Sturgeon

[Rod Caster]

This is a sturgeon we caught on the Ottawa river earlier this summer. My bro caught it while we were fishing for catfish from shore using a homemade worm harness and a worm. His equipment included a beat-up collapsible rod, 14lbs mono and an old "backwoods" reel. Needless to say we were under-equiped and had to rely on non-typical fishing methods to get the fish out of the water.

Firstly we had to chase the fish in the canoe because it was spooling his reel. Next we had to maneuver around several deadheads. When the fish really wrapped his line around a log, my bro got the diving mask and went under the water to get him. He didn't know it was a sturgeon so this is how it went:

 

He swims over to the log, dives in the first time and then surfaces: "the fish is still there!"

Dives a second time and comes up " its a huge catfish"

Dives a final time and comes up hugging a sturgeon "IT'S A STURGEON!!"

 

It was a very climactic event and quite entertaining to watch. Here are two photos of the masked fisherman and a release video.

 

Edited September 16, 2010 by Rod Caster

[scuro2]

Thanks for sharing.

[tb4me]

Wow way to not give up on it! Nicefish!

[HTHM]

That too funny! Very small, (for a sturgeon), but quite the fight if it spooled you.

Edited September 16, 2010 by HTHM

[shimano25]

Nice sturgeon. Too bad MNR prohibits taking even ONE sturgeon throughout the whole year.

[Leecher]

That is just crazy of your brother to go under for it

Congrats to him and thanks for sharing

Leechman

[fishindude]

LOL that's great. Thanks for sharing that with us!

[Guest Johnny Bass]

Sturgeon have to be the coolest looking fish. Would love to catch one but not over 50lbs. Over that, its not pleasure anymore. Its work!

Thanks for sharing.

[Rod Caster]

That too funny! Very small, (for a sturgeon), but quite the fight if it spooled you.

 

 

I'd say it weighted in close to 10lbs, so yes small for a sturgeon. This fish pulled like a freight train on his light gear, with no shakes or runs...just consistent forward force. Even though it took us a while (maybe 10-15 mins) to bring the fish into shore, it was released within 30seconds and swam away instantly. I was happy to see it come and go. What an amazing looking fish indeed.

Edited September 17, 2010 by Rod Caster