Was talking to a guy at work about sturgeon fishing. The subject turned to how good they tasted. I can’t believe something that big would taste good. He steaks them out and also smokes them. I’ve read the posts sounds like everyone releases them or do some of you keep them?
I fished them for the first time this year too. With a tag you’re allowed to keep one. I’ve heard they taste good too. Never ate one myself though. 
MY UNCLE SMOKED THEM AND THEY WERE VERY GOOD
Blasphemer’s 
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MY UNCLE SMOKED THEM AND THEY WERE VERY GOOD
being that these bigger fish can be 50-60 years old, I would think it would be similar to smoking your uncle and eating him…… (JUST KIDDING!)
Or as the quote goes “fry it up in a pan with some onions, then throw the pan and the fish away and eat the onions” 
I did eat sturgeon once at this place in Milwaukee. It was decent, nothing great, just decent. I would rather just toss em back to catch another day. 
Two words…..
Costal Seafoods, one in Minneapolis, one in St.paul, I bought some there once, it was actually very good, nice clean white meat, light taste, I pan fried in in some olive oil and little salt and peppar, seemed pretty tasty to me. I suspect they could probably get it fairly easy, probably have to order some in. I also think it’s probably a white sturgeon, I want to say they said Washington, but don’t hold me to it. The fish I ate was suppose to be farm raised.
http://www.coastalseafoods.com/
Knowing how old the keepable fish are and how long it takes them to reproduce, I couldn’t catch and kill on myself, I suppose if one wasn’t going to make it that would probably change things, but not intentionally.
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MY UNCLE SMOKED THEM AND THEY WERE VERY GOOD
being that these bigger fish can be 50-60 years old, I would think it would be similar to smoking your uncle and eating him……
Dont think I could ever keep one. They are pretty old and have good numbers from the info I have. I have no problems with guys eating them in fact I would not mind trying it. But I could not kill one myself. I know you can get them in some farm raised fish markets. That I would try.
My dad said in the “old” days they used to smoke them and they were very good.
I just think about the water quality of the last 50-60 years and anything “bad” is in that fish.
That does raise a question…what was the Croix like in the 60s, 70s, and 80s? Has it always been “clean” or did it have to go through a cleanup?
I heard that it gives you erectile dysfunction so severe that Viagra can’t even fix it. So I guess if you are one of those guys who aren’t concerned with the ladies, your safe to eat all the sturgeon you like. 
Is that what happened to you, Pug? 
Come on Ralphie, I am trying to protect the resource. 
I know, you need a better spokes person. Oh, I also here sturgeon incubate and carry the aids virus. 
When I lived on the lower end of the state, I lived by a guy who sturgeon speared on Winnebago. He speared a big one – one year and brought some over, he cubed it and battered it and deep fried it. It was some of the best fish I have ever eaten. Close in texture and firmness to lobster, white flaky meat. It is very very VERY good!
My two cents are, regardless if you ever eat one I feel it should be our right to eat one if we choose…No I never have.
I liken this issue to the trapping debate and whether or not deer hunters should support trappers. Its a slippery slope when trapping gets outlawed because the next step is to outlaw other “conventional” hunting.
I’ve always felt that someday, a push for “total release” or a mandatory catch and release of all fish will come from our ranks of anglers and not anti fishing groups.
So in other words, I feel it should be legal regardless if you actually ever do eat one.
I expanded this debate a bit I know, I do feel very strongly that eating our catch is a tradition that needs to be maintained for future generations.
Keep Eatin’ 
Turk
Good point there!
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My two cents are, regardless if you ever eat one I feel it should be our right to eat one if we choose…No I never have.
I liken this issue to the trapping debate and whether or not deer hunters should support trappers. Its a slippery slope when trapping gets outlawed because the next step is to outlaw other “conventional” hunting.
I’ve always felt that someday, a push for “total release” or a mandatory catch and release of all fish will come from our ranks of anglers and not anti fishing groups.
So in other words, I feel it should be legal regardless if you actually ever do eat one.
I expanded this debate a bit I know, I do feel very strongly that eating our catch is a tradition that needs to be maintained for future generations.
Keep Eatin’
Turk
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…eating our catch is a tradition that needs to be maintained for future generations.
I absolutely agree with you Turk. I don’t have a problem with people who eat fish and really it’s none of my business. The right to keep and eat fish needs to be protected as well.
I am curious what sturgeon and flathead taste like, although I won’t be keeping one to satisfy my curiosity.
I harvested one a couple of years ago and Sturgeon is just fine to eat smoked. Not my favorite fish but very edible. I am glad to be able to harvest one too. Last year I released a legal sturgeon. I just love to catch them. Many locals who live up by the Rainy River consider the sturgeon a nussiance fish and would like to see some harvested to make room for them walleyes. So if you would like to try one, you won’t hurt any feelings up there to keep one and you won’t hurt mine either. If someone would really like to try them, the DNR should have no size limit on them. That way if you want to try sturgeon once, you can harvest a small one instead of the big momas.
I would have to agree with Turk about having the right to harvest sturgeon and other species.
IF the fishery can support it.
If something happened to the St Croix walleye population, I would be the first to support a C&R season or even a closed season.
Of course that is not a problem…but this years size of fish caught on the St Croix is down (for LS). Now to figure out why…until that question is answered…it’s in the best interests of the LS to at least go to C&R….IMO.
PS Eating Lake Sturgeon has been know to make the hair grow on your chin. 
….from what I have read about this season, the St. Croix is the only place that didnt have the min. size increased from 50″ to 60″. These fish do not breed when young….the first time may be between 50 and 60″(30+ years old) and then only every 4-6 years.(Very similar to my schedule 
)
SO, you guys might be right about not eliminating harvest all together but it sounds like the min. size should be 60-65+ inches as to allow them to reproduce multiple times before harvest.
I also think that every sturgeon fishery needs to be regulated separately!!!
ps: now that the season is over, my boat needs a serious powerwashing!
I was out fishing LS yesterday and caught 18 of them in 5 hours of fishing. They were all under 30 inches though up by Taylors Falls. Good numbers and action for me but a little disappointed I didn’t get one over 40″.
I think it comes down to fishing conditions. Every year is so different. Last year I had some 30 fish days on the Croix. This season has been very wet with high water levels. I think the fish are there that we did so good with last season. I don’t know of anyone who harvests them. If populations are down (which I don’t believe), it’s not because of over-fishing.
The water temps were a little higher this year too, no? I’d like to see a slot or max when harvesting sturgeon. I don’t know how much meat the smaller ones would have, but at least you are keeping the mature fish in the population and the ones with the largest egg masses. Actually, if I had it my way all fish would have a max limit on them. A.) To keep the quality genes in the pool B.) Keep females in the population
I know that’s my opinion and I treat it as such. I can only educate and keep throwing selective harvest out there for those who want to keep and improve the quality of our fisheries.
It’s too bad male fish don’t grow antlers!
ps. A 8# flat gives up a good chunk of meat? I was under the understanding that it didn’t. Probably from guys trying to discourage it. Still, unless I make one go belly up, it’s going back. That also has to do with my complete disdain for cleaning fish and the guilt I get from killing a fish.
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