White sturgeon, popular with anglers in the Fraser, Kootenay and Columbia rivers, has been protected since 1993 with catch-and-release only allowed. The shortnose sturgeon is classified as vulnerable by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada and is an endangered species in the US.
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Where can I find sturgeon on the Fraser River?
Fraser River white sturgeon fishing areas can be broken down into three sections – The tidal portion of the Fraser River between Steveston and Mission, the non-tidal portion of the Fraser River between Mission and Hope, and the mid section of the Fraser River between Hope and Lillooet.
Can you keep sturgeon on the Fraser River?
The Lower and Middle portions of the Fraser River provide the only recreational fishery for white sturgeon in all of British Columbia.
What is the best time to catch sturgeon?
The harvest season runs from late April until early May and early July until late September. The catch and release season runs from early May until mid-May and early October until late April. This means from the second half of May until the end of June you cannot fish for sturgeon fishing.
Are you allowed to keep sturgeon in BC?
1) It is illegal to retain sturgeon in recreational and commercial fisheries. 2) Prevent any harm to sturgeon by carefully and quickly releasing any incidental catch back into the water. 3) Keep sturgeon habitat pollution-free.
What’s the best sturgeon bait?
Types of recommended bait include crawfish, fresh water clams, salmon eggs or carcasses, shad and other small fish. If fresh bait isn’t available, adding scents to the bait will catch the attention of the sturgeon. Shrimp oil, shad oil and sardine oil are just a few of the many fish oils on the market.
How do you fish for sturgeon on the Fraser River?
Can you eat sturgeon?
Sturgeon has a refined flavor and consistency. That charm is why eating it raw is the best way to eat it. You can enjoy the charm of the fish meat by eating it as sashimi, sushi and marinading it. Even when boiled, you can enjoy the tender texture of sturgeon.
Can you take sturgeon out of the water in BC?
Never lift a large sturgeon out of the water. Fish suffocate out of water. Large sturgeon are at risk of internal injuries due to their own weight. Ropes, tailers, nooses or other devices must not be used to hold or land sturgeon.
What license do you need for sturgeon fishing in BC?
You must purchase a White Sturgeon Conservation licence, in addition to your basic licence, if you fish for White Sturgeon in the Fraser River Watershed (including tributaries) from the CPR Bridge at Mission to and including Williams Lake River in the Cariboo.
What rod should I use for sturgeon?
A 10-12′ surf casting rod is heavy duty enough to tangle with these large fish. You can easily cast the large weights that are sometimes needed for this fishery. The Shakespeare Ugly Stik Bigwater Series spinning rod is an ideal rod for shore sturgeon fishing.
Where is the best sturgeon fishing?
Where to Catch Sturgeon. California’s major sturgeon fishing is found in the broader San Francisco Bay system, including its various saltwater areas and tributary rivers including the Sacramento.
How many sturgeon are left in the Fraser River?
The 2020 core assessment area abundance estimate for 60-279 cm FL (age 7-55) Lower Fraser White Sturgeon, as derived from the ISAMR model, was 44,930 (95% CIs ± 4.5% of the estimate).
What happens if you catch a sturgeon?
Atlantic and shortnose sturgeons are protected species. If you accidentally catch a sturgeon, keep the fish in the water and remove the hooks. If the hooks are in too deep, cut the line. If you need to remove the fish from the water in order to do this, use wet hands or a wet rag to support the belly.
What hooks for sturgeon?
Most sturgeon anglers will use what most call a sturgeon rig. Typically, this is a 18″ snell made of 60 lb line or leader material attached to a 5/0 circle hook. Circle hooks help to prevent gut hooking fish. To weight down this rig, a no roll sinker is the ticket.
How do you rig for sturgeon fishing?
How do you rig for sturgeon on the Columbia River?
What does a sturgeon look like on a fish finder?
What do I need for sturgeon fishing?
Bring food & drink. Unless you have ordered lunch through your guide, make sure you bring ample lunch and drinks to keep you hydrated so you don’t go hungry. Many guides will bring water for you to drink but find out before you go.
How do you bait a sturgeon hook?
What do you do with a sturgeon after you catch it?
What’s the cleanest fish to eat?
HERRING. These silvery fish are not only affordable and full of omega-3s, but herring has minimal mercury content, making it one of the cleanest and safest ocean fish to eat, says Derocha.
What is the largest sturgeon ever caught?
The largest sturgeon on record was a beluga female captured in the Volga Delta in 1827, measuring 7.2 m (23 ft 7 in) long and weighing 1,571 kg (3,463 lb).
Can you fish in the Fraser River right now?
Night-time Restriction – When open by Regulation, fishing for all fin fish including salmon in the tidal waters of the Fraser River is permitted during daylight hours only. Daylight hours are defined as one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset.
Can you touch a sturgeon?
Handling Your Sturgeon Remove the hooks quickly & gently. Smaller Sturgeon Handling – If you want a quick photo, you can do so for fish under 1.5 m (about 4.11ft). cradle the sturgeon with one hand just in front of the tail and another behind the pectoral fins.