Catching river giants on Idaho’s Snake River

IDAHO — The most important gamefish in Utah waters are sometimes tiger muskies, northern pike, lake trout and striped bass — a few of which may exceed 50 inches in size and tip the scales at almost 50 kilos. Many different states within the area boast comparable fish species that fall inside those self same common measurement ranges (give or take a number of inches and kilos).

Idaho is in a league of its personal.

North America’s largest freshwater fish species, the white sturgeon, lives in among the Gem State’s rivers they usually nearly make a full-grown tiger musky seem like a sardine. Simply how huge do these sturgeon get? The present catch-and-release report, set by Utah angler Greg Poulsen in 2022, measured 10 ft, 4 inches. For the reason that fish wasn’t faraway from the water, it is unattainable to know its actual weight. However historic catch data point out some white sturgeon have exceeded 1,500 kilos.

That is proper … sturgeon can weigh greater than a grand piano.

As a trout angler who not often catches something larger than three kilos, I not too long ago determined it was time to expertise sturgeon fishing firsthand. The Snake River holds the healthiest inhabitants, so I headed as much as spend a pair days with my good friend, Zach Bush, a diehard fanatic who has landed greater than a thousand sturgeon and posts about his exploits on Instagram. He spends numerous days on the river and enjoys sharing his information. And talking of sharing, he was even form sufficient to let me use considered one of his sturgeon rods (seems the ultralight combo I exploit within the Uintas would not fairly cross muster).

Proper out of the gate, my good friend defined among the particular guidelines of the game. For instance, your hooks have to be barbless and your sinker will need to have a sliding rig. These rules had been put in place by the Idaho Division of Fish and Sport to assist sturgeon rebound after a brutal time frame from the early 1900s to the Nineteen Seventies, when elements like the development of hydroelectric dams, air pollution and over-harvesting prompted sturgeon numbers to plummet.

The state company additionally launched the catch-and-release coverage in 1971, which nonetheless stands. And, it companions with Idaho Energy on conservation efforts which can be making a significant affect. Whereas out on the river, Bush and I truly noticed a ship stuffed with this system’s biologists touring upriver for a undertaking.

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As a way to hook right into a sturgeon, we used heavy weights and huge baits. White sturgeon dwell in deep swimming pools and use their whiskers to seek out meals. Whereas their weight loss program traditionally included salmon, steelhead and freshwater mussels, the presence of contemporary dams has compelled sturgeon to adapt to their extra restricted environments and discover new meals sources.

For the primary few hours of our journey, we hooked nothing however northern pikeminnows. These fish are native to the river and share a love for lots of the baits we had been throwing out for the sturgeon. The most important pikeminnow we caught was in all probability 4 kilos, which might’ve been a thrill in most different settings. As an alternative, we thought of it a nuisance, preserving us from the last word prize.

As night time fell over the river, we started to see sturgeon leaping within the water. At one level, we watched in awe as an 8-footer swam proper previous us.

Nicely previous midnight, my rod bent over like a sweet cane. After setting the hook, the battle was on. The sturgeon headed downstream within the sturdy present, ripping line off my reel. We fastidiously added extra drag, as a result of having a sturgeon “spool” you does not simply imply you may lose the fish. It additionally leaves the fish trailing tons of of ft of line, which might be disastrous to its well being.

We ultimately introduced the fish near shore and Bush instructed me to information it right into a muddy space beneath us. Dragging a sturgeon over rocks is a simple technique to injure it, so we fastidiously prevented any tough terrain.

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My fish measured about 6 ft lengthy, a modest-sized sturgeon for that stretch of the Snake River. Nevertheless it was a marvel to me. Highly effective and prehistoric wanting, it was truthfully one of the vital unbelievable creatures I’ve ever seen.

After a number of fast photographs, we nudged the sturgeon again into the river. With a flick of its tail, it disappeared into the darkish water.

There have been loads of 9-foot sturgeons caught within the space the place we fished. And 10-footers have been landed not too distant. So, the query is, the place is the more-than-10-foot big that can break the present Idaho report? Maybe it is swimming in C.J. Strike Reservoir. Or it may be lurking in Hells Canyon.

With the Idaho Fish and Sport and Idaho Energy working conservation packages and anglers taking additional care in touchdown and releasing their fish, the longer term is brilliant for these sturgeon.

And it is solely a matter of time earlier than a brand new report rises up from the deep.