BY DAVE HURLEY
PITTSBURG – Sturgeon fishing is ‘off the hook’ in Suisun Bay, but with the transition to a catch-and-release only season, six pack operators have been fortunate to be out on the water a day or so per week. Sturgeon catching is perhaps as good as it has ever been as six-pack operators are bringing as many as 20 diamondbacks to the boat on a single outing, including oversized fish to 80 inches plus. Whether it is angler’s protesting catch-and-release, the inability to harvest a fish, or the overwhelming cynicism about the science leading to the harvest closure, numbers of anglers are denying themselves the fun and memories experienced while cranking in multiple sturgeon to the boat.
White sturgeon fishing was reopened after nearly 50 years of closure in 1954, but due to the lack of knowledge about the species, it took decades for sturgeon fishermen to unlock the puzzle. Most sturgeon fishermen up into to 1990’s experienced years of empty trips before landing their first diamondback. No extended learning curve applies now as the introduction of cured salmon roe, sharing of information between experienced anglers, clustering of sturgeon in Suisun Bay, and improvements in electronics have led to unheard of action. Whatever the reason, anglers who aren’t going are missing out on all the fun.
Hooking and fighting a sturgeon is one of the greatest thrills for northern California anglers as each fish has a mind of its own. Some will bulldog you and hold near the bottom, some will launch themselves completely out of the water, and others will make a run against the current to wrap your line around the anchor line. In any case, it’s always an adventure.
Captain Steve Mitchell of Hook’d Up Sport Fishing out of Pittsburg was out on Friday and Saturday, and he said, “We are experiencing pretty much non-stop action except for the slack tide. On Friday, Jason Johnson and his daughter Aubrey were out on a scouting trip, and we let Aubrey reel in several fish, including one over 80 inches.” The boats that are fishing are concentrating right in front of the Pittsburg Marina, but Kyle Wise of Head Hunter Guide Service went downstream towards McAvoy’s Boat Harbor in Bay Point, and he said, “The bite has been amazing as we brought 43 sturgeon to the boat in three days, and these fish have been everywhere. I had one customer out solo, and he tapped out after bringing 14 fish to the boat – and that was with only four rods out.”
The reality is sturgeon harvest may never again be an option in California. Any possibility of harvest is dependent upon the findings by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife due to the petition to list the species as ‘threatened’ under the California Endangered Species Act. Limited harvest over the past year may be another factor in the ‘off the hook’ action. In any case, the bite should hold out until the water turns too cold before warming up again in the spring. It’s more than good, and regardless of your feelings about data, the catch-and-release restrictions, and Department of Fish and Wildlife, don’t deny yourself the fun.
