I went pontoon sturgeon fishing today, no luck

[idahoron]

I decided to try a spot that I didn't think got a lot of attention. I launched from a spot I will keep to my self UNTIL I am up next on the picture game unless some one guesses it here. Anyway it was 64 degrees at launch time 10:00 am. I had to work for a little while so I got a very late start.

The river is up, WAY up from last week flow was 5600 cfs. I headed up stream and into the unknown. Right from the start I knew I was going to have a tough time. I was going up river but not very fast. I hit a couple spots that I had to veer from one side to the other to find a spot where I could make headway. The last push into the hole was just creeping and I was at full speed.



The hole was deep 78 foot. I started to map out the hole with my fish finder. After about an hour I was soaking a mort on the end of the line. I was there about 2 hours and I get this on my fish finder.




As I saw this I got a hit on the rod I didn't have in my hand I was taking a stupid picture. DANG IT[mad]

I marked the location with my GPS real quick. The current is so strong I had a hard time getting back to that spot. I got there again and another hit but it was a pop and drop. DANG IT[mad]

After I was there about 4 hours I gave up. The wind, and current had me ready to go home. It was a promising scouting trip but that current was bad. I got into some of those big whirlpools that would spin the toon so hard I thought I was on a carnival ride. Then the up heaves were enough to lift the boat. I should have tried it when the water was lower. When it drops again I will have to try it again. Ron
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[Fishit]

Doesn't sound too bad. Like the old adage: a bad day fishing is better than a good day at work! Hopefully when the water drops you can get in to them next time.
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[cpierce]

Nice that you got out. Looks like it was a good scouting trip. Let the current drop a bit and you should have an easier time motoring up there.

How much weight do you use to drop your line that deep? Does it drop very fast in the current?
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[windriver]

Sturgeon fishing from a pontoon in current. That certainly ups the level of difficulty. Can't wait to see when you hook up next time.

Windriver
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[dma_ayotte]

Ya Ron im curious to about the weight? How much do you use? Seems like it would have to be a good amount of it...
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[MMDon]

That is an interesting screen shot you have there Ron.

Bummer about missing the bite but it sounds like you have him spotted for a low flow day!
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[idahoron]

I started with 8 oz but it hung up fast. I went to 2 oz and I could feel it dragging but it didn't hang up. Between me and a friend of mine we have caught 3 sturgeon now in the pontoons. In all three cases we were drifting and the sturgeon crashed the bait so setting the hook was not a tough thing to do. This guy just beat me at the game. Maybe next time. Ron
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[drowning_flys]

Better luck next time what are you going to do when you hook a 10 foot fish? Bft might have to get a new water ski y just for you lol
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[idahoron]

That is just what I need!!!! This guy with skis. [fishon]

Ron
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[brownieguy]

I was thinking the same thing. lol, it really would be quite the ride if you did get into a big one. an hour of getting drug around in a pontoon boat by a 10 foot sturgeon would be quite the battle of attrition.
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[drowning_flys]

lol close as i can find
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[idahoron]

Getting close[]
Ron
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[Jimbojump]

I just started sturgeon fishing and from the fights Ive had...I wouldnt want to be in a toon...talk about scary...I guess maybe he could just pull you around a little until you got him..but in a toon I would think youd find yourself wayyyyy downriver by the time it was doable to land him...sure like to hear more as you pursue this endeavor. ;-)
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[idahoron]

Done it. Ron



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[Jimbojump]

All I can say Ron is AWESOME!!!
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[idahoron]

I am looking for a bigger one. [fishon]
So far I have seen three caught on pontoons. They don't seem to compleatly blow out of the hole. Most of the places I have fished have got plenty of river to work with. I wouldn't want to hook one at the top of a set of rapids[crazy]
I got the fight on Youtube look under my name idahoron. Ron
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[sdhuntandfish]

Congrats!

Sounds like a new sport for the "X-Games"
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[Belasko]

If you get board you could always try to emulate Babe Winkelman and do it from a float tube []
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[forrest2906]

As always, your posts are very informative and also very enjoyable.

Chuck
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[flygoddess]

[quote Belasko]If you get board you could always try to emulate Babe Winkelman and do it from a float tube [][/quote]

Being a fly fisher, there use to be a fly fishing program filmed in Canada. On one episode, one of the two host hooked and landed so to speak, a 7' Sturgeon on a fly from a donut tube. Might have been what gave Babe the idea, maybe not. I have tried to find the video, but no luck yet.
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