Rainy sturgeon and ?

The wife and I are going to hit next springs Rainy strugeon trip, and I’m doing a bit of search and it seems the Musky rods I have would not be optimum, seems a 8 foot heavy rod fast tip is prefered.

I can find them ok, but having a bit of trouble with a few items.
I was just wondering about line test and lenght that most are using?

Thinking maybe 40 to 60# test and at least 200 yards of it??
With line I need, I can figure which reels I’ll need..I hope..:)

Also a little fuzzy on terminal tackle, hooks, weights, leaders if any?

Thinking Octopus hooks, size unknown, and 1-3 oz no roll weights???

tia

Al…yes its slow at work…:)

You need a soft tip to see the perch bite. I use my cat rods with 80 or 100 pound braid. Most use a slip sinker rig with about a foot leader. Depending on the time of year and current flow, sinkers up to 8 ounces. I broke 4/0 gamakatzu circles when I was up there a couple years ago. 5/0 or 6/0 is not too big.

Thanks, I can see I’m not thinking big enough on this one..:)

How much line do you spool?

Al

I use abu 6500s and they hold about 200 yards of 80# power pro. Its cheaper to have it spooled at a shop. You should hit the Croix in the fall for practice.

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I use abu 6500s and they hold about 200 yards of 80# power pro. Its cheaper to have it spooled at a shop. You should hit the Croix in the fall for practice.

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Thanks, I was planning on going out a few times before Rainy, was thinking pool 4 but the St Croix might work too.

Al

I don’t believe lakers can be legally targeted on pool 4. I’m sure someone else knows about that.

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I don’t believe lakers can be legally targeted on pool 4. I’m sure someone else knows about that.

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“”
Shovelnose Continuous 10 (No minimum size)
Sturgeon
Downstream from Red Wing Dam only.
All species not listed above are covered by the inland regulations
of the state where taken.
“”

I don’t plan on keeping any of them, but at least I can fish for them C&R for fun/exprience.

Al

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Quote:

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I don’t believe lakers can be legally targeted on pool 4. I’m sure someone else knows about that.

---

“”
Shovelnose Continuous 10 (No minimum size)
Sturgeon
Downstream from Red Wing Dam only.
All species not listed above are covered by the inland regulations
of the state where taken.
“”

I don’t plan on keeping any of them, but at least I can fish for them C&R for fun/exprience.

Al

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I guess we all got a little confused with the start out and name of this thread… Rainy Sturgeon… the only sturgeon up on LOTW and Rainy is Lakers. Targeting Lake sturgeon with intention on P4 is whats the previous poster was talking about.

Don’t feel bad, I’m confused too..

The reference to Rainy was more to point out where we’d be fishing and the possibility of needing different equiptment.

I originally just wanted to know what equiptment I needed, but I remember people catching sturgeon on pool 4, at that time I didn’t know there were multiple kinds of them.

Then I was kindly informed that you can’t catch Lakers (always thought they were trout) on pool 4 but you can catch and keep the shovelnose varity.

Not interested in keeping any of them, but at least I know now which kind of sturgeon I’ll be fishing for on pool 4 for practice.

Least I will when I get a picture of the shovelnose so I know what it looks like…

More of that learning curve.

Thanks all.

Al

Dear Confused,

Let me know when/if your coming down to P4. I have some photos in the bait shop that show the difference pretty well.

In fact there’s a photo of the state record shovel that was caught at a secret location near the dam.

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Dear Confused,

Let me know when/if your coming down to P4. I have some photos in the bait shop that show the difference pretty well.

In fact there’s a photo of the state record shovel that was caught at a secret location near the dam.

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The pictures and the spot will be most welcome, I might bring them over sized peanut butter cookies again…

Thanks, will do.

Al