Idaho Sturgeon Snake River

For years most anglers who fish below American Falls Dam expect to land trout and bass with a few perch thrown in and an occasional bullhead or crappie. But, with successful stockings by Idaho Fish and Game over the past decade, fish up to seven foot are being taken. Move over you miniature game fish, the white sturgeon is back and providing anglers an experience of a lifetime.

“It was a good day on the water,” says Herb Sweeney a local angler and my good buddy. “We didn’t get into a lot of fish but I did hook and land a four footer,” he adds. Sweeney is very secretive about his holes and rightfully so. Most die hard sturgeon anglers would rather have a hand cut off than tell exactly where they are landing them, but I can tell you this, it is the stretch just below the dam.

Sweeney did say that shrimp, trout (from a hatchery) and anchovies are top bets to entice the mighty white sturgeon to take notice. “It really depends on the angler, some swear by this and some by that, but you really need to experiment and find which bait works for you and stick with it,” say Sweeney.

On our sturgeon trip about six weeks ago we used rainbows from a hatchery. We were out with Justin Johnson of Thirsty Fish Outfitters 208-539-0108 and Johnson told us the in and outs of landing one of these monsters. “You have to know the holes they frequent. Fish move in and move out but they always return to the holes,” says Johnson.

Sturgeon fishing is really a waiting game. Don’t expect a fish every few minutes or even every hour, we hooked into three fish in a seven-hour day. “Just before you guys arrived I took out a few clients and they landed nine fish in one day…that was not a normal day on the water but it sure was exciting,” says Johnson.

Remember, in the state of Idaho sturgeon cannot be taken out of the water. Take a few pictures with the fish and release them in the water.

Western States Sportsman

Dave Langston is an outdoor writer for Fishing & Hunting News, Idaho State Journal, Game and Fish, Sports Illustrated, and more, and provides fishing and hunting seminars throughout Idaho. Western States Sportsman also covers all the major outdoor trade shows in America, including ICAST, SHOT Show, ISE, and more.