Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Canada Sturgeon on the Fraser

My wife and I are going hop over to BC from our place in north Idaho to fish these for three days. Has anyone here done this? Good trip?

Ed, I lived in BC add fished the Fraser. But only for salmon. It was a great time.

I’ve seen those monster sturgeon on you-tube videos. Good luck!

We have lake sturgeon locally but they don’t get as big as the Frazier river ones. I’ve seen them in local Indian nets up to about 50lbs and have caught several fishing for walleye. The ones I landed where all under 10 lbs. Released immediately.
I helped a buddy of mine land one on a local river that wieghed around 35 lbs—we both got wet.

When I lived in Quesnel BC, they had a small museum that showed them using draft horses to pull them out of the river

Fished for them two times, biggest was a six footer.
Awesome experience.

Great. Looking forward to the trip in July.

Fished for them many times on the Columbia and the Snake. Really enjoyable fishing. Spectacular if you are lucky enough to hook up with an oversize.

My first sturgeon over six feet was one of the most memorable moments of my sporting career. I have since brought sturgeon as big as ten feet to the side of the boat.

Have friends and family the swear the Fraser is the best overall experience for western river fishing and the best sturgeon fishery in NA.

Best of luck!

You are in for fun fishing and great country. I live a couple of miles from the Fraser. I keep intending to fish them but have too many other pursuits. I fished the Columbia River years ago and caught some, have seen sturgeon caught here, and FWIW here are a couple of local Fraser anecdotes that may whet.

1. While fishing for salmon at a wide rushing gravel bar 2 feet deep, I saw a big spray of water shooting up as if the swift water was bashing over a boulder. But the splashing moved upriver! It looked like a mini-submarine was cruising upriver. A long time Fraser river guide was fishing near me and said, “Sturgeon.”

2. Fly fishing for pink salmon in medium sluggish current I waded out on a gravel bar and noticed a big swirling eddy that had not been there the day before. It was 40 feet in front of me in water four feet deep. I figured that the river level had dropped and revealed a sunken snag or boulder. It did not move for 20 minutes as I caught and released fish. Then it moved toward mid river and disappeared. How big a stationary fish does it take to make a long and broad surface swirl in slow current four feet deep?

Duft Bake House on Montrose Street in downtown Abbotsford for killer cinnamon rolls and superb ham and cheese croissants.

I'm lucky to live on the Fraser in sturgeon country its one of the best success stories going how these guys were hanging on by a thread numbers wise 40 years ago. Hatchery work and a complete fishery shut down was the trick there's now a vibrant population and an equally vibrant C and R fishery. I've watched guide boats beach and land fish several times right at our place the biggest 10 feet anyway. I've probably seen 20 roll or half jump in the short time we've been here. There's lots of sturgeon around. Bring your sun screen and a rain coat, enjoy

I help organize a fundraiser for wild sheep conservation called the Jurassic Classic on the Fraser every year in Aug. Watching those boats come back to the shores every day and the stories and pics of giant fish is pretty amazing experience!!!

Its just a beautiful river to spend some time on and the fish are truly awesome. Hope you have a great time!!

I do appreciate the replies gentlemen. We can’t wait.

Fished for sturgeon on the Lower Fraser a few times, when the conditions are right and you're dialed in it's amazing. Caught a 7 1/2 footer myself during a derby and thought I'd have the win, right up until my buddy in the same boat caught an 8 1/2 footer, he got the win and I got 2nd, a pretty good day of fishing.