Pontoon fishing for sturgeon

[Idahoron]

Sturgeon was on the agenda today. I have wanted to catch one in my pontoon for a while now. I started to fish at 8:30 am and I didn't get a single bite. About 1:00pm I met a guy that was here from the east coast. He was here sight seeing, and I told him I was fishing.
He asked me to take some pictures of him in a kayak. So I went out in the river and got some action shots for him.
He said if I got s sturgeon to yell for him. Well I was on the last float of the day and getting hot when I got a nasty tug on the line. The fish took the bait on my medium action glow stick. The fight was on, in this video you can see it jump at 0:02 on the counter.

I had two poles out so I got the other one in and went to work on the fish.
I was amazed at how hard this fish was pulling. When it got to the surface the first time it jumped 2 foot from the boat. You can see the splash in the first video at 0:58 and it got me wet.
This is where we go to video #2. I split the video so it would not be so big.

Man this fish was pulling hard. I knew it had to be at least a 100-pound fish, I might have over guessed that a bit I have never weighed one and I didn't measure this one. I set the drag kind of loose and I was using my thumb as the drag. I have had drags loose big fish for me so I was using my thumb. After a while it felt like my thumb was on fire. The sturgeon did a couple of big slashes by Chris and his boat. I tried to explain to him to give me a little more room because they can and would jump on the kayak and tip him over.
After I got him landed we took a few pictures and I turned him loose. Chris was amazed at the size of the sturgeon. He was flying out in the morning for home. We exchanged email so he could send me his pictures. HE said he saw his first Rodeo at the Jerome fair. He said this fish fight was the icing on the cake for his Idaho trip.
It was a great afternoon. Epic might even be a good word for it. Ron

 

[Thunderclapper]

That looks like a blast. How long do you think he was?

 

[Idahoron]

Between 5 and 6 feet. That is just a guess I didn't measure it. Ron

 

[Tank]

That fish probably pulled you up and down the river. That's a great idea you pulled off. I bet you can't wait to go do it again! Could you imagine what a 7' fish would do?

 

[Idahoron]

It did pull me up and down the river. It took me from the top of the hole to the bottom and back up again. When a guy fights them from the bank or even a regular boat. You fight them. This way they tend to fight the pontoon more, but it puts you right with them on their level. I honestly think a BIG one will be a tougher and longer fight but the way the pontoon works them I don't think it will be too bad. I plan to find out. Ron

 

[Pre64]

I've never caught one down there in the heat of the day. Good job.

 

[MarshallBill5]

Nice fishing. Sure looks like fun.