Sturgeon
Fishing:
Columbia River &
Willamette River
Winter
Sturgeon
January
- March
Columbia River Sturgeon are one of the main
angling attractions in the Pacific Northwest. They
grow to massive proportions, some to well over
1,000 pounds. Regulations prevent us from retaining
fish that size, since that is where the broodstock is derived.
Keepers from Bonneville Dam to Wauna measure
42"- 60" and Wauna to the mouth of the
river are 45 to 60 inches in length. Keeper
Sturgeon have a halibut like taste that make
some of the best table fare around. A well-fed,
60" fish can push 60 pounds and give you
all you can handle during the fight.
Over 1
million sturgeon live between Bonneville Dam and
the mouth of the river. That's about 6,800 fish
per mile, giving anglers the best sturgeon
fishing anywhere.
Winter Sturgeon fishing on the Columbia
and Willamette is a favorite of people in
the area. The grounds are
close to Portland and the catch this time of year
is great.
The sturgeon bite comes alive with the arrival of the Cowlitz
River and Sandy River
smelt. White
sturgeon favors smelt and fishing with fresh smelt is fantastic.
Reserve Now
I keep my boat well-heated
this time of year to ensure that the only thing
everyone’s thinking about is catching fish!
Drive
time from Portland: 45 minutes
Drive time from Seattle: 3¼ hours
Accommodations: available
Price for guided day trip: $150 per person (gear & bait
included)
