Sturgeon

[tlambert]

We were doing some river fishing on Saturday and accidently hooked into a couple of these big guys. I had 8 lb test on with a light action rod...wasn't much of a match for a sturgeon. Took me a 1/2 hour to get him in.

Here's mine, 49"
http://www.iowawhitetail.com/photopost/data/500/Sturgeon_08.JPG


Friend of mine, 44"
http://www.iowawhitetail.com/photopost/data/500/Sturgeon_08-2.JPG

[bushman]

That would be a blast.

[THA4]

very cool catch! congrats!!

neat fish!

[AIRASSAULT]

Geez! Ive never seen them that big around home.. Usually the ones we catch in the Cedar and Iowa Rivers are only a couple feet or so. I really wanted to fish for the Giant Sturgeon in the Columbia River this last Spring when I was in Washington, but, the guide told me it's not worth going until about the end of May.... They catch them up to 12 feet long up there... Crazy!

Sweet sturgeon you got there!! They are delicious when smoked!

[JakeWym]

That looks like a blast. Good Job.

[Rowdy#88]

Awesome fish!! Iv never seen one.

[muddy]

Holy CRAP, those are Lake Sturgeon!!

Federally threatened fish in Iowa and you caught two very nice ones in one night! Good thing you didn't accidentally put the knife to them! Did you snag them or did they take the hook?

[bushman]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: muddy</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Holy CRAP, those are Lake Sturgeon!!

Federally threatened fish in Iowa and you caught two very nice ones in one night! Good thing you didn't accidentally put the knife to them! Did you snag them or did they take the hook?</div></div>

Now you got the fish nerd excited!!

[tlambert]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: muddy</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Holy CRAP, those are Lake Sturgeon!!

Federally threatened fish in Iowa and you caught two very nice ones in one night! Good thing you didn't accidentally put the knife to them! Did you snag them or did they take the hook? </div></div>

Actually caught them in a river in WI up by my parent's place. They took the hook and we knew we couldn't keep them. Spent a lot of time reviving them to make sure they were ok to be released. They're an awesome fish, wish I knew how old something like that is.

[muddy]

49 inches - 1244 millimeters = estimation of 15 - 20 years old
44 inches - 1117 millimters = estimation of 10-12 years old

Interesting fact, lake sturgeon rarely reach reproductive maturity before the age of 20 and those that do only spawn once every 4-6 years. With the introduction of locks and dams to impede their spawning runs that stretches out even longer.

Very very cool fish in my opinion.

[Limb Chicken]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Now you got the fish nerd excited!! </div></div>

That is funny. Sorry muddiest of muddys. /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

[muddy]

Fish talk always gets me excited, especially when rare fishies are on the agenda. If you wanted to have a good laugh it would've been the day we shocked these two up within a few hundred feet of each other. Excited wasn't the word really. /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif

http://www.iowawhitetail.com/photopost/data/3151/LoveIowa5.JPG

[bushman]

I'm just teasing you mudster. I actually like learning all the nerdy fish facts you share!!

[muddy]

/forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cool.gif No worries.

And to think some of those nerdy things have been published by a high class magazine!

[bushman]

Let's see some more of the "shocking" pics. Something to help me get throught the day of driving a desk.

[Musky Hunter]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: bushman</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Let's see some more of the "shocking" pics. Something to help me get throught the day of driving a desk.</div></div>

Yah, lets see 'em

[Skully]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: muddy</div><div class="ubbcode-body">And to think some of those nerdy things have been published by a high class magazine! </div></div>

Some Iowa fishing magazine right? /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif Cool fish. I would have surely ate them and been handed a hefty fine. /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

[sofakingfast_1]

Man i bet that was fun! 8 pound test with a light action rod. I couldn't imagine. We were rigged up with heavy duty equipment down in Keokuk when typ250 hooked into this lake Sturgeon and it took a long time to get this one to the boat. I'm posting this because look at the difference in the mouth's? Are these the same kind of fish? http://www.iowawhitetail.com/photopost/data/500/medium/ryans_lake_sturgeon.jpg http://www.iowawhitetail.com/photopost/data/526/medium/big_ol_sturgeon.jpg


Muddy, ive been catfishing under the Keokuk dam the last few weekends using cut shad and last Sunday i reeled in a freakin turtle. Weirdest turtle ive seen. Real soft flexible shell and a pointed head\nose. What kinda turtles inhabit the river bottoms? I searched for pictures of turtles on here and couldnt find the one i caught. I'm on the road right now but ill post a picture of it when i get home. Picture isnt the greatest though.

[THA4]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: muddy</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> And to think some of those nerdy things have been published by a high class magazine! </div></div>

You got that right!!!!!!! /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cool.gif


<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Now you got the fish nerd excited!! </div></div>

and that is funny stuff!!!!

/forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

[muddy]

Aim-n-High - the fish in tlamberts pics are the same as the fish in your pics, just look at the scale and body types. The mouth in your pic is pushed in by 250s wrist, they are 100% spot on the same species of fish. Those ones by Keokuk are just 3 feet longer and probably 30 years older. Like giant flatheads as those fish get older things wear down and get blunted off (rostrums, scales, fin tips, tails) which makes them look a little different.

As far as your turtle goes, did it look like this? If so then your toitle is a soft shelled toitle.

http://www.iowawhitetail.com/photopost/data/3151/Soft-shell-Turtle.jpg

[tlambert]

Man Aim n High....how big was that bad boy?

[Daver]

We used to call those turtles "leatherbacks" and they were pretty common on the Wapsi north of Central City back in the day. I don't get up there much these days, but it sure has been a long time since I saw one of those. Are they less common today or I am just not seeing them?

[sofakingfast_1]

Thanks for the picture Muddy. Thats the type of turtle i caught on shad gut. I didnt know that was the common softshell turtle. Kinda crazy thats the first time ive seen one!


Tlambert im not sure how big she was. We didnt have a tape and weighed it then released her. If i remember right it was right around 45-50 pounds.

[AIRASSAULT]

We have TONS of soft shelled turtles in the Cedar River.. Ive seen the bank lined with them.. They fight hard as hell too.

[squ1rr31_]

Softshells are cool, I had a few as pets as a kid. One of them was over 18 inches around.

[KansasHeadHunter]

I don't know what the regs are in Iowa but the soft shelled or leatherback are better eating than the snappers.Twice as easy to clean also.We can keep them here.