It is a fact of Pacific Northwest angling life that few fish species that swim in our rivers or streams can match the massive size and strength of the prehistoric fish called “sturgeon.” Sturgeon can exceed ten feet in length and weigh more than four hundred pounds, so few would argue that the fish provide a terrific angling challenge.

At this time of year, one of the best places to try your luck with hook and line to catch a sturgeon is the Columbia River estuary near Astoria. That’s the setting for this week’s “Grant’s Getaway” adventure – fishing for a dinosaur of a fish species – Columbia River sturgeon. You see, sturgeon have been swimming across the planet’s waters for more than a hundred million years – long before the age of dinosaurs.

Each Oregon licensed angler can hook and release or land and tag a legal limit of one sturgeon between 41 and 54 inches in length.

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Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations (pdf)