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Have you always wanted to fish for sturgeon on the West Coast? Would you like to learn how to catch sturgeon? Sturgeon grow to be very large, and strong and are known to leap out of the water. Sturgeon has a good sense of smell and taste but poor eyesight. In this article, we discuss the fishing technique, fishing tips, equipment, and behavior of sturgeon to help you catch sturgeon.

How To Catch Sturgeon
How To Catch Sturgeon

How To Catch Sturgeon

When fishing for sturgeon, rig up the bait and cast it to the bottom, put the rod in a holder, and set the reel to free spool. Keep the bait at the bottom and wait. With the bait at the bottom, the scent will be permeated into the water and it will attract fish. Patience is a critical virtue to have when fishing for sturgeon.

Sturgeon Tackle Setup

When fishing for sturgeon, the fishing rod should be 6 to 9 feet and be made of a single piece instead of a rod that is assembled. With the strength and size of the sturgeon, it can easily break the assembled rod when it is hooked. The reel should be rated for at least 80 pounds and have 250 yards of line. The tip of the fishing rod should be sensitive to detect the light bite of the sturgeon. Use a single barbless hook and not a barbed one.

Tips For Fishing Sturgeon
Tips For Fishing Sturgeon

How To Catch Sturgeon In Florida

Sturgeon is a bottom feeder and preys on squid, shrimp, shad, nightcrawlers, clams, crayfish, leeches, snails, insect larvae, and small invertebrates. When fishing for sturgeon, use a fish finder to locate them at the bottom.

Use bottom fishing, vertical jigging, trolling, and drift fishing to catch sturgeon. Learning how to catch sturgeon is not difficult. You just need to use the right baits, lures, and the right fishing technique. Moreover, the right gear is also important as well as locating them.

Best Sturgeon Bait

1. Sand shrimp

Sand shrimp, nightcrawlers, and crayfish are good baits for sturgeon.

2. Clams

All types of shellfish like clams and mussels attract sturgeon.

3. Crabs

Crabs are effective when fishing for sturgeon.

4. Shad

Shad is one of the best baits for sturgeon.

5. Smelt

Small fish like smelt work well as bait when targeting sturgeon.

6. Eel

Eels attract sturgeon making them an effective bait when fishing for sturgeon.

7. Herring

Herring, anchovies, shrimp, squid, nightcrawlers, and sardines are great for targeting sturgeon.

8. Anchovies

Anchovies, like herring, squid, shrimp, and nightcrawlers work well for sturgeon fishing.

9. Squid

Squid is one of the best baits for sturgeon.

10. Roe

Many anglers use roe or salmon eggs to attract sturgeon as it is irresistible for sturgeons.

11. Salmon

Salmon is also a good bait for sturgeon.

Sturgeon Fishing
Sturgeon Fishing

Best Sturgeon Lures

1. Salmon Lures

Salmon lures work well for sturgeon.

Sturgeon Fishing Tricks
Sturgeon Fishing Tricks

Sturgeon Fishing Tips

1. Most sturgeon can be found in areas with access to saltwater bays and the open ocean.

2. Always have a good fish finder when fishing for sturgeon from a boat. If you are interested in finding the best fish finders, then read this review.

3. Finding the depths where the sturgeon may be holding out, and locating good resting spots, or feeding grounds on flats are important to successful sturgeon fishing.

Sturgeon Fishing Tips
Sturgeon Fishing Tips

4. If you find sturgeon in the water column, instead of at the bottom, don’t try to fish them as they are not actively feeding if they are not at the bottom.

5. Sturgeon will likely go with high tides into flats and tidewaters that are too shallow at low tides.

6. The best time to fish in tidal cycles is just before the tide breaks down or when it starts to come in again when the flows are softer.

Sturgeon Fishing Ideas
Sturgeon Fishing Ideas

7. When fishing for sturgeon in bays and straights, fish in calm and shallow waters when the currents are moving fast. Then move into deeper water when things slow down.

8. If the wind and tide are moving in the same direction, your chances of successfully catching a sturgeon increase.

9. When fishing for sturgeon, be patient. The scent of the bait will spread through the water as you wait and it will attract fish in your direction. Be ready to wait after making the first cast.

Sturgeon Fishing Hacks
Sturgeon Fishing Hacks

10. Sturgeon has a great sense of smell and taste.

11. Try to get bait that is fresh as much as possible.

12. Sturgeon feed mostly on slow-moving or freshly killed prey.

Sturgeon Fishing For Beginners
Sturgeon Fishing For Beginners

13. Sturgeon are not known to be too keen on chasing lures.

14. Sturgeon’s bite is very light, therefore, watch the rod tip very closely. The tip will bounce, but the line won’t start screaming off the reel.

15. Use sharp hooks.

Ideas For Fishing Sturgeon
Ideas For Fishing Sturgeon

16. Consider using a fighting belt when fishing for sturgeon.

17. Look for sturgeon around ledges, small channels, sand flats, and other rocky areas.

18. Sturgeon has poor eyesight and use its good sense of smell to find food.

Fishing Sturgeon
Fishing Sturgeon

19. Sturgeons are very sensitive to sound and use their lateral lines to pick up electrical fields.

20. When you feel a hard pull, set the hook as hard as you can, then set it again. Sturgeon’s mouth is hard to hook as it is rubbery and leathery.

21. Always carry a net that can take a very large fish.

Fishing Sturgeon Tricks
Fishing Sturgeon Tricks

22. If you catch a large sturgeon in a boat, release the anchor. Then follow the fish. It will be easier to land it when you are mobile.

23. When you want to release a sturgeon, point it into the current, holding it close to its tail. It will begin to swim away and then release it.

24. Get a fishing guide which will have the right gear and guide you with his experience and knowledge of sturgeon in the area.

Fishing Sturgeon Ideas
Fishing Sturgeon Ideas

25. Use a single barbless hook, not barbed hooks.

26. With sturgeon fishing, you drop the bait down to the bottom, wait, and haul in the fish when it is hooked. It is not precision casting, therefore, the important factor when sturgeon fishing is strength and not castability.

Fishing Sturgeon Tips
Fishing Sturgeon Tips

What is the best bait to catch sturgeon?
Clams, crabs, shad, smelt, eel, herring, squid, roe, salmon, and anchovies are some of the best baits for sturgeon.
What do you use to catch sturgeon?
Since the sturgeon is very large, powerful, and leaps out of the water when hooked, you will need a very strong fishing rod about 6 to 9 feet with a reel that is rated for about 80 pounds with 250 yards of line.
Are sturgeons hard to catch?
With its size, strength, and antics, sturgeon is a challenging to catch. Additionally, it has a good sense of smell and taste. It bites lightly and has a leathery mouth that makes it challenging to set the hook in.
What depth do sturgeon like?
Sturgeon is a bottom fish and you will have to get your bait to the bottom, sometimes more than 20 feet to get to the sturgeon.
What time of day is best for sturgeon fishing?
The best time of the day to go sturgeon fishing is early morning and late afternoon. The last two hours of an outgoing tide is also a great time to fish for sturgeon.
Can sturgeon bite you?
Sturgeon has no teeth and hasn’t been aggressive towards humans.
Does sturgeon taste good?
Sturgeon taste good and are good to eat.

The Bottom Line

Sturgeon is the largest freshwater fish in the world. Sturgeon fishing puts your patience to the test more than you can ever imagine. It is a very large, and powerful fish. Sturgeon has a good sense of smell and taste. Fresh bait is the best bait for sturgeon fishing. The keys to successfully catching sturgeon are finding the resting spots like holes or feeding grounds and the depths where the sturgeon are holding out.

In this article, we discussed the fishing method, equipment, fishing tips, and behaviors of this fish that will increase your chances of catching it. If you also fish for other fishes like wahoo, amberjack, paddlefish, and Mahi Mahi, then read these articles on how to catch wahoo, how to catch amberjack, how to catch paddlefish, and how to catch Mahi Mahi.