Sturgeon opens in Quebec zone 10 today

[almontefisher]

Here is some info I found..not much but a bit!

Accurate age determination is difficult in long-lived species like sturgeons. Maximum female age is estimated to be 96 years and for males 55 years. There is a report of one fish aged at 154 years from Lake of the Woods. Growth is slower in the north than the south and fish are older. Maturity has been estimated at 8-20 years for males and 14-33 for females, varying with locality. St. Lawrence River female sturgeon reach sexual maturity at an estimated 27 years and 1.33 m and the mean interval between spawnings is 9.4-9.7 years, higher than reports for other populations.

Ottawa River fish mature at 19-20 years and 30 inches (76.2 cm) for males and 26 years and 33 inches (83.8 cm) for females with few males exceeding 45-50 years and females living longer (Harkness and Dymond, 1961). In the Hull-Carillon section of the Ottawa River, 94% of the sturgeon caught in a 1988 study were less than 27 years old (the mean age of first maturity of females) and the species here is not very abundant nor as old, long or heavy as compared to those in the St. Lawrence River (Fournier, 1988; Fortin et al., 1992). Haxton (2002) sampled sturgeons in the Ottawa River over a 5-year period (1997-2001). Three of his areas fall within the NCR - Lac des Chats (above the Chats Falls Dam, mostly upriver of the NCR, sampled 1998), Lac Deschênes (Chats Falls Dam to Chaudière Falls, wholly within the NCR, sampled in 2000) and Lac Dollard des Ormeaux (below the Chaudière Falls to the Carillon Dam, much of it within the NCR, sampled in 2001). Eleven sturgeon were taken in Lac des Chats, none in Lac Deschênes, and 42 in Lac Dollard des Ormeaux. Sturgeon were more abundant in some sections higher up the Ottawa River outside the NCR. The mean total length for Lac des Chats sturgeon was 109.9 cm and mean weight was 8450 g. The mean total length for Lac Dollard des Ormeaux sturgeon was 78.7 cm and mean weight was 2039 g. The latter population showed some signs of recruitment despite being downriver of the NCR. The sex ratio is about 1:1 at birth but by age 40 years it is 6:1 in favour of females. Garvey (2001) found only 8 sturgeon in the disturbed Lac Deschenes over 298.21 hours of fishing compared to 117 fish over 152 hours in the undisturbed Lower Allumette, upriver. Mean total length for Lac Deschenes fish was 121 cm and mean weight was 10.39 kg.

A comparison of the spawning population below the Chats Generating Station was made for sample years 2001-2004 and the study of Dubreuil and Cuerrier (1950) for 1949 fish by Haxton (2006). The spawning stock in 2003 was estimated to be 202 fish, mean size was greater (118.0 cm total length for 2001-2004 compared to 101.7 cm in 1949), weight-length relationships did not vary between studies, and fish less than 110 cm total length comprised only 31.1% of the sample compared to a majority of 69.9% in 1949. This latter observation suggest the population is suffering a recruitment problem. Recruitment did occur because fish were aged at 13 to 46 years, and therefore were not relicts of the pre-1949 population. Ages in the 1949 survey were 15-62 years. Interestingly only males were found in spawning condition, suggesting spawning females could be rare in this section (Lac Deschênes) of the Ottawa River enclosed by dams at Chats and Ottawa.

Haxton (2008) summarises knowledge of sturgeon in the Ottawa River and found the greatest abundance in unimpounded river reaches, a condition found outside the NCR. The von Bertalanffy growth equation for Ottawa River fish was Lt = 133.7(1-exp-0.058(t-(-3))) and condition was described by w = 5.6 x 10-4l3.50. Length and age at 50% maturity was 106.7 cm and 20.4 years fro males and 112.2 cm and 25.4 years for females Fecundity was estimated at 12,170 eggs/kg. Annual mortality was estimated at 15%.

[Bass Addict]

.. , but when you understand their motivations, it sort of puts it all into a different context.

Craig

Having said that ,,,,,then everybody should have let Guiness Guy go out and enjoy a Sturgeon Feast.....with out crying ....for crying out loud !!!!

[lifeisfun]

I have also noticed/caught more sturgeon in the Ottawa than ever before in the last few years and have fished it for over 30 yrs.
There is some serious blind tree hugging going on here though by people who obviously have no clue what they are talking about and no evidence or surveys to back themselves up.
I think this site should kick out posters that hassle other anglers for lawful activities period.
Life is no fun!.....Eli!.........are you guys fisheries technoligists? Biologists?
How do you think you know more than those people?
Life is no fun posted a musky once that he thought was a pike....................seriously!

What size of fish you catch in such abounded quantities ?

Considering I'm European and there is no musky in Europe
I find nothing unusual about not being unfamiliar with specie that is similar to pike.
However know it all like you could have difficulty to believe this

[joco]

few years back mabe 6-7 i did my little study on those sturgeons talk to colin langford frome the mnr the guy that did a lot off study on those sturgeons around ehere a lot off neting and a got a load off books on the sturgeons info neting in the stlawrence to. the few weight info i got fromt those were.

biggest record fromt the ottawa river was one off 81 kg caught near montebelo in 1931,

i got neting info to..but i wont say those numbers because it those say where was the most caught wich is not a good place to say where there is a lot off them here.to mutch lurkers. gotchaaaa ex some example they caught or should i say net more then 175 sturgeons in one area off the o.r and other sector 8 major deference.

i gues that is why those guys fish those area for commercial to...i still can beleive there allowed to catch some they should be a petition against them now.

one other guy to talk to for sturgeons is mr hexton fromt the mnr..



one good article bout sturgeons fishing is right now in the little magasine vie de chalet..its a little magasine you can get free in store in the quebec side..right now...and its in that edition that you will read that sturgeons fishing stories. page 47 about a guy in aylmer that use to catch big sturgeons there is a pict off one caught a 185 pound sturgeosn caughtin 1959..... great stroy off that familly that use to fish for them comercilay in those years.

i dont no if its that heavy but it sher is a huge fish. on that picts.

i have no prob at all to beleive 100 pound sturgeons are here right now still. i got to many stories frome are worker here we have at the dam...we have divers that look at the dams wall and they see fish in those dive that scare them all the time...and this is no fishing stories...the fish are just there in the bottom waiting and wen the diver get to close they move..that is wen they..... ..fish in the 6 feet long ..i saw them myself...in the past. its the same thing at the little power dam out ouest frome here wont say where..they spawn right there and a few time i was there i could have caught them by hand no prob and big ones to...they spawn in that very shalow water in that little river.cool to see.

ho well..its a great fish that need are help.

joco

[Gregger]

Hey GG,

Have a great time fishing for them.

I have caught a bunch from the Niagara river... they are a great fight, and many a fantastic memory.

GG, you want to go for a boat ride, PM me, I've always got a spot for a day of discussing odd topics.

G

[TLunge]

Allright lifeisnofun, you must be an expert, you dont know the difference between a pike and a musky but you seem very confident so its all good. The fisheries biologists and technologists....what do they know? LOL!

[GuinnessGuy]

No offence but I hope you don't catch one.

Really? You've been a member of the forum for 11 days, and you're hoping I have a bad sturgeon season? Not very nice of you.

I also echo what Cprince (Craig) said. I like the debate aspect of this thread. It's not why I started it, but I like that it's mostly clean.

No one will change my mind about harvesting ONE sturgeon to taste it. My reasoning is the following:

-Growing up, I was always told that bass wasn't good to eat. Tried it, and loved it. Now, I keep the odd 2-3lb bass for table fare. Never a limit, just the odd one to eat.
-Growing up, I was always told that fish in the Ottawa are WAR TOO POLLUTED to eat, especially the bottom feeders such as cats. Well, this spring, I caught a handful of mudpout from Petrie and guess what? They taste just like any other mudpout (Gasp!) I hope to try bass, pike and walleye from the Ottawa too.

If I don't try it, how will I know if it's good or not? A limit of sturgeon in Zone 10 is only ONE fish. If I can harvest a 5-to-10 lbs fish, that will take me a while to consume (and I won't waste it if it's not to my liking on the first try. I'll stick it in soup, or broth, or something so that it's palatable).

I like to fish because it's fun, because it's part of my heritage, and because it's one way I can feed myself and my family. ... And I play by the rules/regs.

Tight lines everyone! I head out tomorrow.

GG

[fatluke]

Caviar anyone?

[brufan]

The funny thing is GG starts this thread every year around this time. Last year it was "I want to eat an O-river sturgeon" and this year it's a Gatineau river sturgeon. Next year it will be a Larry sturgeon and the same guys will fall for the trap and the thread will go on and on and on........... I think I'll have some Atlantic Cod for dinner tomorrow...

[bm_attar]

I think I'll have some Atlantic Cod for dinner tomorrow...

Bon appétit.

[Eli]

I have also noticed/caught more sturgeon in the Ottawa than ever before in the last few years and have fished it for over 30 yrs.
There is some serious blind tree hugging going on here though by people who obviously have no clue what they are talking about and no evidence or surveys to back themselves up.
I think this site should kick out posters that hassle other anglers for lawful activities period.
Life is no fun!.....Eli!.........are you guys fisheries technoligists? Biologists?
How do you think you know more than those people?
Life is no fun posted a musky once that he thought was a pike....................seriously!

Sorry TLunge. Didn't realize I was hassling anyone. If you can't handle an opinion and a bit of satire on my part, don't read my posts.
I'm not a fisheries biologist (though I do hold two science degrees), I'm just someone who cares about this species. Used to fish for them regularly before the recent closure.
You want evidence? My evidence is that they're nationally classified as threatened by COSEWIC and as endangered across parts of Canada by the DFO. Not my opinion, this is what the biologists and 'technoligists' who work for those organizations are saying. The first paragraph sums it up nicely:
http://www.cosewic.gc.ca/rpts/sct7_3_8_e.pdf
I'd like to see your evidence as to how this is in any way inaccurate.

If GG wants to harvest a sturgeon he can legally go ahead. I think it's wrong to harvest a threatened species, he doesn't. We all have our opinions and I have no intention of withholding mine.

[lifeisfun]

I have also noticed/caught more sturgeon in the Ottawa than ever before in the last few years and have fished it for over 30 yrs.
There is some serious blind tree hugging going on here though by people who obviously have no clue what they are talking about and no evidence or surveys to back themselves up...

Any chance you will let us know the size of sturgeon that you catching more than ever before?
That would actually has something to do with this discussion instead of cheap shots.

[CNs]

I have also noticed/caught more sturgeon in the Ottawa than ever before in the last few years and have fished it for over 30 yrs.
There is some serious blind tree hugging going on here though by people who obviously have no clue what they are talking about and no evidence or surveys to back themselves up.
I think this site should kick out posters that hassle other anglers for lawful activities period.
Life is no fun!.....Eli!.........are you guys fisheries technoligists? Biologists?
How do you think you know more than those people?
Life is no fun posted a musky once that he thought was a pike....................seriously!

Sorry TLunge. Didn't realize I was hassling anyone. If you can't handle an opinion and a bit of satire on my part, don't read my posts.
I'm not a fisheries biologist (though I do hold two science degrees), .............

I am not a fish biologist but I did stay at a Hilton Express last night

[cprince]

Sorry TLunge. Didn't realize I was hassling anyone. If you can't handle an opinion and a bit of satire on my part, don't read my posts.
I'm not a fisheries biologist (though I do hold two science degrees), I'm just someone who cares about this species. Used to fish for them regularly before the recent closure.
You want evidence? My evidence is that they're nationally classified as threatened by COSEWIC and as endangered across parts of Canada by the DFO. Not my opinion, this is what the biologists and 'technoligists' who work for those organizations are saying. The first paragraph sums it up nicely:
http://www.cosewic.gc.ca/rpts/sct7_3_8_e.pdf
I'd like to see your evidence as to how this is in any way inaccurate.

If GG wants to harvest a sturgeon he can legally go ahead. I think it's wrong to harvest a threatened species, he doesn't. We all have our opinions and I have no intention of withholding mine.

Thank you Eli for the interesting site. These people obviously do good work!

Information (and as a man of science you must know this) is a little like religion. You can cut and paste and interpret the facts any way you like to support anything you care to imagine.

You neglected to put the specific regions that they were targeting "Across Canada" actually means;

DU1 - Western Hudson Bay
DU2 - Saskatchewan River
DU3 - Nelson River
DU4 - Red-Assiniboine rivers – Lake Winnipeg
DU5 - Winnipeg River – English River
DU6 - Lake-of-the-Woods –Rainy River
DU7 - Southern Hudson Bay – James Bay
DU8 - Great Lakes – Western St. Lawrence

(From http://www.sararegistry.gc.ca/document/ ... ?ocid=6083 )

Reading the pages of that site, I noticed that there were species that they showed to be at risk I see every day and had no clue that they, as a species, were in peril. But I know that just because a species seems abundant here in Alcove, doesn't mean that they are in the Yukon.

Again... I see nothing indicating that the Sturgeon population in The Gatineau river is in peril. Calling them "At Risk" is a little too namby pamby... hell... I'm "At Risk" driving highway 105!

I have never disputed the fact that Sturgeon are hurting in other parts of the country... I do dispute blanket statements made that include places people know nothing about.

Craig

[cprince]

I am not a fish biologist but I did stay at a Hilton Express last night

LOL!

Holiday Inn Express buddy!!

Hilton Express is the line up next to Paris Hilton's bed!

Craig