Sturgeon Season comes to an end

It was a great season, lots of nice fish caught, and lots of new faces out there this year.

I was nervous at 1st exposing a few of the regular cat crew to the fishery.. but it couldnt have turned out any better! Everyone was respectful, nobody was ever crowded(by fishermen), and everyone handled the fish with great care to live and fight another day!

The future of the fishery is in our own hands. The fishery will be good forever if things continue as they are, it will change if the wrong crowd gets out there… mishandling fish, or numbers of meat hunters.

I’ll be looking foreward to seeing everyone out there again next year! I am sure more people will become aware of the fishery by then and they will take it upon themselves to fish the croix… I cant blame them, its a good time. Its up to us to help educate those new to sturgeon fishing on the do’s and dont’s to help ensure the quality of the fishing, and the quality of the fishing experience.

I had a great time this year! I not only was very satistfied with my own success, but seeing the smile on many friends faces with hard fighting fish in their hands was priceless!

I’ll see you guys(and gal’s) out there next year right after about 150 catfish outings!

Fun stuff indeed!

Now we just need a spring season on the Croix

I will echo your thoughts Dave!

I was all ready to see a bunch of photos of sturgeon being held up by their gill plates…(I cringe just thinking about it!)

Most everyone that I took out had never caught a sturgeon before and watching them and their eyes was awesome.

To the IDA Members and lurkers that were on fish and took care of them….

I’m very thankful to those who introduced me to a whoppin’ good time, and I had a ton of fun introducing it to a few other friends!

PS…I’m going to the doctor in a few minutes…all because I didn’t hand my rod to Hanson!

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PS…I’m going to the doctor in a few minutes…all because I didn’t hand my rod to Hanson!

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Ouch!

Did you post the picture of that 50lb behemoth yet?

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PS…I’m going to the doctor in a few minutes…all because I didn’t hand my rod to Hanson!

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Geez Bud! You looked a little sore the day after. Hope everything is all right.
On a lighter note. I think that I can speak for the group. IF you hook into any other big fish and you have any of the IDA regulars with you. We would “Completely understand” if you had to hand the rod off…… to one of us because of a monster.
Better start carrying a Dr. Note.

Get better soon.

The straw that broke the camels back….

Larry-

dtro has been known to hand a rod off before as well.

58″

Brian – nice fish, looks like your sitting, didn’t we make Billy stand with his for a while?!
Thanks again for the great fishing memories.
My two buddys and I went out the night of the contest, although we did not enter since we were only going out for only a few of the tournament hours. We went out at about seven PM, and when the wind completely died we started reeling them in. They started small, around the 30’s, and sarted to get bigger into the mid 40’s. (we also got a mud puppy, what a wierd little creature with legs). Last fish of the night and season came at around 11:00 pm and took 30 minutes to catch. It started with a major bend to my buddy’s pole, “LUCKY” and an old reel that was his Grandpas spooled with 20lb mono. The fish swam around for 15 minutes on the bottom like it was nothing. As we scrambled to reel in our lines and four anchors ( I know it was overkill, but it had been really windy lately). all of the sudden: SNAP PLUNK, the nut to his handle of his old reel fell into the water and line was going out. What to do . I went to my tackle box and got MY grandpa’s baitcast reel (I just like having it on board for good luck), we connected the line with the fish to the line on my reel (3rd man holding the line with unknow fish on the end), got my old reel on his pole and we were back in business with 45 minutes left in the Sturgeon season. My buddy worked this fish to the surface pretty fast for having 20lb mono, but when it surfaced, it shot into the air and landed like me doing a canon ball off the 94 bridge!!
He landed it at 11:30ish and it turned out to be a 52″ healthy Calm sturgeon, (unlike the monsters we got with Brian which wouldn’t let you hold them in the boat). We got her back in the water, and told her to look out for you guys!! What a cool way to end the season.

I wanted to thank you guys for sharing your experiences and tips, it has helped make great memories for my friends and I for years to come!!!!

BK- Thanks again! Your help has been unmeasurable!

What a way to end the season St Croixer!

Grampa’s reel saves the day! That is cool!

Got framable pictures I hope!?

PS see PM

Outdoors4life, it’s time the St Croix forum is turned back over to the walleye guys .
We (I say we as in heavy fish guys) have only one fella the reports on cats regularly on this body of water, Ol’ C15 he does a bang up job of it.

Speaking as a Steering Committee Member, we are always looking for members that share regular fishing reports with photos, to add on as Field Staff…whether it’s cats, walleye, musky…although not so much waterdogs.

Most of the catters that were here on the Croix fish the MN and ‘sippi..and we are going back to our holes..so to speak.

Turk, Crappie Hunter, Ferny and many of the other regulars here keep us up dated on the other bites. King185 has had some very nice reports to…Mother Croix is smiling at him lately.

So what I’m saying is although there won’t be a ton of chatter about sturgeon until next Sept…there will be chatter about what’s open.

The fall eye bite is just starting…time to stick a pig!