So last year my goal was to get a Sturgeon thru the ice and I didn’t see one. I have the same goal this year and need some help. I am not sure what kind of structure I should be setting up on. Either I was just unlucky last year or I kept setting up in the wrong spots. What kind of areas do you look for when you are setting up?
The easy answer is the basin in the Bayport area. I have a number of friends that don’t look for anything and just stop and drill a hole, then land sturgeon…so I’m going to say you might of been just unlucky.
Personally I’ve only ice fished for them twice. One 50+” fish and one skunk, so I’m not an ice expert.
Look at your map and find where it drops off into deeper (30′) of water and fish along those.
I’m not sure what you have for gear, but if possible move after an hour of no bites. Crawlers and fatheads and it doesn’t hurt to mush up a fathead for flavor in the water.
Just be careful of the warm water discharge at the King Power Plant.
Good Luck this year!
I’m not afraid to share my favorite spots. Here ya go. No joke either… I’ve caught at least one sturgeon at about 99% of those spots, and that’s just one 5 mile stretch of the river.
You can either look for the fish, or let the fish look for you, either way they are just going to keep moving. They are not really relating to anything, more like cattle grazing in a field. Sure there are certain spots that seem to better each year, but think of it more like URL or Lake Winnipeg walleye. Just a big bowl with schools of fish moving around.
Patience and time on the water are your two best friends. I’ve had some 20 fish nights but have also went several trips in a row without catching a single fish.
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Thanks for putting a yellow dot next to my favorite spot 
Man, that’s my backyard. I have no excuse to not try catching one this winter. From the videos I’ve seen, it seems people usually evening fish for these. Or are your chances just the same anytime of the day?
If anyone is heading out and wants someone along so they don’t need to mumble to themselves waiting for a bite, let me know. Happy to pick up bait and a couple cold ones to kill the time.
Thanks for the help guys. I did try a couple of the yellow dots last year so I must be unlucky.
Jamin, I would be happy to let you know when I will be trying it again. I built 3 different action rods I need to try out on sturgeon so…
Sounds good, shoot me a PM! I picked up a secondhand TUCR LTP last year for a couple Superior trips for lakers. Would be fun to try it on something else. Plus I might be able to check sturgeon off my list.
Sorry if it hijacks your thread, but it’s yours and it’s related…did you build spinning or casting rods? Glass?
My best tip is fish in front of the shanty town or south in of the river flow of shanty town.
Them sturgeons will either be bottom feeding or cruising in like crappies…
Be prepared to have at least 100 yards of fishing line…especially if you hook a big one.
did you build spinning or casting rods? Glass?
I made 2 spinning on glass blanks I shaped and one carbon. 46” to 48” long with a longer handle.
I would focus on the edges of flats that are close to deeper water. I have found from my experience that the sturgeon will roam the basin along a break and slide up on flats to feed. Sometimes the flat is only a couple of feet higher than the basin and sometimes it’s much more pronounced but I seem to do the best when using this approach.
As far as area is concerned, bayport is always a good bet. It is usually really productive and there are quite a few options as far as structure. There is also the warm water discharge from the power plant. The ice, except at the discharge, is generally really good as well. There are some spots that i fish more towards afton that are good but a little more caution is required because of the potential for thin ice due to stronger currents.
I normally use the night crawler and fat head combination. I take the Northwoods angling approach and use large glow spoons with upsized treble hooks and heavier split rings. I put 2 night crawlers and 3 fat heads on each time. 1 fat head is tail hooked so that it can kick around and the other 2 I pinch the heads off and hook them through the back for scent distribution. Some guys use cut sucker with circle hooks. I have not tried that but have heard it’s a solid option.
This is some of what I have learned through time on the ice. Take it for what it’s worth but this “program” did get me some really nice sturgeon topside. A lot of the posts on this thread have some really good info and I hope you’re able to get into some this year. Pm me if you want to connect out there sometime.
Good info, Matt. Thanks for sharing. I’m bookmarking this as my Sturgeon 101 guide for when the ice is ready. 
What is the preferred distance to set baits above bottom for Sturgeon?
What is the preferred distance to set baits above bottom for Sturgeon?
Set your baits right on the bottom.
If you haven’t seen this episode of IDO check it out. It shows exactly how to do it. Super easy and an absolute blast when you catch one. Just make sure to reel up your other lines or you will regret it! They get tangled up in everything on the way up!
Thanks for the info! Do the mudpuppys typically bother your bait while sitting on bottom?
Good write-up Matt.
If I recall correctly didn’t fish blood or dtro or Jakob do a large write-up of this topic? Hiding somewhere in the many pages of the ice fishing forums?
I could be wrong…
Dear Lord this sounds so fun….
Rodworks,
Let’s actually git-r-done this year.
I’ve been meaning to get out on the hardwater and catch a biggon ever since Mr. Spam/Hamm/Klawitter took me out a couple years ago in the fall and we banged a few in the fall.
I couldn’t imagine pulling a 50″ fish thru a hole in the ice, what a rush!!!
Maybe even get an IDO sturgeon GTG out there this winter. Dec 22 the day before the big game perhaps???
Thanks for the info! Do the mudpuppys typically bother your bait while sitting on bottom?
Yes they do. Sometimes it seems like that’s all that’s down there!
I’ve wanted to try it also but ice fishing on the river just sounds bad. Fished them open water and it’s a blast. Probably will have to try it this year. Wonder if my Mack lake sturgeon rod will hold up to a sturgeon….
Another good tip is to set up a good distance away from other people. This will increase your odds of the fish finding your bait and not someone else’s, but also because they LOVE to swim big circles after they get hooked up and will run into lines of other people set up 50ft away or more. There is simply NO good reason to setup right next to another shelter for this type of fishing.
Lots of big ones out there! If any of you have seen the 78” er that was caught through the ice in Feb out there, the DNR recaptured that fish this spring in Anderson Bay while they were chasing a radio tagged Bighead Carp.
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Maybe even get an IDO sturgeon GTG out there this winter. Dec 22 the day before the big game perhaps???
That sounds like a good idea, I’m in!
Maybe even get an IDO sturgeon GTG out there this winter.
This sound like a great idea. IDO Sturgeon get-to-gather! I will get one started.
So glad I stumbled on this post… I had a similar experience last ice season. Tried for sturgeon 10 or so times on the St. Croix between North Hudson and Stillwater and never even had one on. Made me think I didn’t know about the “secret spot” but I see that’s probably not the case. Thanks for all of the good advice! I’ll have to give it another shot this year. I’d also be happy to join in on a sturgeon get-together or just meet up with another IDO sturgeon chaser sometime.
Personally I’ve only ice fished for them twice. One 50+” fish and one skunk, so I’m not an ice expert.
BK that wasn’t a skunk! That was mud puppy fishing!
BK that wasn’t a skunk! That was mud puppy fishing!
Correction…I was only out 3 times.
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