Preview of Jan/Feb Issue Feature “Pursuing Sturgeon”

Our journey began on a clear morning at first light on Island 22 in Chilliwack. The Island 22 recreational area has a large sandbar with ample parking and is ideal for boats to be launched into the Fraser River…we hopped in the aluminum jet boat and headed down river to find some slack water to catch our bait for the day…(continued in the Jan/Feb issue of BC Outdoors)

Finding a sturgeon in such a vast quantity of fast moving water is not done by chance. It is actually a combination of a guide’s experience and modern-day technology…As for the experience part of the equation, anglers that frequent the Fraser know the holding areas and preferred flow of water for sturgeon; using a guide definitely increases your odds of getting onto the fish…(continued in the Jan/Feb issue of BC Outdoors)

To our utter amazement the first strike was less than 15-minutes after the lines hit the water…I still remember the look on Peter’s face when he caught his first glimpse of the large white sturgeon. I would never tell him this but it actually looked like he was a little scared of the sturgeon….Peter thought he had caught a monster until Rob called it “a nice little fish.” I guess as fly fishermen we are accustomed to measuring fish in inches, not feet…(continued in the Jan/Feb issue of BC Outdoors)

Rob instructed us wait until the rod tip bows over before stetting the hook. It did and Norm set the hook. Within seconds a dinosaur took to the air while we watched, amazing that a fish of such size and weight could propel itself completely out of the water like that..(continued in the Jan/Feb issue of BC Outdoors)

With a guide and jet boat the Fraser River is a must see for every BC resident or visitor. The success of most fishing trips is based on how many fish are landed, but for us the trip was a total success simply because we were able to get away from the city with good company for a day. Next time you are looking for a totally unique experience, keep a trip on the Fraser River in mind.