Sturgeon The One That Got Away

[racfish]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... catch.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[TroutSnipr]

There are sturgeon that big in Lake Washington. About 25 years ago they caught one on video inhaling floating ducks by the marina. Of course the Columbia and Snake both have fish this size or larger as well. There was an episode of River Monsters where they were after supposedly the biggest sturgeon in the world the Kaluga (which is the only Sturgeon with teeth), in the Amur River Basin in Russia.

[Dan Boone]

I remember reading a similar story about some Russian guy who hooked a giant catfish while fishing with his friend. Apparently the last thing he said before it pulled him under was:"Now I've got him!"

[TroutSnipr]

The catfish thing happens a lot in Vietnam because the Mekong catfish is 500+lbs. When I went through there on my Pan-Asian tour, there were guys missing arms where they had wrapped the line around their arm and the catfish decided to take off. Happens with the freshwater stingrays in that region as well.

[natetreat]

They do a lot of hand lining in those parts of the worlds, setting the line with bait and bringing them into their little canoes and such. A big fish could easily get you tangled and drag you under. Although this sturgeon story is from the Daily Mail, which is about as trustworthy as the Enquirer, so who knows if this story is real.

[Steelheadin360]

"lets tie ourselves to a 500 pound high horsepower bahimoth and see what happens!"

Ive had whites in the stilly that will turn and burn for the bottom, mean while slamming your knees into the side of the boat and popping off a few rod guides in the process. Aint no way i would ever secure myself to one of those things! let alone try to tackle it without some leverage

[racfish]

I remember the huge one off SandPoint. Wasnt it like 500 lbs? Some parts of Lk Wa are over 300' deep. Our depthfinders will only read till the first silt level. I can remember in the late 50's reading about the hydroplane Quicksilver that went down and wasnt found. Im sure there are huge lunkers in that lake.

[TroutSnipr]

There was a 900lb sturgeon found washed up on shore in Lake Washington in 1987.

http://www.nytimes.com/1987/11/07/us/de ... state.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.apnewsarchive.com/1987/Half- ... f52313c484" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.waterwayscruises.com/blog/fr ... rivia.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://crosscut.com/2009/12/28/animals- ... ould-talk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Dan Boone]

My friend told me that he snagged into one while fishing for pinks, and got spooled. Have any of you guys hooked into one?

[TroutSnipr]

They are in the Snoho. I know guys that fish for em in the areas around the Slough. I keep meaning to go down since I grew up fishing for them in the Snake and the Columbia but never seem to find the time.

[Dan Boone]

Yeah, I remember reading a report from, I think, last year. One of these days...