Some fish look like they swam straight out of the dinosaur days. Lake sturgeon are one of them. They have bony plates down their backs, a shark-like tail, and whiskers under a long snout. They’ve been around for millions of years. And on the Rainy River, they’re doing better than they have in generations.
In this segment of Prairie Sportsman, host Bret Amundson heads to the Rainy River with Kevin Hinrichs of the Royal Dutchman Resort to tangle with some monster sturgeon. Along the way, researchers share their work to better understand where these fish roam and how many are out there.
A Fishery That Came Back
It wasn’t always like this. For years, two big problems held sturgeon back here.
The first was commercial netting. Sturgeon eggs were prized as caviar, and that made the fish worth a lot of money. Nets pulled huge numbers of them out of the system.
The second was pollution. Before the Clean Water Act, an upstream paper mill sent waste into the Rainy River. Sturgeon need clean water and good river habitat to spawn, and they weren’t getting it.
Both of those problems have been fixed. The netting stopped. The river got cleaned up. And the sturgeon did what they needed to do.
Today, the Minnesota DNR estimates there are about 100,000 sturgeon over 40 inches long in the stretch from just northeast of the Northwest Angle down to the Rainy River. That’s not a typo. A hundred thousand fish over 40 inches. Anglers have figured out that this is one of the best lake sturgeon fisheries on the planet.
Why Researchers Keep Watching
A comeback like this doesn’t mean the work is done. Sturgeon live a long time and grow slowly. It takes many years for one to reach spawning age. That’s why researchers keep tagging fish and tracking where they go. It helps them learn how the population is doing and how far these fish travel.
Anglers can help, too. If you catch a tagged sturgeon, write down the tag number and report it. Each report adds a piece to the puzzle.
The best sturgeon water runs from Four Mile Bay at the mouth of the Rainy River all the way upstream to the falls near Birchdale. That’s about 40 miles of prime habitat.
Most anglers anchor just upstream of a deep hole. When a sturgeon gets ready to eat, it often moves up out of the hole into shallower water. That’s where your bait is waiting.
The setup is simple. Use a no-roll sinker with a sturgeon rig. That’s an 18-inch snell with a 5/0 circle hook, loaded with night crawlers and frozen emerald shiners. Fish it on the bottom, a lot like you’d fish for catfish. Strong smells work well.
Bring heavy gear. Muskie rods or your stoutest freshwater setup are a good choice. These fish can top 100 pounds, and some go past 80 inches. On light gear, a fight can drag on for an hour. Heavier gear lands the fish faster, which is easier on the sturgeon when it’s released.
A few other things to have on hand: a big net, gloves, pliers, a long measuring tape, a soft tape for girth, a wet towel to calm the fish, and a camera.
If this is your first time, think about hiring a guide from a local resort. They’ll have the heavy gear, the right rigs, and they know the spots. Local bait shops are another great place to start.
Seasons
There are two sturgeon seasons here. The harvest season lets you keep one fish per calendar year. It runs April 24 to May 7 and July 1 to September 30. Catch and release runs May 8 to May 15 and October 1 to April 23. There’s no sturgeon fishing from May 16 to June 30. Check the MN DNR regulations for the details.
The sturgeon season is open the majority of the year. Sturgeon fishing dates on the Rainy River and Lake of the Woods are as follows.
Oct. 1 โ April 23rd โ Catch and Release
April 24th โ May 7th โ Keep Season
May 8th โ May 15th โ Catch and Release
May 16th โ June 30th โ Closed Season for Sturgeon
July 1 โ Sept. 30 โ Keep Season
During the keep season, an angler is allowed to catch and release sturgeon as well.
If you fish during the sturgeon harvest season and you want to keep a sturgeon, you must purchase a sturgeon tag for $5 prior to fishing. One sturgeon per calendar year (45 โ 50โณ inclusive, or over 75โณ). See MN DNR Fishing Regulations for more info.
Fall is a great time to be on the river. The crowds thin out, the leaves turn, and the sturgeon keep eating.
Come See for Yourself
The story of Rainy River sturgeon is one of patience and clean water. A fish that was once in trouble is now one of the biggest draws on the river. Watch the segment, then come hook into a piece of living history.
For more on sturgeon fishing, visit lakeofthewoodsmn.com/sturgeon-fishing.
