Measuring sturgeon on the water?

I've been trying to figure out how everyone measures their sturgeon on the water from their kayak.  At some point you have to decide if a fish is within the slot if you want to keep it and before you take the ol' wooden bat to its head.

As for myself, I'm interested in the AOTY points (NWKA AOTY), but don't particularly want to keep a Willamette River sturgeon to eat.  Note the photo below which I snagged from www.ifish.net.  I believe it's a stugeon from the very polluted Willamette River and the little bump behind the gills is supposedly not a tumor rather it's a conjoined twin.



Anyway, any ideas on best practices for measuring and obtaining photo proof without killing the sturgeon and bringing it ashore?

Thanks,
Brian

Easiest way that I've found is to get the snare down low on the fish, mid body or more.  Then using the fishing rod to hold the head up, and the snare to hold the body up, you can line it up against the side of your boat and get a measurement against pre-measured hash marks on your boat. 

With a smaller fish (say up to 55 inches), you can sometimes do this wihout snaring as they are light enough to get to the tail without a snare. 

With bigger fish, it's best to have two people.  With two people, you can have one work the body snare while you control the head with your pole / fishing line still attached to the fish.  You can even use a tape measure in this scenario. 

It is key to be released from your anchor while measuring so that everything is drifting at the same speed and not fighting the current. 

Thanks Erik,

I thought you might have this figured out.

Looks like my photo got dropped so I re-attached it.

Brian

Before this last big dino, I thought measuring the fish along side of the boat with Sharpie marks for 46" and 66" was the only way to go.  It works well for smaller fish.

However, I think I learned an easier way from Freddie -- using a marked paddle.  It should work better solo especially for a fish in the upper end of the slot.

First important thing -- play out the fish out till it's done and blows bubbles.  Snare it, preferably below the pectoral fins (not under the gill plates, like in my photo, which could damage some gills).  Loosen the drag all the way or put the reel into free spool with clicker on.  Pull the fish up and across the cockpit using a foot to support the weight of tail end.  Watch out for exposed hooks.  Once balanced across the yak, use one foot to support the head and the other one for the tail and lay the paddle across to get a measurement.  Dispatch quickly if you plan to keep it.

I've seen a lot of sturgeon landed, it seems like the big ones don't flop around once out of the water.  The smaller ones are a different story.

It's important to keep a clean deck and always be prepared to let the fish with snare go overboard just in case.  That's why my snare is built to float.

Brian, I thought I remembered hearing that snares are not legal on the Columbia.  Might want to check into that.  Regarding pollutions in the Willamette ... is it any worse than the Bay?  And aren't the lower Columbia sturgeon highly migratory.  How much time do they spend in the Willy?

-Allen

Thanks Chuck, that seems like a reasonable approach as well.

Allen,  I actually don't plan on keeping a sturgeon at all, so the actual pollution levels aren't the issue.  Mostly I just wanted to share that photo of the sturgeon conjoined twin as I think it's pretty neat.  As for the Oregon snare issue, I haven't figured that out yet.  I took a look at the Sportsman's Warehouse here in Portland and they don't seem to sell snares as we know them but do sell Brad's fish tailers so I'm a little confused.  That and the regs up here do state that it is unlawful to "Attempt to snag, spear, gaff, net, trap, club, shoot or ensnare any game fish.  A net may be used to land legally hooked fish."


http://www.bsfishtales.com/products_detail.asp?prod_id=432

Brian

Allen,  I actually don't plan on keeping a sturgeon at all

I do ... 

-Allen

Does a willamette sturgeon count for NCKA AOTY?

Allen


(how about a Ketchikan King Salmon?)

SCAllen,

Nope, Willamette sturgeon don't count for NCKA points so don't worry.  Polepole and I have set up another AOTY tourney up here in the Northwest (i.e. it's on the NWKA site) and I'm looking to get as many points as I can. 
http://aoty.northwestkayakanglers.com/

I'm pretty sure I have a good shot at making the top ten.

Brian

I'm pretty sure I have a good shot at making the top ten.

That's cuz there are only like 7 people signed up so far.   

-Allen

Allen you forget to mention how you and I are tied for first right now.

Allen you forget to mention how you and I are tied for first right now.

No way man.  Mines bigger than yours.   

-Allen