Sturgeon fishing in Seattle?

[dpdash]

I am going Sturgeon fishing in Seattle next week, of course it is catch and release, anybody ever done it? Any comments, description etc? Should be different.

[Jim Z]

I was born in Seattle and raised in Longview/Kelso fishing on the Cowlitz and Columbia rivers for steelhead, salmon and sturgeon. Although is was many years ago we would impale a dead smelt (similar to a mullet but skinnier) with a treble hook and send it to the bottom. You've heard the saying long periods of boredom interrupted by brief moments of chaos? There you go. In 1980 Mt. St. Helens blew and screwed up the rivers for a few years. In the mean time I moved away and haven't had the pleasure since. If you hook one of size you'll be in for a decent fight. The largest I've ever landed went about 110lbs. but they get much larger. Tighter regs have helped and from what I hear they've really cracked down.

This is the best time of year to visit the area (IMO, for the weather...). Good luck, take pics and post 'em!

PS - We still need to raft up with Glen E and swap stories.

[trinhtd]

Half a mile down from Bonneville dam where the river branches out. Find someone with frozen shads from the June run. Use the gut and gill on a barbless hook. You'll hook an over size sturgeon in less than 15 minutes. Single barbless hook is the only thing that's legal for sturgeon these days.

Becareful out there. The current is very swift. Make sure the anchor is really set and keep an eye out at all time.

[dpdash]

Thanks for the input, we are fishing with a guide so I'm not concerned with where or how, that's his job. Just wondering what to expect. I'm not expecting long greyhounding runs.
I'd like to get together as well Jim, won't be for a few weeks at least.