Fishing Forum

Went to Swan Falls for a little while today. Was bottom fishing with cut bait for cats again.

Got my first bite of the day almost as soon as the hook hit the water, but I didn't know it. I saw a gray tail come up out of the water near where my bait landed and figured it was a catfish. My line started moving, but I could feel the weight bumping along the bottom so I thought it was the current. Didn't feel at all like a cat, since they like to bolt as soon as they feel the hook. Waited a few more minutes, then the fish rolled again, this time in the direction where my line was pointing. Decided to check out my bait and saw the flash of a white belly.

Reeled in and found this little guy:



I was using circle hooks, and he was hooked perfectly in the corner of the mouth. A quick twist of the pliers and he was free. Bye bye baby:



Does your first sturgeon count if it's a 2 footer you caught it by accident?
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oohhh look at the cute little baby fishie. congrats on your first dino be very carful there addicting
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Only with sturgeon would a two foot fish be considered a "little guy".[laugh][laugh]

Good catch and good release. I think it counts as a first catch. My first and only sturgeon that I didn't even fully catch was on a fly (gold ribbed hare's ear nymph). I was in a float tube in Riley Pond, sitting still with my fly resting on the bottom while I searched in my vest for another fly. He must have just vacuumed it up off of the bottom. I couldn't believe it when I picked up my rod and he was on. I let it pull me around the pond for awhile before I realized there was no way I was going to get it all of the way up and in hand, so I got it up as much as possible and reached down to my tippet and snapped it off. An interesting experience, I am not sure it even felt the tiny hook much because it never did take off in any kind of run, or even act very concerned.
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good job ! the only one i ever caught was below swan falls about the same size i caught it on a motor oil colored ring worm.
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Congrats on the catch.

Where do you get your circle hooks? No outlets here in Pocatello seem to carry them.
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I bought mine from eBay. You can get good, quality circles there for less than $10 per 50 with shipping included. I was using 4/0.
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Thanks, Stacy. Do they make smaller (sizes 4, 6, or 8) circle hooks?

Though I mostly use artificial lures, I'm interested in giving circle hooks a try because I like to sink a worm from time to time and I've read circle hooks are much safer for the fish.
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Yes, there are very small circle hooks. Cabela's carries Eagle Claw light wire circle hooks as small as size 14.

There are two things to remember when using circle hooks. The first is not to gob up the hook with bait. The area between the point and the shank of the hook has to stay clear or the hook won't catch.

The second is to remember not to set the hook. The traditional jerk will yank the hook right out of the fish. Let the fish start to swim away and hook himself. If you think the fish might drop the bait, point the end of the rod at the fish and reel in slowly.
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