Fishing

BarnBuster

Virtually Unknown Member
Oh shoot, I meant I’ve caught a good 300+ of them, but i actually have caught big ones That might have been that heavy.. They do get old. And they are prehistoric creatures. Another reason why I mostly caught and released.
They used to be really plentiful and huge in the Great Lakes way back. Now, a rarity but they are making a comeback thru breeding programs and fishing size limits. I know in Lake Erie they are immediate release if caught. Every once in awhile you read about someone catching a big (and old) one.

"In 1860, this species, taken on incidental catches of other fishes, was killed and dumped back in the lake, piled up on shore to dry and be burned, fed to pigs, or dug into the earth as fertilizer. It was even stacked like cordwood and used to fuel steamboats"
 

MICHI-CAN

Well-Known Member
They used to be really plentiful and huge in the Great Lakes way back. Now, a rarity but they are making a comeback thru breeding programs and fishing size limits. I know in Lake Erie they are immediate release if caught. Every once in awhile you read about someone catching a big (and old) one.

"In 1860, this species, taken on incidental catches of other fishes, was killed and dumped back in the lake, piled up on shore to dry and be burned, fed to pigs, or dug into the earth as fertilizer. It was even stacked like cordwood and used to fuel steamboats"
I see a few 6-8 footers snagged during the spring steely run here every year. Nothing like the monsters of 35 years ago. 8-10' then.
 

Wizzlebiz

Well-Known Member
That was stupid. Looks like dangerous fun.

We had black bears wandering into the outskirts of St. Ignace, MI when I lived there as a kid. Yell at them and they run here fortunately. We did keep a 12 gauge in a box on our mailbox post in the fall for protection for us kids as we waited for the school bus.
I absolutely maintain the stupidity of this situation however what an amazing story to have to share with people. Memories like this live on even after my dads gone. That is worth more than anything else to me.
 

Aeroknow

Well-Known Member
They used to be really plentiful and huge in the Great Lakes way back. Now, a rarity but they are making a comeback thru breeding programs and fishing size limits. I know in Lake Erie they are immediate release if caught. Every once in awhile you read about someone catching a big (and old) one.

"In 1860, this species, taken on incidental catches of other fishes, was killed and dumped back in the lake, piled up on shore to dry and be burned, fed to pigs, or dug into the earth as fertilizer. It was even stacked like cordwood and used to fuel steamboats"
Over here, the Green Sturgeon are endangered and protected. The White sturgeon numbers have been dwindling too. :-(
 

Aeroknow

Well-Known Member
If we catch green sturgeon here (very rare) must be tossed back, tagged and reported. The games warden keeps a log of these reported green sturgeon.
They supposedly taste like cardboard anyways. When I used to fish the powerlines down through suisun bay allot I would catch allot of baby greens. That was a few years ago though
 

MICHI-CAN

Well-Known Member
If we catch green sturgeon here (very rare) must be tossed back, tagged and reported. The games warden keeps a log of these reported green sturgeon.
You are fined here if you so much as lift one out of the water. DNR on location almost 24/7 during run. And if you try to take one? Pray the DNR gets to you before the regulars at the damn beat you to death.
 

Aeroknow

Well-Known Member
Suisun bay is my spot. Well all through that and the sloughs.

They are super rare now here.
You know where Vierras is? If I was fishing cache slough down through to say powerlines/collinsville/broad slough i’d take my trophy out of my slip at Vierras down there. If I was dead set i was gonna fish down further i would haul my Lund 1800 fisherman and launch in Pittsburg. I was hauling that Lund allot. :-)
 

Wizzlebiz

Well-Known Member
You know where Vierras is? If I was fishing cache slough down through to say powerlines/collinsville/broad slough i’d take my trophy out of my slip at Vierras down there. If I was dead set i was gonna fish down further i would haul my Lund 1800 fisherman and launch in Pittsburg. I was hauling that Lund allot. :-)
Yea my buddy launches down there when we are gonna troll for stripers. Out in sac. Great spot.
 

Oakiey

Well-Known Member
I'm after a 100 pound flathead catfish.

So far a 77 pounder is the biggest one I've landed. Pulled it in on a trot line, by the time I got him up to the boat it had slipped 8 swivel stops, so he had nine hooks dangling in front of him, and he was only hooked in a whisker with a 2 Eagle Claw hook, the boat I was in was all 11 foot long and didn't even have a drain plug.
 

H G Griffin

Well-Known Member
"In 1860, this species, taken on incidental catches of other fishes, was killed and dumped back in the lake, piled up on shore to dry and be burned, fed to pigs, or dug into the earth as fertilizer. It was even stacked like cordwood and used to fuel steamboats"
I was in Manitoba fishing the Red River some years back and that was the first time I heard about burning sturgeon for riverboat fuel. A couple ol' boys that grew up in the area said that before they blocked the river at Lockport, there were fuel stops along the river. Crews would gather and pile fuel, either wood or fish. According to these guys, a cord of sturgeon provided as many BTUs as two of wood, or that was the belief at the time.

The Red River sturgeon population to this day not come close to recovering. :(
 

Star Dog

Well-Known Member
Although I have acquired expensive high end equipment over the years. My favorite rod and reel cost a whopping $70 USD. Browning IM6 high power 13'6" noodle rod and a cheap shimano 3000 open face with rear drag. Ferrule is beginning to crack after 20 years of salmon and steelhead. It shouldn't cost anything to fish. And yes. My state is finding more ways to exploit us every year.
I started using a shakespeare oracle over a sage euro, the shakespeare was lighter and could put a line out every bit as well, sage £650 shakespeare £100 best rod in the world with not the best of fittings.
I've a loop blue line that a shakespeare agility puts to shame to cast with but is let down by fittings and finish but a great rod if you don't have a lot of money.
Last week I picked up a Piscifun sword with a spare spool for £23 ebay, I think it's £50 for the reel new and it's comparable spec to my snowbee spectre reel £180.
There's plenty decent equipment for very little money.
 
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