Sturgeon Fishing In The Pacific Northwest

Sturgeon fishing in the Pacific northwest is World Class. Washington, Idaho and Oregon in the Pacific Northwest has the best sturgeon fishing in the world! Columbia River fishing offers us 2 excellent locations for our catch and keep for sturgeon. The McNary Dam marks the upper section of the Lake Umatilla Pool near the town of Hermiston Oregon. We can access any of the fishing ramps at Umatilla Marina, Irrigon, Patterson, Boardman, Crowe Butte, down to the John Day River. This section of the Columbia River is referred to as the John Day Pool. The Hanford Reach above the Tri-Cities area and down river through the Wallula – Gap also has spectacular sturgeon fishing.

Keeper Sturgeon Kettle Falls

Our other Columbia River catch and keep sturgeon trips are in Northern Washington on Lake Roosevelt. Kettle Falls is a cool little fishing town, surrounded by lots of trees and wildlife that is not too far from the Canadian border. Our catch and release sturgeon trips on the Snake River/Hells Canyon area is a bucket list fishery. This gate way into the Hells Canyon hosts some of the world’s largest sturgeon along with breath taking views. Mule deer, whitetail deer, elk, big horn sheep, and eagles are just a few of the critters roam the canyon. Lewiston/Clarkston offers lodging options that are fairly close to Hellar Bar boat ramp.

Largest Freshwater Fish in North America

White sturgeon happen to be the world’s largest freshwater fish in North America that can grow to 15 feet and weigh over 500 pounds. There’s no mistaking a sturgeon as the primitive fish has large bony plates, a long flat snout, and a deep-forked tail. The White Sturgeon is considered a prehistoric fish and may live well over 100 years which doesn’t mature until they are 25 years old. These monsters are bottom feeders and have 4 barbels near their snouts used for both feel and smell. This is a super addicting fish to catch and there’s no shortage of acrobatic display and fight from these river monsters. Sturgeon fishing is for everyone and it makes for an amazing family vacation. When you’re not fighting a fish, the scenery is beautiful and there’s plenty of wildlife.

Experience

Steelhead

Wrangle

Salmon

Fish Some

Walleye

Catch Some

Bass

Sturgeon fish on the

Columbia River – McNary & John Day Pool

Columbia River Sturgeon Trips

The Columbia River Umatilla Pool/John Day Pool below McNary Dam is our keeper sturgeon section which has a retention slot of 43’ to 54’ inches. This Columbia River section opens January 1st and typically remains open through the end of March or until the state’s quota has been met. Most of our Columbia River sturgeon fishing operates in the section of river, just below the McNary Dam.

McNary Pool-Wallula Gap-John Day Pool

There are times when water flow and weather forces us to move down river to the John Day Pool or up above the dam in the Wallula Gap/Tri Cities section of the river. Sturgeon fishing on the Columbia is truly spectacular and has one of the largest sturgeon populations in the world. There are days that we hook into 30 sturgeon with some lucky angler landing a 10 – foot river monster. This is a super popular fishery and attracts anglers from all over the world.

Battle With “Shakers & Peelers”

These amazing fish can take up to 2 hours to land and have enough fight for the entire group. We like to divide our sturgeon into 3 classes, so we can provide our anglers with the best possible fishing experience. Sturgeon that are referred to as “Shakers” are fish under the legal size, “Keepers” are fish within the legal – size requirement and oversize sturgeon are called “Peelers” which is self – explanatory, hold on and brace yourself! Our guides fish for sturgeon year around and know where to find each class of fish. Sturgeon fishing isn’t the only game in town on this fishery, the walleye and bass fishing is excellent. In our opinion, the Columbia River is one of the greatest sportfishing rivers in the world!

Destination Sturgeon Fishing

Lodging is available in the town of Hermiston Oregon or Tri Cities area. Folks that are flying into fish with us, Pasco Washington has a local airport that hubs Alaska and Delta Airlines.

Sturgeon fish on the

Lake Roosevelt

Fish Kettle Falls Sturgeon

Stott’s Fishing Adventures added Lake Roosevelt/Columbia River sturgeon trips to their lineup in 2017. Washington opened a harvest sturgeon fishery in the Lake Roosevelt area for the first time in more than 20 years. White Sturgeon hatchery programs started in the early 2000’s in British Columbia and Washington State. Stocking ranged from 2,000 to 12,000 juvenile sturgeon per year and has since thrived to becoming one of the greatest native sport-fish in Washington. We do our sturgeon trips out of the Kettle Falls area. The cool little fishing town is extreme Eastern Washington and North towards the Canadian border. Kettle Falls lies in a bed of trees and is surrounded by plentiful wildlife and a beautiful section of the Upper Columbia River. This trip is great for those wanting to take home some great eating sturgeon.

Fishing Sturgeon With Herring & Squid

The daily limit is one sturgeon and the annual limit is 2. Anglers can continue to catch and release fish after reaching the daily or annual limit. Keeper sturgeon can be retained in the slot between 53 and 63 inches, measuring from the tip of the snout to the middle fork of the tail. We mostly launch from the Kettle Falls Marina and fish south to the Colville River. The Colville Flats sand bars are super productive as well the Ricky Point and Bradberry Beach areas. We also fish up North past the U.S 395 bridge towards the Kettle River. The Sturgeon here can’t resist our pickled herring and squid baits. We catch tons of shakers and legal sized fish along with an occasional over sized sturgeon.

Family Vacation Combination Trip

The Lake Roosevelt section we fish is also a very popular walleye fishery and can easily be combined to your sturgeon trip. The fishing here is really special and this adventure is excellent for all ages. There’s some great camping options and hotel choices in Kettle Falls. We typically the fish Lake Roosevelt in Summer months so call for more information as season dates, times, slot limits, daily limits and annual limits may be adjusted to ensure that a sustainable population of sturgeon is maintained in Lake Roosevelt.

Sturgeon fish on the

Snake River – Hells Canyon

Snake River – Hells Canyon Sturgeon Fishing

The Snake River in Hells Canyon is a sport fishing paradise and host some of the world largest sturgeon. Hells Canyon is one of the deepest gorges in North America and Hellar Bar is the gate way into the beautiful canyon. These sturgeon really are a special fish that have learned to adapt being landlocked. Prior to the dams being built, the Snake River Sturgeon would migrate back and forth to the Pacific Ocean to feed and spawn. Sturgeon in the canyon have prospered and offer our guides excellent opportunities for catching some trophy fish. This popular fishery has breathtaking views of rock shelves that climb 9000 feet and home to abundant wildlife.

Spectacular Wildlife Views

Mule deer, whitetail, elk, big horn sheep, turkey’s, eagles and osprey are just a few to name. Sturgeon fishermen that have come to the canyon know that there other fishing options to combine with their sturgeon trip. The smallmouth bass fishing is terrific and offer our anglers opportunity at catching 100 bass in a day. Depending on the time of year, steelhead and salmon can be running and not far from our sturgeon holes. Summer sturgeon fishing can be warm and swimming with your sturgeon is cool.

Year-Round Trophy Fishing

The Hells Canyon sturgeon fishing is catch and release only. If you’re wanting to take some fish back with you, we’ll be happy to combine one of the other species to your trip. Hells Canyon is a very challenging river for the less, experienced boater so we recommend using a guide. Our fishing guides make their home in the valley, and very familiar with the fluctuating water flows that effect catching. We sturgeon fish on the Snake year around but there are times in the dead of the summer that we choose to give the fish a break. There are plenty of lodging options in the Lewiston/Clarkston Valley that will be 30 minutes down river from the boat launch. Lewiston has a small airport that hubs both Alaska and Delta airlines.

Long Battles With Sturgeon

Excellent World Class Sport Fishing

Sturgeon fishing isn’t the only game in town on this fishery, the walleye and bass fishing is excellent. In our opinion, the Columbia River is one of the greatest sportfishing rivers in the world! Lodging is available in the town of Hermiston Oregon or Tri Cities area. Folks that are flying into fish with us, Pasco Washington has a local airport that hubs Alaska and Delta Airlines.