Fishing Forum

N.E.T.O., Ktrout and I finally made it back up sturgeon fishing from my boat.

For the first 1 3/4 days we were wondering if it was a big mistake [flat tire on trailer, water in gas tank (gotta remember to always check to make sure that I replaced the gas cap[blush]) and finally, having to face the fury of a severe storm, head-on in the boat, knowing that we had little fuel left in the auxiliary gas tank and still had some water in the main tank].

Fished Thursday from daylight until late afternoon and caught zero sturgeon (not even sure if we had a sturgeon bite) and countless small mouth bass (had to do something for a couple hours to get rid of the skunk smell).

Fished Friday from day light until noon and no sturgeon and only a couple unidentified bites. Took a run to Mountain Home to buy two new tires and had a nice lunch at a Mexican restaurant. With little enthusiasm, we launched the boat again around 4:00 PM and headed to a way point that we hadn't fished yet. Saw several sturgeon jump, which is always a great sign. About 5:15 PM I had a good bite and hooked up and landed the first sturgeon. It was only a four footer, but at that point it was a great feeling to finally catch one. Between then until just before dark we landed another seven sturgeon with me taking top honors with a 7 footer (not huge, but not too shabby either) and a few long-line releases. We even landed doubles once and Kory had one reach the rocks and break off.

Had our fingers crossed that they would still be in the same area Saturday morning. Fortunately, they hadn't moved. Saturday, we landed another twelve sturgeon with the largest going 6' 9" and the smallest around 4'. We had several long-line releases. Randy and I both had break offs (Trust me, it is a sickening feeling to have a fish break one's 80 pound Dacron leader, because the drag was set just a tad too tight.)

So, what started out with too many mishaps and zero sturgeon caught, ended up being a great trip and I can't wait to go fishing for them again. Always a pleasure to fish with Randy and Kory (although, it would be nice if Kory weren't so darn lucky -- he landed 11 of the 20 sturgeon). Hopefully, Kory will post up some pictures.
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Awesome.. fishing for sturgeon is definitely on my bucket list. I'm assuming you were in Idaho - what lake/river were you at? Would love to make a trip up this summer.
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Boo-Yah!!!!!! Way to over come adversity and make that place your bee-yotch.

And for the record I think NETO needs to change that username. From what I can see he gets "Too Much Time Off" in my opinion. So good job TMTO! I am sure he feels it is "Just Enough Time Off" though, right JETO?[]
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The Snake River in Idaho.
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I'll try to get some video up in a bit.

6'3"
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7'
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6'9"
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6'9"
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6'3"
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Good going guys, looks like it was a fun trip despite the problems.
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I think I got it worked out. YouTube provides a link but it doesn't work that way for some reason. I just copied and pasted the url and it finally worked, hopefully.
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Kent really knows his stuff when it comes to sturgeon fishing and Kory and I were teasing him at lunchtime on Friday to go ahead and stop holding out on us and take us to the honey hole. Funny thing is that after we said that he DID take us to the honey hole!

It was very good to get out and do that again as I hadn't done it for two years. We switched it up a bit this time and stayed in the fabulous Bruneau One Stop Motel. I highly recommend it, it was way better than my hunting trailer! []
The beds felt great each night and it was good to be able to shower up and enjoy the AC each night. Here is a picture of the diner with the motel in the background.

The video of the storm doesn't do justice to how bad it was. I've been boating for over 30 years now and this is very first time that I really felt at some points that we might lose the boat. I wear life jackets a lot, but rarely do I put one on because I genuinely think I'm going to need it! Thankfully we didn't.

Kent mentioned a couple of breakoffs. I've gone with Kent quite a few times in the past fishing for Sturgeon and this is the very first breakoff I've ever had. I've had fish come off before, and miss bites of course, but this was the first time I've ever actually had that 80lb dacron leader break on me. Also, I need to add...it was fresh leader.
I really would have liked to have seen the fish I had hooked, and it is a SICKENING feeling when that happens. Unbelievable how big and powerful these fish can get. Park your F350 on one side of a parking lot, then hook your line to it and go across the other side and try to "reel it in". It's the same feeling.

All in all it was a true high adventure with lots of monster fish catching. Neighbors said it reminded them of the River Monsters show when I showed them pics.

My back, and my arms, and almost every muscle on my body is sore still today just from fighting the fishes I caught!

Thanks again Kent!

P.S. I'm keeping my user name of N.E.T.O. (Not Enough Time Off) just because I don't want my nickname to be TOMATO! (T.M.T.O.) [] And it's definitely not J.E.T.O.!!!...but that's better than JAFO. (Reference to Blue Thunder...)
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[#000080]Great job Kent, Can't wait to get back up there so we can go!![/#000080]
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Looking forward to it Steve.
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What? No camping on the river bank? Motel? Restaurants? You have got to be kidding me! Are you sure it was really Kent that you were fishing with? Oh wait, flat tire and water in the gas tank ... yea, you were with Kent. [:p]

Wow ... a 20-sturgen trip! That is just awsome guys. Man Kent, you have got that gig down pat.

I am jealous. Sturgen is the one last fish I still have to check off my bucket list. I just can't bring myself to putting a hook in an animal that has lips like mine.

Good on you guys.
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"Man Kent, you have got that gig down [#FF0000]pat[/#FF0000]."

[#0000FF]Nope. I weren't even there.[/#0000FF]
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[quote Old_Coot]

What? No camping on the river bank? Motel? Restaurants? You have got to be kidding me! Are you sure it was really Kent that you were fishing with?

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The vote was 2 to 1 for staying in a motel and majority ruled.

[quote Old_Coot]

I am jealous. Sturgen is the one last fish I still have to check off my bucket list. I just can't bring myself to putting a hook in an animal that has lips like mine.

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Ralph, if you have lips that look like sturgeon lips you are one strange dude.
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Speaking of other firsts, this was the first time we had a sturgeon bite while the bait was actually being reeled in and the first time the fish practically hit the bait while it was dropping from the cast. A number of our fish also picked up the bait and ran with it, which we have seen before, but not this often. Also the best bass fishing I personally have had there. Kent where is the photo of your bass?

And Randy, I am sure that the only time you will have enough time off is when you are retired. So you can probably keep the name until that happens.
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[quote Ktrout]

Kent where is the photo of your bass?

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After just looking at the photo, I about didn't post it. I realize that I am not that great to look at, but this has to be one of my worst photos.
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Nice smally Kent, those rod holders look new and in a good location[]. By the way, what did you charge for the rooms?
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We paid (including tax) $130 total for 3 nights for 3 in the room. We had to provide a cot for one of the beds.
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