Where can I fish sturgeon in the Rainy River?

Where can I fish sturgeon in the Rainy River?

Where to fish for sturgeon. Although sturgeon do roam the vast waters of Lake of the Woods and are often caught by unsuspecting walleye anglers, the best stretch of water to fish for sturgeon is at the mouth of the Rainy River called Four Mile Bay all the way up river to the falls near Birchdale.

Are there sturgeon in Rainy Lake?

Rainy Lake contains a native population of lake sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens that has been largely unstudied. Few lake sturgeon older than age 50 years were captured, and maximum age of sampled fish was 59 years.

Where are sturgeon most commonly found?

Sturgeons are found in greatest abundance in the rivers of southern Russia and Ukraine and in the fresh waters of North America. In early summer they migrate from the sea into rivers or toward the shores of freshwater lakes to breed. The eggs, or roe, are small, sticky, and numerous.

What size sturgeon can you keep on the Rainy River?

The best leader length can vary, but usually around 18” is a good starting point. If the current is really ripping – or the fish are hugging tight to bottom – try chopping your leader down to 6-10″ to keep your offering closer to bottom.

Can you eat sturgeon in MN?

Currently Lake Sturgeon are listed as a Species of Special Concern in Minnesota and have strict regulations for harvest.

Where are sturgeons MN?

Sturgeon is located 20 miles north of Chisholm. Sturgeon is located near the Sturgeon River State Forest and the Superior National Forest in Saint Louis County….Sturgeon, Minnesota.

Sturgeon
Elevation 1,302 ft (397 m)
Population
• Total 30
Time zone UTC-6 (Central (CST))

What is sturgeon favorite food?

Sturgeon primarily eat aquatic macroinvertebrates, freshwater mussels, snails, crustaceans, and small fish.

How old is a 5 foot sturgeon?

A 3 foot sturgeon is 8 years old; a 4 foot sturgeon is 12 years old; a 5 foot sturgeon is 17 years old and 6 foot sturgeon is 23 years old. Historically the size of white sturgeon exceeded the spectacular reaching 20 feet in length weighing more than 1500 pounds and living longer than 100 years of age.

How often do sturgeon lay eggs?

Atlantic sturgeon spawning intervals range from 1 to 5 years for males and 2 to 5 years for females, with males returning almost every year and females usually returning every other year or every third year. Female egg production correlates with age and body size, and ranges from 400,000 to 2 million eggs.

What lakes in MN have sturgeon?

They are present in limited numbers in the lower Mississippi, St. Croix, Minnesota, Red, and Rainy rivers. They also inhabit Lake Superior, Lake of the Woods, and some lakes in the Boundary Water Canoe area. In rivers, lake sturgeons tend to live in the deepest parts of the channels or in deep pools.

What happened to the sturgeon fishery?

As the sturgeon population declined, the commercial fishery essentially ceased to exist. Despite the reduced harvest, the sturgeon population was unable to rebound due to water pollution in the Rainy River, the primary spawning area.

How many sturgeon are there in Lake of the woods?

To monitor how the population is recovering, estimates for the number of sturgeon longer than 40 inches in the Lake of the Woods – Rainy River system were made in 1990 and again in 2004. During this period, the sturgeon population grew from about 16,000 individuals to about 60,000 individuals.

Is the sturgeon population recovering?

Information collected during previous surveys showed that the sturgeon population achieved the “short-range” recovery goals, which were established in 2003, and the population is now being managed to achieve the “long-range” goals.

How many sturgeon are there in Minnesota?

During this period, the sturgeon population grew from about 16,000 individuals to about 60,000 individuals. This year, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and the Rainy River First Nation are co-operating on another sturgeon population estimate.