
 
Pink Nighty said:
I think the 100lb mark is a roughly the limit on what I could consider "fun," on any species. Huge fish and hour+ long fights are a slog for angler and fish.

My immediate impression at 19 after landing a marlin more than twice my substantial body weight? "Trout on a fly are just as fun and you can do it as many times as you want."
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Also, sweet fish man! I reread my post and don't want to detract from a dope fish, just commiserate about the suck factor of giants.
 
Pink Nighty said:
Also, sweet fish man! I reread my post and don't want to detract from a dope fish, just commiserate about the suck factor of giants.
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I didn’t take it that way at all. You’re absolutely correct. I think my sturgeon fishing days are over. I’ve fished them in the past and caught quite a few big ones, but nothing compared to this fish. I’m chalking it up to a once in lifetimer. I don’t ever want to do that again. I fish because it’s fun. This was exciting, sure, but I wouldn’t call it “fun”.
 
clarkman said:
Hell yeah!

not gonna lie, that just looks like work!
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Nice fish brah…

When I was young and full of p & v, I used to get excited when a big marlin came in and slammed one of our lures in the spread…decades later, I wasnt as happy to spend a couple hours in stand up gear stretching out 600 yards of 80 lb mono that was going to be replaced when we got back in…hoping she wouldnt die on us and end the fishing day with a fish nowhere near as good eating as a mahi, ono or tuna…
 
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