It’s as simple as a “glob of nightcrawlers.”
That’s reportedly the bait of choice for lake sturgeon, the fish of choice these days in the Rainy River.
The “keeper” season for sturgeon opened last week and runs through Tuesday, followed by catch-and-release through May 15.
Some might be intimidated by the prospects of trying to land a fish that can push 70-plus inches and 100 pounds. And when you latch into a lake sturgeon, it can be a harrowing – yet exhilarating – experience. But for the most part, fishing for lake sturgeon is low maintenance.
Consider the bait and lure. While there are dozens of possibilities and combinations for most freshwater species found in these parts, those in the know keep it simple.
“Worms are fairly typical,” Phil Talmage, DNR area fisheries supervisor in Baudette, said of sturgeon bait. “I’ve heard people trying other things. But the bite is going hot enough where people want to stay with what’s working. Stick with crawlers now.”
“People are just fishing worms or dead minnows,” said Tom Burri, DNR assistant area fisheries supervisor in International Falls. “They (sturgeon) have a pretty simple diet.”
“The go-to bait is nightcrawlers on a circle hook fished on the bottom,” added Joe Henry, executive director of Lake of the Woods Tourism. “If you have your own boat and equipment, a glob of nightcrawlers on the bottom with a 2/0 circle hook and appropriate sinker for the current and you’re in business.”
Yes, presentation is the easy part. It’s when the sturgeon takes the bait that things can get interesting.
“These fish reach up to 100 pounds in the Rainy River and give you a fight that will have you begging for mercy,” Henry said.
“They’re different than pike or muskie where you have a violent, intense, short fight,” Burri said. “Sturgeon are like a bulldog that pulls and pulls for quite a while. They make runs. There’s a lot of weight. And the fins and the way they’re shaped make for a lot of resistance. It’s like hooking a sheet of plywood in the center. You can’t hardly move them. It can be a long, long fight. And they’ll jump when they make runs.”
The handling process also is different than with other large freshwater species such as pike and muskie. According to the DNR, when handling a sturgeon for photo purposes:
n Always support the fish horizontally. Do not hold sturgeon in a vertical position by their head, gills or tails, even for taking photos.
n Before you bring a big fish into your boat, make sure fishing rods, tackle boxes and other loose objects are out of the way.
n Never touch their eyes or gills.
n Minimize their time out of the water.
n And remember, some fish are just too big to safely bring into your boat.
“And when you release them, sometimes it seems like they don’t want to go,” Burri said. “They’re fine with you holding them in the water. They have no problem hanging around the boat. They don’t get spooked like other fish.
“A mentor of some sort is helpful for new anglers,” Burri added. “Taking care of and preparing a harvested sturgeon is not as simple as with other fish. I have seen these fish harvested before and in some cases the angler has no idea or plan on what do with it or how to deal with it. It kills me to think that these unique fish are sometimes harvested in vein and sometimes just discarded.”
“When handling the sturgeon, take great care in not dropping the fish and keeping them horizontal versus vertical,” said Henry, also an avid fisherman as well as a former professional angler. “They are such large fish that holding one vertically can actually damage the organs of the fish.”
“And make sure your equipment is big enough to handle a big fish. In a nutshell, look to anchor up just upriver from a hole or deeper area in the river. Typically, the sturgeon will swim up current to feed. Big numbers are being caught, with many fish over 60 inches, weighing over 80 pounds, reported. Sturgeon are biting in deep pockets.”
And while this is the time of year when most anglers target sturgeon, don’t forget about them when the season reopens July 1.
“Most of the crowds are gone then and sturgeon fishing can still be pretty good if you know how and where to go,” Kevin Peterson, DNR area fisheries supervisor in International Falls, said of the “second season.”
Because of cold weather in recent days and floating ice on parts of the river west of International Falls — likely from connecting rivers that are now losing their ice — fishing pressure has been minimal as of late. But the forecast for the next few days is for sunshine and temperatures in the 70s. So for the next two weeks, sturgeon anglers here can enjoy about the best sturgeon fishing on the planet.
“The opportunity to catch and harvest sturgeon truly is a unique one that we who live in Borderland are fortunate to have in our back yard,” Peterson said.
Advice from the DNR for sturgeon anglers:
GENERAL GUIDELINES
n Consider placing a measuring device on the side (outside) of your boat to get a quick measurement before releasing the fish so you do not have to remove it from the water.
n Use tackle strong enough to land fish relatively quickly, to minimize exhaustion.
n Try to avoid removing fish from the water.
n Use appropriately sized landing net to aid in catching the fish.
n Some fish are just too big to safely bring into your boat. Release them without bringing them into the boat.
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT
• Use tackle that is suitable for landing a fish that weighs 100 pounds, or more.
• Camera.
• Large landing net.
• Gloves, especially for handling small sturgeon that have razor-sharp projections (scutes).
• Pliers to remove hooks from fish. Sturgeon are almost always hooked in the mouth.
• Device to accurately measure the length of a long fish that can exceed 80 inches.
• A wet towel to place over the fish’s head when measuring. This helps calm the fish.
• Device, such as a seamstress tape, to measure maximum girth for weight estimation.
• A pen or pencil and a pad of paper to record numbers from tagged fish that you catch.
• During the “keeper” season, if there’s a chance you’ll keep a fish, purchase a harvest tag before going fishing and make sure to bring the tag with you.
• Means to properly attach the harvest tag to the fish. A plastic “zip tie” works well to attach.
• Means to validate the harvest tag once you harvest a fish.
• Cooler (with ice) large enough to hold a legal-sized sturgeon.
• A pen to record information needed to fill out your sturgeon registration slip. You will receive your registration slip when you purchase your harvest tag (it is printed along with your tag).
• Stamped envelope in which to mail your sturgeon registration slip.
