So I’m talking sturgeon to this guy in cabin 4

He was out snauger fishing most of the day today up by the dam. Came back with three limits of eaters and once cleaned stopped by to give me the scoop on what’s working.

He said someone caught a little flaty close to the dam…around 10 lbs he figured and they caught a couple 40ish sturgeon. That’s how we started talking sturgeon.

I was telling him I would love to try some, but didn’t want to take a 50 incher home (when the season was open). I couldn’t believe my ears when he said he had two smoked sturgeon in his frige! Once he offered..how could I refuse!

I’m thinking a sturgeon steak…but nope, a whole headless/tailless sturgeon…cleaned like a trout but minus the head. Turns out it was a shovel nose caught in IL by a friend of his and he smoked it.

It was an oily but firm white flesh. Very tasty…however not tasty enough for me to keep one.

PS camera phone picture…sorry.

Ugh, that thing looked U-G-L-Y.

I love Sturgeon smoked whole, especially shovel heads, yummy! I will trade even for any Salmon
They are also good to eat staked out. The taste you might not have cared for Brian is stronger when made into steaks They are a rich fish.
Also if it was the smoke you didn’t care for or brine….I like sturgeon smoked with apple wood and in an Brown sugar brine!

I’d rather eat a old wet log.

Tell ya what though,, best smoked fish I ever had was smoked sucker.. I’ll snack on that stuff for days even weeks.

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I’d rather eat a old wet log.

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I must be missing something. What can you compare it too? Sounds like you are getting plenty of fiber in your diet

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I’d rather eat a old wet log.

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Careful big guy, you might get Oak Wilt or Dutch Elm Disease

That’s just what I was thinking Rootski!

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…however not tasty enough for me to keep one.

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I should have went on to say …to keep a 50 inch Lake Sturgeon.

I have to admit…it was kinda neat when he came back with this brown baseball bat of a smoked sturgeon! I thought I would be seeing a smoked steak.

I was great eating…I had a very small portion left and took it to the guys around the fire ring…they all loved it.

There’s another DNR rule I don’t quite get. Of all the people fishing for sturgeon this year, I never hear of a shovel nose/head caught. Yet the limit is 10 for the MN/WI boarder waters. What’s up with that?

I must be watching PBR rodeo with Wats

Brian K. – Thanks for the sample of smoked sturgeon tonight… it tasted good and complimented my Mich Golden Light perfectly. Drove over from Mankato this afternoon for some meditation (fishing). Put in at Everts around 3pm. Fished til 6:40pm. Caught 20 – 25 fish. Two biggest were 22″ (walleye and a sauger). Purple and white paddle tail was the preference today. Fished in 17 – 20′ fow until right before dusk then as shallow as 8′ afterwards. This was on the MN side in front of the 1st wingie… out of the wind. Met another IDA person today… Brook Trout.

Oh MS…you shouldn’t be saying that here…Bret and Wats…there’s no fish in P4!

It did go good with a beer didn’t it!

Glad you had a good time…see ya again soon I hope!

I bought some farm raise sturgeon last year, not exactly sure what type it was, I think it may have been white. West coast fish I believe.

Anyways pan seared it in olive oil, little salt, little pepper, it was actually very good IMHO.

Don’t think I could ever keep one myself.

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There’s another DNR rule I don’t quite get. Of all the people fishing for sturgeon this year, I never hear of a shovel nose/head caught. Yet the limit is 10 for the MN/WI boarder waters. What’s up with that?

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Yep, and I caught a few this year on the Minnesota and you can’t keep them there….go figure.

I also think smoked sucker is very good. Every year, up at Vermilion they have a sucker sale, $5 for every 100 pounds. Every year I say that I’m going to go up there and pick up a bunch to smoke, and to use for bait…. perhaps next year.