Good news on the broken handle issue on the Trident 15: I emailed Ocean Kayak about the failures and they have a new set of handles on my way. According to the person that responded to my message, these handles are made from a stronger, more durable nylon. We’ll have to see how things go.
Fishing has been fairly slow. Unfortunately rains tend to come in the days before I have time to get on the water. This swells the rivers and makes them rather muddy. Spring Chinook (King) Salmon are making their initial runs up the rivers, and I’m itching to get on a few of my own this year. Last year, every springer I had on the hook was a native (wild spawn) fish, and had to be immediately released. The season will last for about 8 more weeks.
I did find myself on a fish the other week though. I was invited by another local kayak angler to do a little bass fishing while he was test, um, peddling in a Hobie Outback. We had just a couple hours on the water, but I picked up the first and only fish of the day early on. It was a 16.75″ Small Mouth Bass which hit on a blue/chrome lipless crankbait.
And there was a little bit of live video to go with it. Here’s the recording:
by the way: you can be alerted immediately when I’m broadcasting live video from the kayak by following me on twitter or facebook.
We’re just 20 days from the Georgia Kayak Tournament event at Lake Harding. I’ll be on the lake the day before doing my pre-fishing and hopefully hooking up with some of the first striped bass of my life. I’m looking forward to the event, and have been gearing up as much as my meager budget allows. We’ll be camping on Lake Harding, and I’ll be fishing from an Ocean Kayak Trident 11. This will allow me to keep using my custom rodpod lid, but I think I should get my own T11 on the water for the first time to get used to the differences it has with my usual T15.
The sturgeon season for 2010 has been announced and it was a grim as I expected it to be. I’ll only be fishing for them a few more times this year.
I’m starting a new job in two weeks. Actually, its the same job I’ve had for most of the last year, but just at a new location (same company), with a new title, and a bit of a pay bump. It does change my days off, and I’ll now be working every day of sturgeon retention.
That’s all for now, see you next time I’m on the water
2 responses so far ↓
1 Rob // Feb 21, 2010 at 2:37 am
What’s the story with the Sturgeon season?. Do they only allocate a short period each year?. I thought that the Sturgeon stocks were good?, do they fish for them commerically in the rivers?.
2 The Nothing // Feb 21, 2010 at 7:31 am
The White Sturgeon populations in the Columbia River are not doing so well. Numbers throughout the system are dropping. From what I understand, numbers above the Bonneville Dam (several dams up river create several pools) are doing fairly well, with large numbers of undersized juveniles which will give up great numbers as they get bigger. However, below Bonneville Dam, the anadromous fish are struggling. Most of the decline is unknown, but it is well known that Sea Lions are taking a large toll.
Commercial fishing is only allocated a few hundred fish. They have also only been allowed 8 commercial fishing days this year, which finished up this last week. I’m not sure what their actual take was, but I know their efforts were not well rewarded.
In years past, anglers have had a quota of about 40,000 fish. It’s been a few years since anglers have caught that many fish, and now biologists are saying that there are not enough sturgeon. This year that number has been dropped to 19,200 fish – about 1,000 fish fewer than anglers took last year.
The regulations can be confusing, so I’ll post them here. Not all that important for you, but gives you an idea of what anglers have to work with:
Columbia River from Buoy 10 (mouth) to Wauna power lines (River Mile 40)
Retention of white sturgeon is allowed seven days a week Jan. 1 – April 30, with a daily bag limit of one fish with a fork length of between 38 and 54 inches. This area is closed to retention of white sturgeon May 1-May 21. The season reopens seven days a week from May 22 through June 26, or until the harvest guideline is achieved, with a daily bag limit of one fish with a fork length of 41 to 54 inches.
Columbia River from Wauna power lines upstream to Bonneville Dam (including all adjacent Washington tributaries)
Retention of white sturgeon is allowed three days a week on Thursday, Friday and Saturday Jan. 1 – July 31 and Oct. 1 – Dec. 31, or until the harvest guideline is achieved. Daily bag limit is one white sturgeon with a fork length of 38 to 54 inches. Angling for sturgeon is prohibited from the upstream end of Skamania Island at River Marker #82 upstream to Bonneville Dam May 1 – Aug. 31.
Columbia River from Bonneville Dam to The Dalles Dam
This area is expected to reach the harvest guideline of 1,400 fish on Feb. 20, 2010 and will close to retention of white sturgeon effective 12:01 a.m. Feb. 21. Catch-and-release sturgeon angling will remain open.
Now closed as of last night
Columbia River from The Dalles Dam to John Day Dam
This area is open to retention of white sturgeon seven days a week under permanent rules from Jan. 1 until the annual harvest guideline of 300 fish is met. The legal size limit for retention in this area is 43-54 inches fork length.
Columbia River from John Day Dam to McNary Dam
This area is expected to reach the harvest guideline of 165 fish Feb. 28, 2010 and will close to retention of white sturgeon effective 12:01 a.m. March 1. Catch-and-release sturgeon angling will remain open.
Willamette River downstream of Willamette Falls including the Multnomah Channel
Retention of white sturgeon is allowed three days a week on Thursday, Friday and Saturday Jan. 1 – March 31 and Nov. 1 – Dec. 31. Daily bag limit is one white sturgeon with a fork length of 38 to 54 inches. On the Willamette, angling for sturgeon is prohibited from the I-205 Bridge upstream to Willamette Falls May 1 – Aug. 31.
How to they estimate how many were caught? They do fly-overs to count the number of boats on the water. Those at anchor are likely sturgeon fishing. Fish and Wildlife officers will talk to anglers as they leave the water to see how what they caught, or didn’t. Anglers also have to report their catch annually, with general location info. All these things add up to a decent estimation of the angling take.
Confused enough?
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