Sturgeon 12/10/05

To moochs credit, he did get bitten. that is step one and sometimes only a lighter leader will get bit, right?
don't know how line shy sturgeon are, but mooch got bit and some other guys didn't get bit that day.

so being a light line fanatic might ultimately get you more action.

Mooch, since it was mainly an abrasion issue, maybe some kind of really tough but still lighter mono is the
call for sturgeon leader?

top abrasion resistant mono (freshwater)

Next is “Fluorocarbons”. This line is made from polymer of fluorine bonded to carbon. This super line has several advantages over the others. This line comes the closest to the refractive index of water so it is virtually invisible under water. The invisibility is needed in clear waters. One thing I have found is that the suns ultraviolet rays do not affect this line, and it will last longer, saving you money. This line has ultra low stretch and your hook sets are positive. This line doesn’t float and allows your lures or bait to fall faster and deeper quicker. This line doesn’t absorb water like monofilaments and this makes it much stronger.

This article convinced me to switch to Fluorocarbon line (instead of mono) - when it comes to leader material. Justin from Fisherman's Warehouse had a chance to visit and talk with the guys from Seaguar and he has been using 'em eversince. During the salmon run at Moss in 2004, I've broken off many salmon using light line mono = 12 - 15 # test (ask Stu and Fred - I was called "snappy" for a while) and I switched to Seaguar Fluoro at the end of the season and noticed a difference - I was keeping more than losing.

I don't think the sturgeon care much about the color of the leader line - since the Bay is looks like coffee anyway. But now that I bumped up my leader line, I hope to land the next one that bites. 

I don't believe sturgeon are leader shy... I do pretty good on em and I use 80# seaguar Fluoro for leader material. 

If you want to target them with light line, the heavy leader is a must for abrasion resistence... but keep the leader short (~20" or so) so your bait stays on the bottom where it belongs.  You might also consider a few-foot top shot of, say, 30# mono or fluoro as well for abrasion resistance... then your light main line.  Sturgeon always roll up on the line... my big 'un had about 5 feet of my main line all beat up as well as the leader. 

For IGFA freshwater species (which sturgeon is classified as), you are allowed up to 6 total feet of leader.  There are no restrictions on the stength or material of the leader.  This would include a "top shot" above the snap swivel.  So you could have a 2-foot terminal leader followed by 4 feet of top shot attached to your main line and record your catch as a record for your main line strength.  This is how I understand it anyway.

Here are the rules http://www.igfa.org/BookRule2004.pdf

Now that I have a big 'un in the freezer, I might just think about going this route and try for a line class record... might be fun.  I think that you can be more successful at finessing a large fish from a kayak than from a boat... so we might have to give it a whirl. 

May have to build me a custom rod just for this... need more WAF.

Erik

Does anyone have an IGFA membership who is willing to pull up the line class records for sturgeon from their website? 

I have no clue about IFGA rules, still struggling with DFG, but I encourage you to go for it erik.

good drag, a yak, plus some kind of abrasion-resistant leader solution and you
got as good a chance as anybody.

maybe a roller stripper and tip to ease pressure on your light line?  .

I wonder if an abrasion resistant 'sleeve' over the the leader, that didn't increase
the test strength, but prevented the rolling beast from cutting the line would be allowed?

get somebody to tow you around on the yak, see how light a line you can go with before it breaks?

good luck!

It's looking like the IGFA 4# class world record for sturgeon is something like 63 inches and 50 pounds... the 6# class record is something like 83 lbs and 67 inches.  I found out about those just by googling...

Here's an interesting website which discusses microlight / ultralight fishing for large fish.

http://www.trophybassonly.com/id139.htm

Although I haven't seen the list in person, I've heard that the fly tackle IGFA records for the sturgeon category are wide open... which might be an opportunity to make the books for an enterprising angler.

Erik

 

a 47.6 lb Sturgeon (approx 58 inches)  which I caught (and released) using my 2/10 micro braided line, on the lightest baitcasting rod I have ever seen ! It's 7 ft in length, but  only rated for 1-6 lb mono, and designed for Kokanee trout The battle lasted 40 minutes. Yeee Haw ! 

NOW THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!!!! 

nice link Erik - I'll consider it my Bible for fishing 

a 47.6 lb Sturgeon (approx 58 inches)  which I caught (and released) using my 2/10 micro braided line, on the lightest baitcasting rod I have ever seen ! It's 7 ft in length, but  only rated for 1-6 lb mono, and designed for Kokanee trout The battle lasted 40 minutes. Yeee Haw ! 

Come on if your gonna tell a story like that, at least kick those heavier rods out of the picture.   

hahaha...busted!

Hey, that's alllrightttt Eric