UTERWhite sturgeon fishing in Oregon Coast
In Oregon Coast, white sturgeon peak June–July and are around year-round, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. June: Peak in the estuary.
No note for October — see the months around it.
White sturgeon in Oregon Coast, month by month
- JanuaryAround
- FebruaryAround
- MarchAround
- AprilAround
- MayArrivingLower Columbia estuary sturgeon off Astoria — anchovy and sand shrimp. Retention seasons are short or closed in some years; check ODFW.
- JunePeakPeak in the estuary.
- JulyPeakStill good.
- AugustLeavingThinning.
- SeptemberAround
- OctoberAround
- NovemberAround
- DecemberAround
Where to fish white sturgeon near Brookings, Coos Bay, Newport
Three hundred miles of headlands, jetties and drowned river bays — Chetco, Rogue, Coos, Umpqua, Siuslaw, Alsea, Yaquina, Siletz, Nestucca, Tillamook — with Heceta and Stonewall Banks offshore and the Columbia's mouth at the top.
What to use for white sturgeon
- Ghost shrimpThreaded on a #4 to 1/0 baitholder hook on a Carolina rig in the surf or the bay — the surfperch, corbina and sturgeon bait.
- HerringCut-plug for salmon: head off at an angle, guts out, two hooks in tandem so it spins slow behind a flasher or a banana weight. Whole and live on a circle hook for stripers where the herring run.
- Salmon eggs (roe)A dime-sized spawn sac tied in mesh, or single eggs on a #10 to #6 egg hook, drifted along the bottom for steelhead, trout and salmon. Check the state's rule — bait is banned on many trout and salmon waters.
- Leader15–30 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook#2–2/0
- Braid10–20 lb
Feeds in 46–66°F water, best at 50–60°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch white sturgeon in Oregon Coast?
Peak season is June–July. White sturgeon are here year-round. June: Peak in the estuary.
Where do white sturgeon hold in Oregon Coast?
Look on channel edge, pass / inlet, river — around Brookings, Coos Bay, Newport, Depoe Bay, Garibaldi, Astoria.
What is the best bait for white sturgeon in Oregon Coast?
Live bait: ghost shrimp, herring, salmon eggs (roe). Ghost shrimp: Threaded on a #4 to 1/0 baitholder hook on a Carolina rig in the surf or the bay — the surfperch, corbina and sturgeon bait. Tackle: leader 15–30 lb fluorocarbon, hook #2–2/0, braid 10–20 lb.
What are the rules for white sturgeon in Oregon Coast?
Size and bag limits and closed seasons are set by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) and change — read the current rule at https://myodfw.com/fishing/marine-zone before you keep a fish. A licence is sold at https://myodfw.com/fishing/licensing-info.
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