Lower Willamette, 4-14-13, Portland OR, sturgeon fishing

Wow...18 Dino from kayak in 1 day..that must be a record.  Thanks for sharing your experience pdxfisher.

It was my best day for sure but, I have caught numbers in the low to mid teens before and I know other yakkers who may have had days that topped my day last Sunday.

If you look at that sonar picture I posted part way through this thread you can see how many will stack up in an area in the winter. That is almost solid fish from 80' down to 130' and the surface area that the school covered at that density was at least 50yds x 50yds.

Here is a similar thing that happened at the base of Bonneville dam back in 2008. The school was so big and dense that at first engineers were worried that part of the dam had collapsed so they sent divers down to investigate:



Of course it is not always like this. In past years I have not observed this much schooling of the sturgeon. I am not sure if it is water conditions or a reaction to the number of sea lions working the area (mostly for salmon but the big bulls do take oversized sturgeon). It may be both. This winter the water has been much clearer than past years and it seems like the number of sea lions is up. I can imagine that in muddy water the sturgeon feel pretty safe, but in the clearer water we have right now they may be schooling for protection. All I know is that I will try to enjoy it while it lasts.

What did you use to get those underwater video?  I have an underwater camera, though I cannot go more than 50' under before it starts to lose control.

What did you use to get those underwater video?  I have an underwater camera, though I cannot go more than 50' under before it starts to lose control.

That is footage from army corps of engineers diver. I was just pointing it out. It was all over the news here when it happened.

Amazing video footage!  I'm guessing it's mating season 

I still can't get used to the idea of seals in the Columbia. It's not that it never happened when I was a kid, but it was the exception, not the rule. It seems they
 are a permanent residents now?

I still can't get used to the idea of seals in the Columbia. It's not that it never happened when I was a kid, but it was the exception, not the rule. It seems they
 are a permanent residents now?

I have heard that there are a few permanent residents. Mostly they just come in around the time the springers are coming through. Later in the summer I don't see them (on the Willamette at least).