NEWS FLASH

Linde’s Sport Fishing, LLC.

Eric Linde, Guide/Owner

16316 SE Evergreen Highway

Vancouver WA 98683

(360)607-6421

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 12, 2011

STURGEON FISHING IS OPEN 365 DAYS A YEAR AND 7 DAYS A WEEK!

That’s right everyday you can fish for one of the great sport fish in the Northwest.

Catch and release fishing is always open in between retention days. As a fishing guide, I am amazed at the drop in effort between keep and non keep days. I counted 40 boats on a Saturday, while fishing the Columbia at Cape Horn. I fished the next day and had the whole area to myself!

Catch and release Sturgeon fishing has a tremendous upside. Typically you have the river almost to yourself. You are able to fish all the hot holes. It allows you to hone your skills on anchoring, fishing different water levels and trying new baits.

You can also try new areas, or water depths without pressure to produce keepers. This will pay great dividends when you do fish to keep one.

There are several areas that produce great results throughout the year whether keep or release. The first that comes to mind is the Willamette during the winter and early spring months. This is easy fishing. Salmon rods and light leads are the norm. The river is better when it’s muddy making it the perfect stormy weather fishery.

The Columbia starts getting good in April and May with the shad run. As the water temperature rises, the bite only gets better.

Probably my favorite Sturgeon fishery is Astoria. After everyone leaves, when the quota has been caught, the fishing gets really good. The tides play a huge role in this fishery. Most people come to Astoria to fish for keepers and are intimidated by the vastness of the area. During the catch and release period, you can move around and try new things. This is when you learn how the tides move the fish around. More importantly, you should take the time to learn how to get around on the sand bars at different water heights.

The fishing can be phenomenal during July and August. Anchovies are the bait of choice. The weather is fantastic and there is no one around! Some of the best photos I have of these magnificent fish are from this time.

Catch and release sturgeon fishing is great somewhere all year long. I have pointed out a few areas and the positives that make catch and release Sturgeon fishing so great. I didn’t even mention the Umpqua, Tillamook Bay or the Bonneville pool. Those are for you to discover.