Species: White Sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus)
Location: Columbia River, Cascade Locks, OR
Date: February 22, 2015
If Hell froze over, it would still be warmer than the Columbia River is mid-winter during high winds. The type of bone-chilling cold that the Gorge can experience is excruciating for those dressed in anything less warm than a recently disemboweled TaunTaun.
Unfortunately, this Luke had forgotten his lightsaber and was left shivering in the frigid canyonland, praying desperately for a hit.
I was there targeting sturgeon, something I’d always wanted to do in the Gorge, and hoped to bring home a fish in the narrow January – March keeper season on that stretch of the river.
At the time, it was a slot limit fishery that rarely exceeded quotas before the season expired, and the slot was 40-50″ fork length, so you could theoretically walk away with a decent fish.
That is, if your frozen corpse didn’t topple overboard when winds changed from 30 to 40 miles per hour and the whitecaps started clipping your boat with extra fervor.
***
I was fishing with Northwest Sturgeon Adventures, and they were a solid outfit. They seemed to know what they were doing, and in lieu of the miserable cold, the boat had a zippered cover with a space heater inside. It wasn’t enough, but it was a nice touch that kept me from shivering away all of the calories I’d eaten that week.
The wind made bite monitoring very difficult, so the guy who drew the straw for the first bite failed a dozen or so times before finally giving up, retreating back to the warmth of the pseudo-tent and the welcomed heat of burning propane.
I was fourth in line out of four, but second and third were so cold, they deferred to me.
Living up to my namesake, I rebelled against my better judgement and accepted their invitation.
I was the only one brave (or dumb) enough to stand in the cold and wait for a bite.
It paid off.
At least, it would have if I had been able the difference between a subtle bite and wave action with hands numb to virtually all sensation.
I closed my eyes, braced my stomach against the rod holder and tried to “feel” the Force of the bite.
***
Following the instruction of the guides, I let three bites go undetected and didn’t even grab the rod out of the holder. On the fourth, I grabbed the rod, set the hook, and just missed.
Moments later, it was back, and this hookset connected.
The gear was very heavy, and the fish wasn’t huge, but I was ecstatic when the armor-plated monster broke the surface tension with its shark-like tail.
It was at least three feet long, and I was excited to see if it would a keeper or not.
We put the fish in a large net and took a tare weight so as not to stress the fish. The scale registered it around 15 pounds, and it taped to 40 inches.
I was stoked! It was a keeper!
Then the “fork length” nonsense came to mind, and I realized it was a few inches shy at the fork of the 40-inch slot length minimum.
Refusing to give in to the Dark Side, I prepared to let it go.
Dejected, I vowed to at least grab a picture. Expecting that it would be worth holding like a trout or the larger, more weathered sturgeon I’d caught at Willamette Falls, I grabbed it at the base of the tail and supported its weight with my other hand.
***
My hands were numb, so I didn’t realize the young dinosaur’s plates were slicing open my hand as I held it. After the photos and release, I realized my hand was soaked with blood.
In seconds, I’d learned to never hold young sturgeon that way again because their plates, called scutes, start out very sharp and only dull over time.
***
Since I wasn’t able to try a sturgeon I’d captured myself, I opted to go to a seafood restaurant in Portland that served sturgeon. The one I found, Jake’s Seafood, was okay. It wasn’t phenomenal, and I felt it was certainly overrated, but the sturgeon was pretty good even if the rest of the experience wasn’t top-notch. It reminded me of a drier, stringier halibut but was still delicious.
I’ve yet to catch a keeper since fishing a primarily catch-and-release fishery in the Willamette and mid-Columbia that is productive because of the “let ’em go to let ’em grow” policy enforced there.
Sturgeon have become one of my favorite targets, and nothing fights like a massive sturgeon — at least not in this galaxy.
#SpeciesQuest // #CaughtOvgard
Read the next entry in #SpeciesQuest here: Species #63 — Fathead Minnow.
Thanks for this excellent article. One more thing to mention is that nearly all digital cameras arrive equipped with some sort of zoom lens that allows more or less of your scene to generally be included by simply ‘zooming’ in and out. These types of changes in {focus|focusing|concentration|target|the a**** length will be reflected from the viewfinder and on large display screen at the back of the very camera.
The next time I read a blog, I hope that it doesnt disappoint me as much as this one. I imply, I know it was my choice to learn, but I really thought youd have something interesting to say. All I hear is a bunch of whining about something that you would fix for those who werent too busy looking for attention.
You actually make it seem so easy together with your presentation however I find this matter to be really one thing which I think I might never understand. It kind of feels too complicated and extremely huge for me. I am looking ahead for your subsequent submit, I will attempt to get the grasp of it!
I have seen plenty of useful things on your site about desktops. However, I have the judgment that netbooks are still not quite powerful enough to be a good choice if you usually do things that require a great deal of power, including video editing and enhancing. But for web surfing, word processing, and most other popular computer functions they are perfectly, provided you don’t mind your little friend screen size. Many thanks for sharing your notions.
Great ? I should definitely pronounce, impressed with your site. I had no trouble navigating through all the tabs as well as related info ended up being truly easy to do to access. I recently found what I hoped for before you know it in the least. Reasonably unusual. Is likely to appreciate it for those who add forums or something, site theme . a tones way for your customer to communicate. Excellent task..
Hey! I know this is kinda off topic but I was wondering if you knew where I could find a captcha plugin for my comment form? I’m using the same blog platform as yours and I’m having problems finding one? Thanks a lot!
Hey There. I discovered your weblog using msn. That is an extremely neatly written article. I?ll be sure to bookmark it and come back to learn extra of your useful information. Thanks for the post. I?ll certainly return.
I?ve recently started a web site, the information you provide on this web site has helped me greatly. Thank you for all of your time & work.
Just wish to say your article is as surprising. The clearness on your publish is just spectacular and that i could think you are a professional on this subject. Fine with your permission let me to snatch your RSS feed to keep up to date with approaching post. Thank you one million and please keep up the enjoyable work.
Thank you, I’ve recently been searching for info about this subject for ages and yours is the greatest I’ve came upon till now. However, what about the conclusion? Are you positive in regards to the supply?
Good day! This is kind of off topic but I need some advice from an established blog. Is it tough to set up your own blog? I’m not very techincal but I can figure things out pretty fast. I’m thinking about setting up my own but I’m not sure where to start. Do you have any points or suggestions? Thank you
Great article. It’s very unfortunate that over the last ten years, the travel industry has had to tackle terrorism, SARS, tsunamis, influenza, swine flu, and the first ever real global economic downturn. Through everything the industry has proven to be sturdy, resilient plus dynamic, acquiring new approaches to deal with trouble. There are continually fresh problems and the possiblility to which the business must just as before adapt and behave.
Thanks for the ideas you have provided here. Something important I would like to convey is that laptop or computer memory needs generally rise along with other advances in the technologies. For instance, any time new generations of processors are introduced to the market, there’s usually an equivalent increase in the shape demands of all personal computer memory along with hard drive space. This is because the application operated by these cpus will inevitably boost in power to benefit from the new technology.
Thank you for the good writeup. It in fact was a amusement account it. Look advanced to far added agreeable from you! However, how can we communicate?
Thanks for giving your ideas. One thing is that learners have a selection between fed student loan and also a private student loan where it’s easier to opt for student loan consolidation than in the federal student loan.
Hiya, I am really glad I have found this info. Nowadays bloggers publish just about gossips and net and this is actually annoying. A good blog with exciting content, that is what I need. Thanks for keeping this web site, I’ll be visiting it. Do you do newsletters? Can not find it.
you are really a good webmaster. The site loading speed is incredible. It seems that you are doing any unique trick. In addition, The contents are masterpiece. you have done a excellent job on this topic!
Hi! I’m at work browsing your blog from my new iphone! Just wanted to say I love reading your blog and look forward to all your posts! Keep up the superb work!
Also I believe that mesothelioma is a extraordinary form of melanoma that is normally found in these previously subjected to asbestos. Cancerous tissue form from the mesothelium, which is a defensive lining which covers most of the body’s body organs. These cells normally form in the lining on the lungs, abdominal area, or the sac which encircles one’s heart. Thanks for revealing your ideas.
Your web page does not show up properly on my iphone 4 – you might want to try and fix that
I simply couldn’t go away your web site before suggesting that I extremely enjoyed the standard information a person provide for your visitors? Is going to be back regularly in order to investigate cross-check new posts
Hello there! I could have sworn I’ve been to this site before but after browsing through some of the post I realized it’s new to me. Anyways, I’m definitely happy I found it and I’ll be book-marking and checking back often!
Terrific post however , I was wondering if you could write a litte more on this topic? I’d be very grateful if you could elaborate a little bit further. Thank you!
Oh my goodness! an amazing article dude. Thank you However I am experiencing difficulty with ur rss . Don?t know why Unable to subscribe to it. Is there anyone getting an identical rss downside? Anybody who is aware of kindly respond. Thnkx
That is the fitting weblog for anybody who needs to find out about this topic. You notice a lot its almost laborious to argue with you (not that I truly would want?HaHa). You positively put a new spin on a subject thats been written about for years. Great stuff, simply nice!
Appreciating the hard work you put into your website and detailed information you provide. It’s awesome to come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t the same unwanted rehashed information. Great read! I’ve saved your site and I’m including your RSS feeds to my Google account.
Hi there! I could have sworn I’ve been to this site before but after reading through some of the post I realized it’s new to me. Nonetheless, I’m definitely delighted I found it and I’ll be bookmarking and checking back frequently!
Howdy, i read your blog occasionally and i own a similar one and i was just curious if you get a lot of spam remarks? If so how do you stop it, any plugin or anything you can suggest? I get so much lately it’s driving me mad so any help is very much appreciated.
Thanks for the auspicious writeup. It in truth used to be a entertainment account it. Look advanced to far introduced agreeable from you! By the way, how could we keep up a correspondence?
Hello there! This is my first comment here so I just wanted to give a quick shout out and say I really enjoy reading your articles. Can you recommend any other blogs/websites/forums that cover the same topics? Thanks a lot!
Music started playing any time I opened up this site, so annoying!
Thanks for your marvelous posting! I really enjoyed reading it, you are a great author.I will remember to bookmark your blog and will eventually come back very soon. I want to encourage you to definitely continue your great job, have a nice afternoon!
Hey There. I found your blog using msn. This is a really well written article. I will make sure to bookmark it and come back to read more of your useful information. Thanks for the post. I will certainly comeback.
Thanks for the article. My partner and i have generally noticed that many people are eager to lose weight when they wish to look slim and attractive. Nonetheless, they do not generally realize that there are other benefits to losing weight additionally. Doctors insist that over weight people are afflicted by a variety of disorders that can be perfectely attributed to their excess weight. The good thing is that people who’re overweight and also suffering from several diseases are able to reduce the severity of their particular illnesses through losing weight. You are able to see a continuous but identifiable improvement with health when even a bit of a amount of fat loss is achieved.
There are some attention-grabbing cut-off dates on this article but I don?t know if I see all of them heart to heart. There’s some validity but I will take hold opinion until I look into it further. Good article , thanks and we want extra! Added to FeedBurner as properly
Hello, I think your blog might be having browser compatibility issues. When I look at your website in Opera, it looks fine but when opening in Internet Explorer, it has some overlapping. I just wanted to give you a quick heads up! Other then that, fantastic blog!
Excellent post however I was wondering if you could write a litte more on this topic? I’d be very thankful if you could elaborate a little bit further. Thank you!
magnificent put up, very informative. I ponder why the opposite experts of this sector don’t notice this. You must proceed your writing. I’m confident, you’ve a huge readers’ base already!
Definitely believe that which you stated. Your favorite justification seemed to be on the web the easiest thing to be aware of. I say to you, I certainly get annoyed while people consider worries that they just don’t know about. You managed to hit the nail upon the top as well as defined out the whole thing without having side-effects , people could take a signal. Will likely be back to get more. Thanks
Hmm it seems like your site ate my first comment (it was super long) so I guess I’ll just sum it up what I had written and say, I’m thoroughly enjoying your blog. I too am an aspiring blog blogger but I’m still new to the whole thing. Do you have any points for newbie blog writers? I’d definitely appreciate it.
Today, I went to the beachfront with my children. I found a sea shell and gave it to my 4 year old daughter and said “You can hear the ocean if you put this to your ear.” She put the shell to her ear and screamed. There was a hermit crab inside and it pinched her ear. She never wants to go back! LoL I know this is totally off topic but I had to tell someone!
Hey there, You’ve done a fantastic job. I will definitely digg it and personally recommend to my friends. I am confident they’ll be benefited from this site.
Thanks for the suggestions shared on the blog. Yet another thing I would like to talk about is that fat loss is not supposed to be about going on a dietary fads and trying to reduce as much weight as you’re able in a couple of days. The most effective way to shed weight is by consuming it slowly but surely and using some basic recommendations which can make it easier to make the most from your attempt to slim down. You may realize and be following most of these tips, but reinforcing understanding never affects.
My brother recommended I might like this web site. He was totally right. This post truly made my day. You can not imagine just how much time I had spent for this info! Thanks!
Your home is valueble for me. Thanks!?
Undeniably believe that which you stated. Your favourite reason seemed to be on the net the easiest thing to understand of. I say to you, I certainly get annoyed even as people consider issues that they just don’t recognise about. You managed to hit the nail upon the highest and also defined out the whole thing without having side-effects , other people could take a signal. Will probably be again to get more. Thank you
I have witnessed that service fees for online degree specialists tend to be an excellent value. Like a full College Degree in Communication from The University of Phoenix Online consists of Sixty credits with $515/credit or $30,900. Also American Intercontinental University Online gives a Bachelors of Business Administration with a whole course element of 180 units and a tuition fee of $30,560. Online learning has made taking your education been so cool because you may earn your current degree from the comfort of your abode and when you finish working. Thanks for all other tips I have certainly learned from your web-site.
I loved as much as you’ll receive carried out right here. The sketch is attractive, your authored material stylish. nonetheless, you command get bought an nervousness over that you wish be delivering the following. unwell unquestionably come more formerly again as exactly the same nearly very often inside case you shield this increase.
Just want to say your article is as astounding. The clarity in your post is just great and that i could suppose you’re knowledgeable in this subject. Well with your permission allow me to seize your feed to stay updated with forthcoming post. Thanks a million and please keep up the rewarding work.
I have realized some important matters through your blog post. One other thing I would like to state is that there are lots of games available and which are designed mainly for toddler age youngsters. They consist of pattern acceptance, colors, wildlife, and forms. These usually focus on familiarization instead of memorization. This keeps children and kids occupied without having the experience like they are learning. Thanks
I have observed that of all sorts of insurance, medical care insurance is the most controversial because of the conflict between the insurance plan company’s need to remain adrift and the client’s need to have insurance cover. Insurance companies’ commissions on wellness plans are certainly low, thus some companies struggle to gain profits. Thanks for the tips you reveal through this web site.
I’ve learned new things out of your blog post. One other thing to I have observed is that in many instances, FSBO sellers will certainly reject a person. Remember, they can prefer not to ever use your providers. But if you maintain a stable, professional partnership, offering guide and keeping contact for about four to five weeks, you will usually manage to win a business interview. From there, a house listing follows. Thanks
Today, I went to the beachfront with my children. I found a sea shell and gave it to my 4 year old daughter and said “You can hear the ocean if you put this to your ear.” She placed the shell to her ear and screamed. There was a hermit crab inside and it pinched her ear. She never wants to go back! LoL I know this is totally off topic but I had to tell someone!
That is very attention-grabbing, You are an overly skilled blogger. I have joined your rss feed and look ahead to in search of more of your magnificent post. Additionally, I have shared your site in my social networks!
Great post. I was checking continuously this blog and I am impressed! Very useful information particularly the last part 🙂 I care for such info a lot. I was seeking this particular info for a long time. Thank you and best of luck.
Thanks for the concepts you reveal through this web site. In addition, many young women exactly who become pregnant never even aim to get health insurance because they worry they won’t qualify. Although a few states at this moment require that insurers present coverage no matter what about the pre-existing conditions. Rates on these kind of guaranteed programs are usually bigger, but when considering the high cost of medical care bills it may be some sort of a safer route to take to protect a person’s financial future.
Hi there, just became aware of your blog through Google, and found that it’s really informative. I am gonna watch out for brussels. I?ll be grateful if you continue this in future. Numerous people will be benefited from your writing. Cheers!
It is my belief that mesothelioma is usually the most dangerous cancer. It has unusual traits. The more I really look at it the greater I am confident it does not respond like a true solid flesh cancer. In case mesothelioma is really a rogue viral infection, in that case there is the possibility of developing a vaccine plus offering vaccination to asbestos open people who are vulnerable to high risk connected with developing potential asbestos connected malignancies. Thanks for expressing your ideas on this important ailment.
Music started playing when I opened this website, so annoying!
Wonderful website. Lots of helpful information here. I?m sending it to a few buddies ans also sharing in delicious. And certainly, thanks to your sweat!
I have acquired some new items from your web-site about computer systems. Another thing I have always considered is that computers have become an item that each family must have for a lot of reasons. They supply you with convenient ways to organize the home, pay bills, go shopping, study, hear music and in some cases watch television shows. An innovative way to complete all of these tasks is with a notebook computer. These pc’s are mobile ones, small, strong and convenient.
I have seen that wise real estate agents everywhere you go are starting to warm up to FSBO ***********. They are recognizing that it’s not just placing a poster in the front property. It’s really in relation to building human relationships with these suppliers who later will become purchasers. So, if you give your time and effort to aiding these suppliers go it alone – the “Law regarding Reciprocity” kicks in. Good blog post.
A lot of what you state happens to be astonishingly legitimate and it makes me ponder why I hadn’t looked at this with this light previously. This particular article really did turn the light on for me as far as this particular subject matter goes. Nevertheless at this time there is just one point I am not really too cozy with so while I make an effort to reconcile that with the central theme of your issue, allow me see exactly what all the rest of the subscribers have to point out.Well done.
Good day! I simply would like to give an enormous thumbs up for the good data you could have right here on this post. I will be coming again to your blog for more soon.
Incredible! This blog looks just like my old one! It’s on a completely different subject but it has pretty much the same page layout and design. Outstanding choice of colors!
Its such as you read my thoughts! You appear to understand a lot about this, like you wrote the book in it or something. I believe that you can do with some percent to drive the message home a little bit, but instead of that, this is magnificent blog. A great read. I’ll definitely be back.
Thanks for the concepts you have shared here. Additionally, I believe there are some factors which keep your auto insurance premium straight down. One is, to take into consideration buying cars and trucks that are inside good set of car insurance organizations. Cars that are expensive tend to be at risk of being robbed. Aside from that insurance is also based on the value of your truck, so the more costly it is, then the higher this premium you pay.
I?ve recently started a blog, the info you offer on this site has helped me tremendously. Thanks for all of your time & work.
Fantastic beat ! I would like to apprentice while you amend your web site, how could i subscribe for a blog web site? The account aided me a acceptable deal. I had been a little bit acquainted of this your broadcast offered bright clear idea
Thanks for your article. It is very unfortunate that over the last 10 years, the travel industry has had to deal with terrorism, SARS, tsunamis, influenza, swine flu, plus the first ever real global economic collapse. Through everthing the industry has proven to be robust, resilient plus dynamic, locating new methods to deal with difficulty. There are always fresh difficulties and opportunity to which the market must once more adapt and react.
Thanks for your tips about this blog. One thing I would want to say is that purchasing electronic products items from the Internet is nothing new. The truth is, in the past decade alone, the marketplace for online electronic devices has grown drastically. Today, you will find practically virtually any electronic system and tools on the Internet, ranging from cameras in addition to camcorders to computer components and video games consoles.
Thanks for your interesting article. One other problem is that mesothelioma cancer is generally due to the inhalation of dust from mesothelioma, which is a dangerous material. It truly is commonly witnessed among individuals in the construction industry who have long contact with asbestos. It is caused by moving into asbestos insulated buildings for years of time, Your age plays a crucial role, and some folks are more vulnerable towards the risk as compared with others.