Sturgeon Questions

[Mergie Master]

I know (read) that we have some rivers that hold sturgeon here in the state. Those things are ancient, like living dinosaurs, and big and they've always sort of fascinated me.

Does anyone know which rivers hold them?

Can we catch them legally in South Carolina?

If so how does a person go about fishing for them?

I'm totally clueless on these beasts except for what little I've read. Stuff like we have 8 species in the US and that some species lay only once every 5-10 years, dumping about 100,000 to 300,000 eggs. But I can't find much on fishing strategies or areas to fish for them.

[btduckcall]

mergie, they use to be in the congeree, so i was told, then a freind called late one night and said he had caught one, told him it was illegal , to put them in the boat , or to restrain it, meaning tie up to the boat. so he he let it go.

[TealTapper]

I was drifting down the Edisto one day 8 or 10 years ago and saw a guy I know who puts out a shad net during season. He was up on the bank with a couple DNR guys. I immediately assume he's in some kind of trouble and just ease on by. Looking over though I see them with what I thought was a gator on the bank. Turns out they were trying to untangle a sturgeon from the net...Fish was freakin huge! Awesome sight.

My understanding is highly illegal to mess with them in any way. The guy I knew called them when he found it in the net...DNR guys were there to measure it, etc...

[BigBrother]

Eugene Platt used to fish for them commercially out of Cherry Grove.

Built a large processing plant behind his fish house for the caviar.

Now, it makes ice for Boulineaus and is a warehouse the Boulineau's conglomerate.

[daddy duck]

years ago, i heard that one was caught in the Wateree River just below the 378 bridge.......but that was like if I rememmber right 20 years ago?????

[JABIII]

It was not uncommon for the hoopnetters to catch them in the Wateree in the 90's, so I imagine that they are still there. One netter caught 5 in one set, all about 20" in length. Several years ago, a dude brought one into Pack's not knowing what in the hell he had caught. He was told he had caught several thousand dollars in fines if the Man happens to come by! I had a fish on in the Santee across from Broadwater one night that I have always thought HAD to be a large sturgeon. It picked up a herring head and ran every bit of line off my Abu7000 on a broomhandle Penn rod. When it came to the end of the spool I tightened the drag until the 30 pound Ande line popped like fly leader...

[Trail'nTree]

Not sure about south carolina, but my father used to live in Washington State, and I used to look forward to going there several times a year for a sturgeon trip. We always fished with squid on the bottom, sometimes we would use salmon eggs.

[Stripa Swipa]

Those are different species of sturgeon TnT. Thankfully the sturgeon have some federal protection or our coastal rivers would probably by dry beds by now.

[Claimer]

We have short and long nose sturgeon here. The cooper has a good bit. The long nose will breach like a whale at night , sounds like a truck hit the water. Don't think about messing wit em. they will lock you under the jail for harming one. When I was a kid they fished them in winyah bay and they were as long as 10 ft sometimes. Looks like a dinosaur.

[fastalker]

During Alligator season this past year we happened across one floating on the Combahee river. It appeared to have been shot with an arrow in the head. It was about 3 ft long and we did call DNR to report the fish and tell them where it was located but they did not seem very interested.

Was a very cool site to see and you are right they are Dinosaurs.

[SCcdp]

My grandfather was a commercial catfisherman for about 30 years on Lake Marion(up until about three years ago), and over those years he caught a few sturgeons(I believe short nose)in the lake. All but one was turned over to SCDNR per their request.

[wackemandstackem]

I know in Ohio if you should happen to hook one you were to cut your line and call DNR ASAP to report it.

Im not sure here though.

[sprigdog]

Atlantic and short nosed.
the rivers that dump in Winyah Bay are spawning rivers. Mostly the Waccamaw.

It is not uncommon at low slack tide in May to see 20-40 jumping after an hour period. DNR bios are out in force, netting a tagging during this time.
I have had them jump within 5 feet of my boat..gets your attention.

Most people think they are seeing Tarpon, Jul-Sept possible, but not Apr/May
It is also illegal to even say your fishing for them, if one is hooked, you must release.