Monsterzuma Slough...dino kicks my !@#$%^&

I made the drive to Montezuma in search of a dino.  I was joined by my good fiishing compadres Fishshim and Jelly.  When we finally got there the place was cool, and the launch great.  Nice find Danglin...thanks!

We cancelled our plans to go a ways past the bridge when me and Shimmy both marked numerous BIG submarines on the bottom just upstream of the bridge.  We anchored up about 200 yards upstream of the bridge.  This would turn out to be the good/bad decision of the day.

We made dino parfaits...ghost/grass/pile...YUMMY!  We tossed our junk and let the wait begin.  After an hour of so of bait stealing pecks, I too became hungry.  I set my rod in a flush mount and opened a hatch in search of my coveted left over corned beef sandwich.  Two bites into my lunch my rod gets a takedown.  I grab the rod...swing...its heavy...I get two head shakes and line starts peeling...SHOWTIME!

Right away I can tell this is a HEAVY creature.  It ran around for a few minutes and then sizzled across the slough and straight towards the bridge...@#$%^&.  I am getting DEEP into the spool.  My line is coming out of the water and then I see it.  The sturgeon is rolling on the surface across the slough, and a PB is heading straight my line...holy !@#$%^.  Shimmy pops his anchor and waves the boat around.  THANK YOU Mark!!!

The fish comes back to my side of the channel and we settle into a ground game.  I finish my sandwich.  I put some heat on the fish and get NOTHING.  Mark returns and goes into coaching mode.  We discuss the merits of popping the anchor vs drifting to my death in the pilings and decide to stay anchored for now.  We decide that there is nothing to do but be patient and apply low, steady heat.

This plan lasts about 5 minutes and then the fish starts taking line and creeping towards the bridge.  %^&*(!!!!  Mark advises..."you need to put the beans to that fish or pop your anchor".  With all the line out, and the current ripping through the tightly spaced pilings I go for Option A and get it on.  I buttoned the drag on my Tekota 500.  Line is still leaving.  $%^&&!!!!  I now remember why me and Erik anchored BELOW the trestle at Blackpoint...Doh!

At this point I look at my timer and realize I have been on this thing for over 20 minutes.  I add both thumbs to the spool and manage to stop the beast.  Time to use it or lose it.   I try lifting and winding.  Make some...lose some.  I continue to really pull on this thing.  My Kunz rod is loaded and  I am starting to sweat.  My arms are getting tired. Another 20 minutes goes by and Ive gained about 20 yards...crap.  I have never pulled on any fish this hard, for this long.  I can't believe the mojo.

Finally this thing begins to tire and as I approach an hour I start gaining line at a slow but steady pace.  As I watch the spool slowly refill I tell Mark we should see it soon. I see my weight and then I see IT.  This is not a legal sturgeon, this ancient thing is biggest sturgy I have ever seen and clearly oversized.   Not only that but it is hooked in the peduncle.  I look down as a LONG row of diamonds appears from the muddy water...A foul hooked sea monster...no wonder this thing kicked my a$$.  As it gets along the bow it thrashed and scutes my 25# mainline...it was gone just like that. 

I was bummed not to touch it, but wasn't too disappointed since it was oversized anyhoo.   As I retied I noticed the first 3-5 feet or so of my mainline was a mess of nicks etc.  My back and forearms were TIRED.  Best local fish fight of my life.

We fished the rest of the tide for nada.  We stopped at the Jelly Belly factory on the way home for WAF.  A cool day overall, thanks again Danglin for checking out this spot.

   

WHAT A FIGHT/ADRENALINE-RUSH THOUGH!!....No pics?  How was the wind there?     I got a virgin anchor that needs a CHECK!

 

Nice report - sounds like some hot action!     Some helmet-cam footage would've been nice, Sean...      

Ohhhh My!  Sean, that sounds pretty epic!  Nice work!

EK

Great job getting that bad boy to color under those conditions, Sean.

Good thing you had that corned beef to power your fight  

Randy

Shimizu took a few pics, I don't know if they came out.  I was dreading not having the helmet cam on too, next time!

Adam: It was windy all day, but a 3# claw held easily.

    Truly Awesome Scwafish!!!!

That is Epic,  I'm really glad you were able to get out there and further Validate.......

"The Sea Monster Patch"       .....Nice Job........Danglin

Nice fight way to go on a huge fish that wasn't ideally hooked

Fights in life like this have a memorable act to it 

chef

Awesome Sean!

The fact that you got the beast right up to the boat and saw it up close is good enough for me.

In big game fishing, I think it's considered a legal catch if you can get it in close enough to touch your leader.

I hope some of Mark's pics show up.

I'm sending video to Sean.I haven't posted video clips before so I'll let him do it.
 That sturgeon really worked him :smt005In the clip you can see the sinker in the air.We only saw the fish at the beginning when he rolled at the bridge,and when he twisted up at the yak.
 Montezuma was a nice place.The boat traffic was a crap shoot.Some guys slowed down and waved,some guys planed by and waved.Then there was the guys who towed a boat right through our lineup and waved.We were anchored together on the side with half the slough open!At least the boat I waved off at the bridge was very courteous and waited till I flagged him though.

 very exciting! sounds like the dino hunting is a team sport.

very exciting! sounds like the dino hunting is a team sport.

It really should be.  It's much safer that way.

Holy cow.  Sounds like a good time was had by all.

Way to go out there.  Thanks for the report.  Amazing story. 

That is way cool Sean. I actually talked to a powerboater about Montezuma Slough (he too was saying it's on fire right now) on Saturday at Fishermans Warehouse in Rocklin. The guy at the counter used to work on a Sturgeon farm out of Elk Grove, and had some interesting information as well.

Regards,
Scott