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PostPosted: Tue Nov 20, 2012 9:42 am 
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Location: Portland, OR
Willamette river, Portland, OR 11-17-12

I went out on Saturday and only ended up with 6 shakers and 2 keepers and I lost my anchor.

First spot fished for about 45 minutes with no action. A couple of other kayak guys I know were doing pretty well on the opposite side of the river so I moved to that side upstream from them a ways. Immediately caught a keeper (~42"). Fished that spot for another hour to hour and half with only 4 more shakers to show for it. The interesting thing is this was around high tide, before tide started going out. I used 6oz of lead in this spot and probably could have gotten by with 4.

Went upstream a bit to a different hole and on the first drop caught a nice sized keeper (~45"). A few more misses at this spot but no more fish. I was fishing pretty close to shore and there were a couple of guys in a PB in the middle of the river doing well there, but they said most of their fish were shakers. They seemed to be get bit every 10-15 minutes or so. Since it seemed like there were a lot of small fish in the area I decided to move even though I was getting bit reasonably well. The cool thing is that there was a bald eagle in a tree a short distance upstream from where I was fishing. I tried to take some pics but I have not downloaded the pics off the camera yet.

I went upstream to a spot with a lot of current. The current was so strong I had a hard time getting my anchor to stick. Three times my anchor broke free just from reeling in my 12oz weight (10oz would not stick). I had a couple of good bites in this spot but I got sick of re-anchoring so I moved downstream a bit where the current was a bit slower, but still ripping pretty good. I picked up 2 shakers at the next spot. No more bites so I decide to move again. Anchor was stuck, it took me about 1/2 hour to get it free - what a pain. I could barely make progress upstream pulling the anchor rope peddling for all I was worth. After 5 minutes of maximum effort I would get a fair bit above the anchor and try to jerk it free. I would only get about 2 jerks before the current would sweep me back below my anchor. Then it was lather, rinse, repeat. Finally after a bunch of tries I was able to free my anchor.

After getting my anchor back I moved downstream a bit and re-anchored. I was rewarded by promptly getting snagged and losing my rig (12oz is $2.40). After a bit of fishing with no bites there I decided to head back downstream. Anchor stuck again! Another 1/2 hour of the same kind of effort as above to get it free.

I was tired of hanging my anchor so I went downstream to near where I caught the second keeper earlier in the day. There were some guys bank fishing near the spot I wanted to fish so I decided to go upstream a bit. I dropped anchor and fished for 1/2 hour with no bites. I decided to move down near where I started the day. Anchor hung again - this time for good. Probably spent 1/2 hour trying to free it to no avail. I was so bummed. After that I just headed home. I think I spent 1/2 my day anchoring or trying to free my anchor. It had to be one of the most frustrating and tiring fishing days of my life.

I took pics of the keepers, but I have not downloaded them off the camera yet. I will update this with the keeper pics and the eagle pics (if they do not stink) when I get around to it.

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Fish tremble when they hear my name :)

A ship in harbor is safe -- but that is not what ships are built for.
--John A. Shedd, Salt from My Attic, 1928


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PostPosted: Fri Dec 07, 2012 2:27 pm 
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pdxfisher;

sounds like a good day of catching. better to catch then just fish. I live on the oregon coast and I am looking to do some sturgeon fishing in the bay, I've caught some nice sturgeon out of a boat here. I look forward to the PA14 catch.
Have you heard of the wire tie (zip tie) to the anchor. You attach a 3' piece of chain to the head of the anchor (bite end) and then zip tie the chain to the tail end of the anchor. use a medium strength zip tie that will break with excessive pull. Once broke the angle of lift changes to the head of the anchor and should pull easier. Carry extra ties with you to re-set anchor chain. There are some youtube videos that expalin this. If I can find them again I will post.

Good Luck. what do you do with the sturgeon? cook ,smoke, or bake?


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PostPosted: Fri Dec 07, 2012 5:28 pm 
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[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-47vOJZe01c[/youtube]

This is part one but he talks about the release, he uses a different type, other similar videos guys use zip ties.

hope this helps.


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PostPosted: Mon Dec 10, 2012 2:21 pm 
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Location: Portland, OR
BentRodyakker wrote:
pdxfisher;

sounds like a good day of catching. better to catch then just fish. I live on the oregon coast and I am looking to do some sturgeon fishing in the bay, I've caught some nice sturgeon out of a boat here. I look forward to the PA14 catch.
Have you heard of the wire tie (zip tie) to the anchor. You attach a 3' piece of chain to the head of the anchor (bite end) and then zip tie the chain to the tail end of the anchor. use a medium strength zip tie that will break with excessive pull. Once broke the angle of lift changes to the head of the anchor and should pull easier. Carry extra ties with you to re-set anchor chain. There are some youtube videos that expalin this. If I can find them again I will post.

Good Luck. what do you do with the sturgeon? cook ,smoke, or bake?


I do exactly what you say. I attach permanently attach a chain to the bottom of the anchor and then zip tie to the eye. I used to use 20lb test, but I like the zip tie better. On the day I lost my anchor I had broken (and replaced) the zip tie three times earlier that day. That video you posted is spot on how most folks rig up around here for sure.

As for what I do with the sturgeon I catch. I am pretty much a C&R guy. Sturgeon is closed for retention most of the time around here and even when it is open I am not too excited about eating a fish that has been swimming around superfund sites for the past 15-25 years.

_________________
Fish tremble when they hear my name :)

A ship in harbor is safe -- but that is not what ships are built for.
--John A. Shedd, Salt from My Attic, 1928


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PostPosted: Mon Dec 10, 2012 5:55 pm 
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WOW! I am surprised that did not pull. Must have been wedged good.

I like the sturgeon out of the bay seems fresher and it is open year around.

One of the few ways I have had sturgeon is paper wrapped baked (really good) and smoked which is really hard to pass up if done right.

Good luck and catch plenty.

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"The craft is a foot bigger at port and shrinks a foot at sea."

BentRodyakker
PA14
Rockaway Beach
Oregon


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PostPosted: Mon Dec 10, 2012 10:22 pm 
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Location: Portland, OR
The area I lost the anchor is a bit of a boulder field. That coupled with the fast current sealed the deal.

Sturgeon are definitely yummy, but I am not too excited about taking one near Portland. I would be a bit tempted in one of the bays. The limit this coming year is going to be reduced to one fish until the quota is met with a complete closure in 2014. Thus, if you want to retain one this year get it early before it is closed.

_________________
Fish tremble when they hear my name :)

A ship in harbor is safe -- but that is not what ships are built for.
--John A. Shedd, Salt from My Attic, 1928


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PostPosted: Tue Dec 11, 2012 2:52 pm 
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pdxfisher;

That is a bummer :cry: Have they determined the length of the closure?
I have not heard of this in the Tillamook bay area. I was talking to another guy today and he said the same thing about keeping any fish that hangs out in the portland rivers for long. He said a lot of nasties :evil: in the water.

Maybe I will see you in the bay some day soon.

Fish on!

_________________
"The craft is a foot bigger at port and shrinks a foot at sea."

BentRodyakker
PA14
Rockaway Beach
Oregon


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PostPosted: Tue Dec 11, 2012 4:45 pm 
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Location: Portland, OR
BentRodyakker wrote:
pdxfisher;

That is a bummer :cry: Have they determined the length of the closure?
I have not heard of this in the Tillamook bay area. I was talking to another guy today and he said the same thing about keeping any fish that hangs out in the portland rivers for long. He said a lot of nasties :evil: in the water.

Maybe I will see you in the bay some day soon.

Fish on!


Not sure if I will ever make it down to the bay with the kayak but if I do I will drop you a line. If you are ever up this way feel free to do the same.

Here is what I have seen with regards to the sturgeon limit being one fish this year and closed for retention next year:

*****************************************************

NEWS RELEASE
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

Contact: Jessica Sall (503) 947-6023

Dec. 10, 2012

Commission sets 2013 annual sturgeon limit at one fish

SALEM, Ore. – The statewide annual bag limit for sturgeon will be reduced to one fish beginning in 2013 under new rules adopted last week by the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission.

The new rules covers all Oregon waters including inland rivers, bays and estuaries and supersedes a two fish annual bag limit set in September as part of the 2013 Sport Fishing Regulation development process.

At its meeting last Friday, the Commission had considered a proposal from an Oregon/Washington Workgroup that would have closed sturgeon to all retention in most state waters in 2013, but decided on the reduced bag limit as a transition to catch-and-release only fishing in 2014.

The reduced bag limit comes after several years of declining harvest quotas reflecting concerns about shrinking numbers of legal-sized fish.

***************************************************

_________________
Fish tremble when they hear my name :)

A ship in harbor is safe -- but that is not what ships are built for.
--John A. Shedd, Salt from My Attic, 1928


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PostPosted: Tue Dec 11, 2012 7:39 pm 
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Thanks for the info. I will drop you a line if I head that way. At least the C&R is still there. Thank you for the gesture.

Good luck

_________________
"The craft is a foot bigger at port and shrinks a foot at sea."

BentRodyakker
PA14
Rockaway Beach
Oregon


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