I have found they bite very soft in the winter, That is why when I fish for them I use a lighter fishing pole.

Fist of all make sure you have a nice sharp hook. This will be most helpful. Once you get a bite, pick up your fishing pole slowly don’t rip it out of the rod holder, hold your fishing pole down low to the water, as you feel the fish bite 3 or 4 times in a row give your fishing rod a good yank straight back, after you do that wait a second or two and see if you feel the Sturgeon on, If not drop your line back down to the bottom, Because most of the time fish will come back and bite the hook again.

I hope these tips, will help you all have a sucessful day of Sturgeon fishing!!!

You can also fish on the Washington side of the Columbia River just above the Washougal River, Again in 12 to 20 feet of water.

My favorot spot on the Columbia River is up by the Dam ,where the locals call the “shad Rack” The water is is very fast,but I believe this just might be the best place on the Columbia River to fish for Shad.

I like to use light gear for shad, they range in size, from 2 pounds all the way up to 5 and even 6 pounds..
I anchor my boat in the current, and then i tie my line up with a spreader and a Tripleteaser.
Just let it out and let the current do the work.

When the Shad hits it like having a salmon or Steelhead hit, they are great fighting fish for there size, some people call them the “poor man Steelhead”.

Shad fishing is great for kids because there is plenty of action in May and June.

I don’t like to eat Shad. Some people might but not me. I use the shad for Sturgeon bait. I think shad is the best bait you could have. I also use Shad for crab bait it is great.

With warmer water this week, Sturgeon fishing as been good for both keepers and shakers.

Sturgeon will bite just fine in muddy, River. one place to fish is the stretch of river near Willamette Park on up through Milwaukee. The lower Portland harbor and down into Multnomah Channel should also have some good Sturgeon fishing.

This time of year a successful sturgeon trip can often depend on what bait is offered, and location. you should carry multiple baits and be prepared to switch until finding one that the Sturgeon like that day.

Marvin’s Guide Service has been finding success using a variety including smelt, anchovies, squid, or sand shrimp

Use a lot of smelly jelly this time of year. Don’t stay in one spot move around and find the fish.

Good luck, see you on the River.

Remember the fish and wildlife can change rules at any time, so before you go out check and see the current rules for the area you will be fishing.

Here is what I found out

Below the Wauna Powerlines at River Mile 40 to Buoy 10 witch is at the mouth of the Columbia, including Young’s Bay and Washington tributaries, fishing will open seven days a week for sturgeon.

Sturgeon have to be between 38 inch and 54 inch. That is fork in tail to tip of nose.

Above Wauna to Bonneville Dam, and the Willamette River up to Willamette Falls, including Multnomah Channel, Sturgeon fishing is open Thursdays, threw Saturday, with the size limit also between 38 and 54 inch.

The Columbia River above Bonneville will also opens Jan. 1 for sturgeon fishing seven days a week with a 38- to 54-inch slot limit in the Bonneville Pool, and a 43- to 54-inch slot limit in the John Day Pool.

I expect Sturgeon fishing to be great at the first of year.
more information call Marvin’s’ Guide service today
also see are home page.

Upon hatching, the larvae are around 0.5 in. (1.3 cm) long, with a tadpole-like appearance. They drift downstream with the current until they reach a suitable habitat. When the rearing habitat is reached, the larvae typically take around 25 days for the yolk sac to be absorbed. About a month after hatching, the sturgeon will have a full set of fins, rays, and scutes. As small juveniles, they feed on insects, small fish, and small crustaceans. Maturity is reached between 5 and 11 years, depending on the gender of the fish and the temperature of the water.

White Sturgeon can live to be over 100 years old. The rate of growth is dependent on water temperature. Typically, they reach six feet long around 25 years of age, showing that these fish do not grow as quickly as many other fish. White Sturgeon are anadromous meaning they spawn in fresh water and migrate to salt water to mature. Sturgeon may migrate in and out of salt water many times in their lives. However, since the building of many dams along the Columbia and Snake rivers, the populations above the dams have become landlocked.

Unexpected social behavior has been observed in white sturgeon of the lower Columbia River. Up to 60,000 sturgeon massed in a dense “sturgeon ball” at the base of the Bonneville Dam in early 2008. Scientists are not sure what the reason for the behavior was.
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Course of the Columbia RiverThe Columbia enters eastern Washington flowing south and turning to the west at the Spokane River confluence. It marks the southern and eastern borders of the Colville Indian Reservation and the western border of the Spokane Indian Reservation. The river turns south after the Okanogan River confluence, then southeasterly near the confluence with the Wenatchee River in central Washington. This C-shaped segment of the river is also known as the “Big Bend”. During the Missoula Floods 10,000 to 15,000 years ago, much of the floodwater took a more direct route south, forming the ancient river bed known as the Grand Coulee. After the floods, the river found its present course, and the Grand Coulee was left dry. The construction of the Grand Coulee Dam in the mid-20th century impounded the river, forming Lake Roosevelt, from which water was pumped into the dry coulee, forming the reservoir of Banks Lake.

The river flows past The Gorge Amphitheatre, a prominent concert venue in the Northwest, then through Priest Rapids Dam, and then through the Hanford Nuclear Reservation. Entirely within the reservation is Hanford Reach, the only U.S. stretch of the river that is completely free-flowing, unimpeded by dams and not a tidal estuary. The Snake River and Yakima River join the Columbia in the Tri-Cities population center. The Columbia makes a sharp bend to the west at the Washington–Oregon border. The river defines that border for the final 309 miles (497 km) of its journey.

The Deschutes River joins the Columbia near The Dalles. Between The Dalles and Portland, the river cuts through the Cascade Mountains, forming the dramatic Columbia River Gorge. No other river completely breaches the Cascades—the other rivers that flow through the range also originate in or very near the mountains. The headwaters and upper courses of the Klamath River and Pit River flow through much of the Cascades; in contrast the Columbia cuts through the range nearly a thousand miles from its source in the Rocky Mountains. The gorge is known for its strong and steady winds, scenic beauty, and its role as an important transportation link.[13] The river continues west, bending sharply to the north-northwest near Portland and Vancouver, Washington, at the Willamette River confluence. Here the river slows considerably, dropping sediment that might otherwise form a river delta. Near Longview, Washington and the Cowlitz River confluence, the river turns west again. The Columbia empties into the Pacific Ocean just west of Astoria, Oregon, over the Columbia Bar, a shifting sandbar that makes the river’s mouth one of the most hazardous stretches of water to navigate in the world.

Columbia River has some great salmon and sturgeon fishing
call Marvin’s fishing guide service for a great fishing trip on the Columbia river!!!!!

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To stay on the right side of the law, you need to get yourself a license if you are 14 and over. The licenses are not that expensive , and they are available for three day or year long. This is for both in-state and out-of-state residents.

you can only keep the males. The females must be let go. You can determine a male from a female by checking their underside. Males have thin tail-like piece while the females have a round, wide piece. It’s pretty easy to tell them apart once you see them both.
The measurement of the crab will also determine a keeper. As long as the male crab measures five and three forths inches across the back of the shell, not including the points, consider him dinner!

Now, the adventure begins! Crabs are usually caught by using crab rings or crab pots. You can have up to three of these devices per person. Lower the baited (use chicken, fish, turkey, etc) rings or pots into the water, wait about 20 – 45 minutes, pull them up and see what you have. If you come up empty handed, move them to a different spot and try again. The ideal spots are ones with very little current. You can leave the crab pots in the water for a bit longer than the rings. The local bait shops in town will be able to hook you up with the gear you need. Once caught, they need to be cooked as soon as possible, preferably within the hour. The catch limit is 12 per day.

Come to Tillamook Bay in the fall and you can have a great day of salmon and crb fishing.

Tillamook Bay opens September 1st and runs through the middle of November
Here in Tillamook bay we will give you a day of salmon and crab fishing.
Call Marvins Guide Service today for the best dates.
This salmon was caught wile we were Sturgeon fishing.
It was caught on Squid in 50 feet of water!

I like to fish at buoy 10 on an incoming tide.I troll with a delta diver, flasher and either a whole hearing or a cut plug hearing.

One of the other places i love to fish is right in front of the sawdust pile. Always seem to be a good number of salmon here.

I always prefer to troll with the tide and have had great success for salmon. If you want to know more about salmon fishing in astoria call marvin’s guide service or just see my home page.