Different Kinds of Bait to Catch Sturgeon

The white sturgeon, also known as the river sturgeon, is the largest freshwater fish in North America. A prized catch of fishermen in bays, rivers and estuaries along the west coast of the United States and Canada, the white sturgeon's habitat includes fresh water and the brackish fresh and salt water zones at the ocean mouths of large rivers. The white sturgeon is a bottom-feeding fish that favors bugs, snails, worms and crayfish. Baiting for sturgeon is very similar to channel catfish bait. Freshness of the bait is paramount because sturgeon have highly developed sense organs to sniff food odors in the water.

  1. Shrimp

    • Grass shrimp and sand shrimp are effective and common bait for white sturgeon. Live shrimp are preferable and easily available in bait shops. Load the hook with at least four shrimp, and place the shrimp on the hook tail-first. Avoid disgorging the shrimp guts or spilling all its blood while baiting the hook. These are powerful attractants to sturgeon in the water.

    Smelt and Anchovies

    • Mix small fish like smelt and anchovies on a hook to form a "sturgeon sandwich." The freshness of the bait's slime coat is an important consideration. This outer coating of the fish is a natural defense against infections and creates the pungent "fishy" odor that attracts sturgeon. However, dead smelt and anchovies that have been on a hook too long in the water, or frozen bait that has been freezer-burned, may lose the slime coat. Rebait the hook with fresh smelt and anchovies at regular intervals to increase your chances of luring sturgeon.

    Bait Bags

    • Wrap an assortment of aromatic baits that don't hook well in a golf ball-sized nylon mesh bag to draw sturgeon. Congealed globs of worms, cheese and salmon eggs in bags tied to a hook with thread form a very strong sturgeon-attracting scent trail in the water. Cut up discarded nylon pantyhose to form the bait bags.

    Meat and Poultry

    • Meaty chunks of any non-game fish draw sturgeon, particularly if they've been allowed to rot slightly to increase their odor. Chicken and pork left in the sun for a while to decompose acquire that certain scent that attracts sturgeon. Don't use pike meat or guts as bait, however, as sturgeon are repelled by its odor. Note that in some states and most of Canada, use of certain game fish for bait is prohibited.