B.C. BEHEMOTHS!!! Fishing Great White Sturgeon.

B.C. BEHEMOTHS!!! Fishing Great White Sturgeon.



It was a misty, cool and miserably grey Sunday, June 6th, 2004. A passenger in my friend John's 24-foot freighter canoe we were anchored where the Kwetabohagan meets the Mighty Moose. Chartreuse jig and twister tail, six pound mono spooled up on a 1000 series Sedona and fished on a shortened, tip repaired, five foot light Lightening Stick, it was there that early afternoon casting an eddy for walleyes that this first happened...


A toss kerplunked into some boot deep dirty water a leg length from shore, and the reel engaged seemingly set hook into bottom. Stopping and dropping, a moment later the line tightened and I lifted the tip high... but for brief seconds nothing happened. Then suddenly, slowly and quite deliberately, the rod began to strain and buckle until the drag peeled out mono steadily without any sign of rest. Surely excited I remember saying to John, "this is no snag, it's a huge walleye!"


The spool was emptying for the fish turned into the current heading down river. John was quick to shuffle past me, pull anchor at the bow, shuffle past again, then sit and start the outboard. Away we went on the chase, drifting along several hundred meters with the fish before it decidedly turned around and swam us back up stream to where we had started. The little Sedona was smoking, the line melting, and it would be an honest good guess that many times its entire length nearly spun right off the reel.


Returned to our starting place the fish first surfaced behind the transom, John yelled out "it's a STURGEON!!!" Knees already weak, heart racing and adrenaline high, his announcement only served to heighten the anxiety. There had been only a couple of saltwater fish in my life power over me like this, but this surprise on light gear and on home waters was truly a unique rush.


Sideways and following back down river the fish was ahead of the boat, and I was easily gaining line until the rod suddenly pulled down hard into the gunnel. Sideways and still drifting, the fish was then instantly behind the boat, easily stealing line back. Hurried I tried to swing the short rod around the bow but the stressed mono just nicked the anchor rope knot. "TING!" The sturgeon was gone...


There had already been a personal and short-lived fascination with these prehistoric fish. Since learning earlier in 2000 that sturgeon were the biggest of freshwater game and that some did in fact swim in the Attawapiskat River, (and Moose River and tributaries) they were something I had hoped to catch once moving North there for work. This new encounter made that desire immediately more urgent, so three months afterwards, along with friends John and Tom, I found myself in British Columbia ready to take on the largest North American freshwater fish that swim, the great white sturgeon of the Fraser River.


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It was the first BIG fishing trip any of us had ever taken. Camping out on the rivers of James Bay, road tripping, or spending long weekends in various cabins back in eastern Ontario, was not the same sort of deal as hopping on a plane across Canada, checking into a brand new 5-star fishing lodge and being catered to everyday while on the river and resort. Unable to speak for John or Tom, I know and understand that it was this experience which altered my own fishing from then on. Most significantly, the birth of an endless urge to travel for fishing.


Over five days in B.C. we sampled the waters there, three for sturgeon and two chinook. The journal notes 21 sturgeon were hooked and released, and that we all limited out at least twice over on the springs. Tommy caught the biggest salmon while Johnny and I each shared top honors with two 72-inch sturgeon.


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In 2007 after much planning and 30 months of waiting, an online group I had organized revisited Fraser River Fishing Lodge. Seven totally eager anglers paired up to share rooms, boats and their own fishing and life stories. Without checking the books I can recall that everyone caught sturgeon several times over, Diane caught the big fish of the week, and I myself picked up two more 72-inchers amidst others caught as well.


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For some years afterwards that would be it for B.C. and it's giant white sturgeon. Prior to leaving James Bay, in 2009 while dead-baiting lethargic ice-out pike, I finally did reel in sturgeon of a different kind on the home waters of the Moose... Time slipped away until early December of Christmas past, when out of the blue Brenda asked if this would be the year we'd head out west for sturgeon. Only days later, I received a phone call from my friend Stevie Z ( of "Mission Fishin' Impossible" fame ) who oddly wondered the same thing as well. Quick to get on the phone with Frank Staiger at Fraser River Lodge, I am pretty sure before Santa came down a single chimney, we were all toasting to the New Year's sturgeon to come.




Eleven years or only ten months later, depending how far back considered...






Day 1. ELEVEN.




A text from my oldest daughter Summer read, "Good morning. How was your flight and weather? Abousana from both of us." Abousana is Summer's made up word since childhood and it means "I love you." Having read abousana it was quite alright that she forgot about the time change and actually woke us at 3:30am from our deep sleeps.


Stevie Z and Amelie had picked us up day before at the Vancouver airport. Lunch and drinks in Langley, a little shopping in Chilliwack, we checked in to F.R.F.L in time to sit down for dinner and enjoy what Stevie proclaimed was, "the best pork chop I have ever eaten in my life." We might all likely agree with that too, I certainly had a full blown gastrogasm at the table.


That food and travel behind us it was now the dawn of our first day fishing on the Fraser. Brenda, Amelie and Stevie were all new to the Rocky Mountains, the west coast and most importantly sturgeon fishing. Brenda won the coin toss on arrival so she won first rod, leaving Amelie second, gentleman Stevie to go third, and as planned I would take last spot in our rotation. In all fairness, this is the best way to ensure everyone gets their equal turn and chances throughout the week.


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Calm, warm, foggy and overcast, after a buffet breakfast we met our guide Chris and towed over the five minutes to a private boat launch. All aboard his jet boat we set off, everyone and especially the girls capturing each moment of every minute they could...


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Chris anchored on a familiar spot, having remembered a big sturgeon my friend Simon caught here some years ago. All watched on with anticipation as the last line of bait reached it's resting place on the bottom... sturgeon were jumping everywhere...


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... and it didn't take but five minutes before Chris hollered to Brenda, "SET THE HOOK!!!"


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While Brenda was quickly reeling in her fish another rod fired and up next was Amelie. Double-header!!! Pretty sure Am's biggest and best fish in her life was a northern pike she had caught with us some years prior while up at Pym on the Attawapiskat...


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A quick lesson in wrestling, plenty huffin' and puffin', and she slammed it.


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Then it was time for the boys. Back-to-back we joined the sturgeon club. First ever for Stevie he was over the moon reeling this one in.


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Bren's first had been a small fish but the rest of us all had 4 1/2 to 5 footers in the boat. Amelie's was definitely the big beauty though.


In B.C. nowadays it is expected that any fish over six feet long not be removed from the water. Taking photographs like the black and whites at the beginning of this report aren't really allowed anymore. Fish under six can be lifted into the boat and are almost always placed in a large cradle. There they can be tagged and measured easily then photographed when ready . The guides and most seasoned anglers will have a pretty good idea as to what is and what isn't under or over six feet long, keeping in mind that measurements are nose to the fork of the tail. To lift these big sturgeon takes some muscle and practice, so those shorter fatty fish and super long ones too, it's best the anglers just go to shore for everyone's and the fishes safety. Thankfully, sturgeon are unbelievably hearty and strong, and I have never witnessed any issues releasing them.


The rotation came back to the beginning...


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... and Brenda set hook into the biggest fish in her life. Her arms sorely ached during this fight.


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Another big sturgeon around the 5 1/2 foot mark, she was whipped after battling this brute.


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Right behind her was Amelie. Her fish not as impressive as her first catch it still counted for numbers.


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Only 11:00am and we had six sturgeon already, an incredible start for everyone. Not another boat had been seen, and in fact, not another boat would be seen all day. Along with the odd train we had the Fraser River to ourselves, a vast mountain landscape where sturgeon regularly leaped out of the water around us. No wonder today this is considered the best sturgeon fishery on our planet.


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Chris was restless. Even with all the action so far he was wasn't happy with the size so he chose to move.


The day better than expected, early afternoon our second half began with Stevie taking an absolute arse kicking from our first serious BIG fish contender. A couple times I swear the man just curled up into a ball and begged for mercy. It was awesome to witness. Watching him, Amelie and Bren on this day lifted me up onto cloud nine. Stevie's big sailfish on the Pacific couldn't hold a candle to the strength of these sturgeon, and the girls had certainly never power fished anything like this before either.


HOLD ON DOOD!!!


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So this is a shore fish... now what?


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This day and everyday Chris was a great guide too, efficient and always explaining things. Considering Amelie is not one who likes handling fish much, she quickly found enough courage to step outside her comfort zone and become the perfect participant in the catches she most needed to be involved. She will be changed by this trip... and Stevie Z, well, he had a nearly permanent grin going all the time.


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And like that it was my turn again. Seven sturgeon down and still going strong thru the mid afternoon. The fish only getting bigger and bigger. When setting the hook into this next one I knew right away it was a tank.


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And hold on tight!!!


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Putting full gears to the fish was taxing on the both of us, but it worked. Faster than expected the sturgeon came boat side and into the shallows.


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A quick clean up for the fish as Bren waded out to help with the measurements before photos. A new best for me when Chris announced 84-inches. That's a seven foot sturgeon which likely weighed same or more as me.


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These fish are just too magnificent...


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... the rush of wrestling to reel 'em in is beyond words...


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... and it's a totally inspiring, exasperating and wildly fun kind of fishing. But, you don't have to take my word for it, see for yourself.


After Brenda released a smaller fish, Amelie and Stevie take on two 6+ foot sturgeon in a wild double-header captured partly on video.



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Their end result was perfect, a couple of awesome fish they caught and something we could all be a part of.


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Two double-headers, eleven sturgeon and four personal best fish for everyone. Our time finished back at the lodge with a delicious curried seafood chowder, jerk shrimp, beef tenderloin, a little gin, beer, wine and a round of scotch from our Scottish friend Stuart.


This day was one monumental fishing day none of us will ever forget, a truly remarkable time we all shared. And it was only the beginning...


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continued...

Day 2. HARRISON.




Scutes on the big sturgeon day before sliced a big hole into the Lodge waders. "No problem, accidents happen," was all that was said as they were replaced for another pair come morning. Gotta like that!.. And here I was sweating the cost might be mine to absorb later on.


Chris arrived in his hefty GM diesel to shuttle us all up to Harrison. Launching there we crossed a part of the lake to enter the river. We would begin our day baiting sturgeon although we had it in mind to try floatfishing for chum as well. Unlike the Fraser River which had water clarity of only a few inches, the Harrison flowed crystal clear, and it was this water which seemed to excite Chris most. "You don't catch as many sturgeon here," he began to explain, "but hardly any smaller fish, so the average size is bigger. It's nice when you can see them fighting below too."


At our first anchor a seal swam nearby and there were some other boats nearby fishing salmon and sturgeon. Our lines hadn't been down ten minutes and first on the rod was me.


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Chris was right, seeing these fish down in the deep does add to the excitement.


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A solid start this sturgeon came in the boat and was measured at five feet before receiving a quick release overboard.


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Now beginning of the rotation again Brenda immediately hooked up next, and her fish was a bruiser too.


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Pursuing and catching big fish of any kind, exceeding bests, living new experiences alone or with others in the outdoors, and sharing many of the moments with family and friends, this is what seems to keep me happily ticking on through this life. But nothing, nothing in fishing gives more pleasure than watching my girls be involved, reeling fish in, being amazed, and enjoying their time... Sturgeon in B.C. was Brenda's request for this year, and each fish on the line I was reminded how lucky I am to have her, this great partner, and how amazing she is. Sturgeon can be punishers. Sturgeon spit and break hooks, leap out of the water, pull like trains and throw headshakes that can slack ten feet of line... The cold days blowing across the northern ice and day long rides camping out in the remote wilderness, Bren's first walleyes and bass with me, those big gnarly pike, the sea sick saltwater fish, the tricky gar, dog lakers and hike lightning char, whatever remains to be caught and the experience in doing so, I know Bren will happily soldier right on through.


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Brenda got the one she wanted most, a sturgeon and her first fish she could say was bigger than her.


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And forgetting the wrong back was on the GoPro, before the camera got water-logged we captured this short release video.




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Of course it didn't stop there. A double-header finish the previous evening, and after her own three sturgeon day, Amelie's arms had only hours of recovery time. And now here she was again back smackin' down on another Harrison biggun.


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No problem.


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Coming into the lunch hour the gang agreed to switch things awhile and try floatfishing for chum. This would require a run downriver.


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Amelie took to floatfishing with ease. Following direction she was off on her own to pop a couple chum before anyone else.


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After having pieced together my travel rod I took a walk along the bank to find a decent spot for myself. Chum were everywhere here, you could peer into the shoreline waters and see them in the shallows. Chris had explained that the more fresh fish will be further out in the faster water still swimming up against the heavier current. To simply knock chum off my species list I hooked one kinda half way in between life and death.


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Our group didn't stay long on the drift. We were all just getting into it when we were called back to the boat. Downriver was a better spot Chris explained, a spot that when we arrived had ten other boats cramming the prime water. How was anyone to know? Watching on, plenty people were hooking up. We tried a short time too and Amelie caught another, but it didn't take us long to call off chum in order to get back to the bigger stuff.


Racing back upriver we passed by our new friends; other guests from the lodge who had come from Scotland and Ireland. All avid fly fishers they would spend their entire time in pursuit of salmon on the fly, and they would catch 'em too.


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Sideburns Stu and Maggie were especially wonderful. All the way from the Orkneys, it would have been great to have more time to learn of their home; and for me to better understand what Stu was saying half the time. I have relatives in England and Scotland, and although Brenda is plenty Cree, even some of her ancestry goes directly to the Orkneys through four Louttit brothers. (shipbuilders who arrived in Canada during the 1800's to work with the Hudson Bay Company)


Back to that bigger stuff now.


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Stevie would have one helluva time getting pounded on by this sturgeon, and even Chris with some fancy maneuvering would have to save his arse once as well. A big bite in the final hour of our day, the boat turned into shore and a winded but happy angler jumped out to hug his catch.


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Ninety inches of intense and seven and a half feet of awesome. Perfect fish.


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Releasing the beast!


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Stoked for Stevie!


Everyone was grinning ear to ear on the ride back to the lodge. A warm, sunny, autumn evening and all happy, we enjoyed the grounds outside along with river and mountain views, and plenty drinks on the deck before a smoked duck and halibut dinner.


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Day 3. Rx B.J. TID.




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Morning was a buzz. Mint conditions again, having barely left the launch we had four sturgeon caught in two hours with another double header for Amelie and Steve.


The first was a smaller four footer for myself which then lead to another six plus footer for Brenda. By now the kinks were out and everyone aboard meant business, except sometimes the sturgeon were still long and hard to bargain with alone.


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In actual fish to hours fishing, by the end of this day our group was averaging a sturgeon approximately every half hour on the trip so far. The previous two trips it was a fish every hour. Through to end of the week our numbers would slow some in the coming days but either way you slice it, catching fish like this with that kind of numbers is rather remarkable.


Sturgeon are other worldly fish too. Ancient and long-living, there have been sturgeon tagged in the more southern Columbia River show up in the Fraser after swimming the hundreds of miles in the ocean. The whites of the Pacific, the lake sturgeon ranging across the mid Provinces and Great Lakes, to the various kinds one might find in the St. Lawrence and Atlantic, any angler I have ever talked to who has encountered one while fishing, gets excited about that fish and memory.


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Seasoned veterans now, I guess to keep it interesting Steve and Ams preferred to catch their fish together. The double header duo strikes again!


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The fishing being so good it only had to slow down a little on our first spot before we turned restless to go on tour for more.


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The move didn't quite pan out as hoped. The afternoon bite was slower although we still did pick up three more fish. A nap in the boat, joking around about our summer groundhog pests back home, Stevie's B.J. prescription from his doc, growling at the pike minnow bait thieves and laughing about the fact we were doing such a terrible job at capturing sturgeon jump shots, the hours were pretty chill while alone again on the Fraser River.


After releasing a runt sturg earlier which the guide deemed wouldn't count as my turn, we had only just anchored in a heavier current area and had minutes to send out a scent trail before I hooked into a long and lean 5 1/2 to 6-footer. The fish was one we could not lift into the boat so, rather than lose our position I opted out on photographs to save time. Brenda would then reap the rewards of this decision finding just enough left on the clock come end of the day to catch another fish destined for shore photos. If this day three could belong to anyone, Brenda would own it.


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A stuffed chicken dinner and salmon tartar appy, everyone tired and planning to leave earlier next morning it was a quiet night at the dinner table.


continued...

Day 4. TEASPOONING.




Wasn't sure what to expect come this morning. Chris hatched a plan we do some teaspooning for chinooks. Now, I'm not going to explain teaspooning any further than to say it's kind of like bar fishing but, not really. We launched back into the Harrison and after setting up the rods Stevie noticed a puddle on the floor at the back of the boat. Twenty minutes or more with the plug out made the moment a bit of an eye opener, but when I looked at Chris he just said, "what??" with a grin on his face. Extra plug went in quick but even with that fast bilge it took a good while to drain us out.


Having caught chinooks before it was my hope the other three would catch their firsts. With this style of fishing, rather than grit and power like it had been for sturgeon, the angler needs to have more finesse with salmon. We missed fish. Both Amelie and Brenda dropped several from hookset to boatside, barbless and mooching skills being the common cause. Even Stevie lost one before getting his second. Had we landed all our hook-ups, I think everyone would have caught a couple chinook each. As it panned out, we got three in the boat before I gave up my turn to get us back to sturgeon fishing sooner. That was actually quite a difficult thing to do after Stevie's turn...


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See what I mean? NOW THAT'S A BIG CHINOOK!!!


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Second time in the week Stevie loses his mind, his excitement beyond bliss. He smoked the 2015 lodge chinook record out of the water with this 43-pounder. Awesome!!!


The last three hours of our day slowed down considerably. The breeze picked up a little and this made anchoring in some slack water areas more difficult. With sturgeon fishing the boat needs to stay still so the baits don't drag on bottom. Our rotation was back to Amelie being up first, and make no mistake, this fish was destined to be hers for the trip.


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It would later be said by Frank back at the lodge, "the perfect picture." I would agree.


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Love these two amazing and good people and thrilled we spent this time together. What a day for both.


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Back at the lodge was a night of celebration. Stevie of all would be the Master of Ceremonies. Salmon slayer!!!


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All expected to either depart next morning or fish the next day and leave come evening, Frank joined us for dinner. Crab cake appetizer and my favorite, lamb shanks for the main.


Frank commented on our exceptional week so far, and between servings told any listening his story of how he came over from Germany to Canada twenty years ago. Starting with a boyhood dream from a movie he saw, a suitcase, money saved, a few guided trips which lead to a tinny of his own, two decades later much has changed for Frank. A cheers to that, and happy we have stayed in touch through the years.


After dessert, Stevie picked up the first round of slapshot shooters. More shooters would follow from Irish Robert and our host Frank. On top of the wine, gin, beer and scotch this lead to fun and laughs, a poker game, emails getting exchanged and invites to Scotland. This is another reason why you visit places like this to fish. Nearly a dozen people have visited Fraser River Lodge with me over three trips, and it's there all have been lucky enough to watch everyone catch their first white sturgeons, often the biggest fish of their lives, and enjoy eating many of the best meals one might ever have.


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Day 5. SUNSHINE & STURGEON.




The final day started kinda rough for all. A little too much cheer evening before, one of us was having a time with it getting out of bed. Ahem Brenda!!!


No "Nancy Boys" as Stu would put it, the rest of us wolfed down our hearty breakfasts and readied ourselves for a last kick at the can. Throwing the wife over my shoulder we made it to the river.


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Stevie's early sturg had been caught back at the launch before we tore off upriver and now I was on the rod.


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A rather spirited fighter, this one gave ample opportunity under the suns rays to catch a glory shot or two.


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A good fish that didn't make six feet but was still big at around five or over, I requested a shore shot anyways. Kind of regretted not capturing that good one in a photo from days before. Bren jumped in the drink to join me in front of the lens.


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Two quick fish in the morning the rest of the day was long without a bite. Chris had us all over the place in search, and when we weren't moving around, all of us exhausted from our week of food and play easily fell into chill-out mode.


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A beach nap, Stevie's singing, a huge flock of geese and an eagle in a nearby tree, again there was not another boat to be seen all day. Us alone in the mountains, there are certainly worse places one could be forced to wait for a fish to bite.


With less than an hour remaining in the day, at 3:20pm Chris anchored us at the last spot. Before the fourth sack of roe could fall into place on bottom, Brenda rips a rod from the holder and pegs one acrobatic and feisty sturgeon. Finally we were on the ball for some jump shots.


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Another solid fish for the little lady to end her trip. Man alive she caught plenty fish bigger than herself this week.


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We ate up only less than twenty minutes to hook, land, photo and release the fish. Well oiled machines now.


Chris was still totally on board with fishing those last few seconds on the clock. Back anchored and lines set in a blink, for seven minutes we bit our nails with anticipation until astonishingly a rod tip tapped. Amelie the only one on this day without a fish so far, made it count when needed most. All her might on the hookset she ripped a big sturgeon clear out of the water behind the boat. Serious!!!


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Unforgiving pressure, it took no time to play this one out. At the shore you wouldn't think this was a woman scared to hold fish like she had been just five days earlier. Now, Amelie was in there leading the pack, shaking fins with fish as long or longer than she is tall.


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... And that's where this one will end.




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Ashore and back at the lodge within minutes, packed and in the car to arrive in Vancouver in only a few hours, we said our goodbyes... Will we all together see this place again? My bet is yes! Probably for as long as these sturgeon can live too. It is an exceptional fishery.






Bunk.

Wow!!!! Some awesome pictures and a great story. As usual, thanks for posting :)

FishFrenzy

unreal

Thank-you Sir... for taking the time.
You sure know how to live.

FSHN 247
Jay

Fantastic trip, fantastic story.....thanks for sharing!

Mike

Thanks doods!

Alway a pleasure living vicariously through your stories. Thanks for sharing another one of your awesome adventures. That trip is on my bucket list of places that I have to fish.

Words can not explain how grateful I am to read your stories and look at the pictures capturing more than the subjects. Moose, I thank you and wish you many, many more trips.
"E"