Delta Explorer - Spring 2008 - (Page 50) The Fishing Pages by Paul Cunningham, Rio Vista Bait & Tackle Sturgeon There are two kinds of sturgeon swimming around in the delta. The white sturgeon is the most commonly caught, however there is also a green sturgeon swimming about. It is easy to tell the difference between the two because of the most obvious reason, color. I will explain the rules and regulations on both white and green sturgeon, in the next section. Sturgeon fishing on the California Delta can be the best fishing you have ever done, but it is not for everybody. You need to have patience and be willing to handle the elements. It usually consists of a long day in either the cold or the rain. Sturgeon fishing is best when the weather is at its worst. When California gets those large heavy rains in the late fall and the winter and it gets the California Delta water all muddy the sturgeon LOVE that! The best times to target sturgeon are from September through April with the peak bite being November through January. The Rules The Department of Fish and game have implemented rules on sturgeon that you must be aware of. Just like with any other fishing on the California Delta you need to posses a valid California fishing license, as well as a Delta-Bay enhancement stamp. Unlike other species of fish though, DFG now requires you to posses a sturgeon report card. The report card is very easy to use and can be found at Rio Vista Bait & Tackle in Rio Vista or your local bait shop. The rules are simple on how to use the report card, and they are located on the back of the report card. At the moment, the report card is offered at no cost to you with a valid fishing license. From all reports I have received, in the near future there may be a small fee for the sturgeon report card with changes to the slot limit and how many fish an angler can keep. Another rule that is in place from DFG is sturgeon have a slot limit. The current slot limit for sturgeon is 46”66”. This is at press time and is subject to change, so be sure to check the new regulations. It is the responsibility of the angler to know the changes implemented by DFG. Always check with the bait shop before you go out fishing or call DFG direct to get the current rules. It is always a good idea to have a regulation book handy and read up on the regulations before hitting the water. As for white sturgeon and green sturgeon the rule is simple. ALL GREEN STURGEON MUST BE RELEASED! If you catch a green sturgeon it must be released back into the water as soon as possible. With any sturgeon you are NOT allowed to use any type of club or gaff when trying to land the fish. With the slot limit you must either snare or net fish to determine if it is a legal fish or not. Anglers are allowed to keep 1 sturgeon a day and 3 sturgeons a year, but are allowed to catch and release as many as you like. Of course, these regulations are subject to change. Types of Baits • Salmon Roe • Grass Shrimp • Ghost Shrimp • Lamprey Eel • Herring • Mud Shrimp Although sturgeon are bottom feeders and will eat just about anything, the above listed baits are the most common used. Other baits such as shad, pileworms, sardines and anchovies will catch fish for you also. Techniques The standard rig for fishing for these monster fish is a real simple rig. Various companies make a 1-hook, 2hook and 3-hook rig. Some are made with cable and some are made with standard mono fishing line. Cable rigs have been the standard for years, however a lot of anglers are moving towards mono leaders to help protect the fish. If you choose to use mono fishing line when sturgeon fishing be sure and use at east 40lb. test leaders. Each fisherman has a different ap- delta explorer / 50
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