My last 3 times out I’ve been skunked and tonight was shaping up to be #4. I had a run on my cut bait rod at 2115 and missed and at 2300 I missed another run on the cut bait rod. At 2315 I thought I would put fresh bait on both rods and fish it until 2345 and then head in. I had a bullhead on the other rod and he hadn’t been very active and I figured he was either dead or trying to hide somewhere on the bottom. I had just rebaited the cut bait rod and was trying to catch a fresh bullhead out of the livewell when the bullhead rod doubled over in the holder and the drag was just ZZZZing.
I had the bullhead bridle rigged on an 8/0 circle hook and a tight line to the reel. I want the fish to grab the bait and run and then hook themselves while the rod is in the holder. This guy was hooked good and was on an explosive run just peeling line from a locked down tight drag. As soon as I got the rod out of the holder I knew this was a big fish. I figured I had a really big flathead and he was just going where ever he wanted to go. After about 10 minutes of in and out and back and forth I got the fish directly behind the boat and I was hoping he would come up so I could see him. Well he came up alright – this thing came straight up out of about 15 feet of water and tailwalked right behind the boat. I was kind of bummed when I saw it was a sturgeon but boy he did put up a fight and he was a blast to catch. I finally wrestled him into the net and dumped him on the aft deck. He measured out at 57 inches.
He did manage to slime me and the boat pretty good but he sure was a pretty fish. As far as I am concerned he busted my string of skunks. All in all it was a pretty fun time.
