Saw this on Ifish today. Pretty cool stuff, I wished the video was longer.

Mf

I saw that yesterday, too...I wonder what percentage of the stock from Bonnie down was in that ball?

Fish on...

Todd

Todd -
A few years ago I did some research on this State's white sturgeon population and as I recall the estimate was that the lower river population was estimated to be in that 300,000 range for the fish between 20 and 65 inches with around 120,000 of those being in the legal range of 42 to 60 inches.

Folks thought those estimates may have been low because it assumed that the population was limited to the river itself and we know that they migrate considreable distances up and down the coast..

Tight lines
Curt

What do you make of the "balling up"? Is that typical behavior? I know very little about sturgeon, so excuse my ignorance.

as the clip pointed out folks were not really sure why they were "balling up". Some speculated that it was a tactic to reduce vulunerability to the predation by the sea-lions.

I certainly don't have any insights into the "why" of this behavior. Though it is clear that sturgeon can be quite gregarious. Some years it is not uncommon see dozens of them ganging in some of the lower pools (tidal areas) of small streams in your area. In some cases the pool bottom seemly would be covered with them.

They are a very cool fish with much to be learned about their behaviors. As with many fish we often do not see some of the "outlying" behaviors unless there are good population abundances.

Tight lines
Curt

Here's my theory. It had nothing to do with the FB's.

With these fish being able to live more than a 100 years. It was nothing more than a FAMILY reunion. One 14' female spawning 1,000,000 eggs could easily have enough descendants.

Mf

I will be looking for that ball next weekend!!!! I hope they make a 5 mile trip down river to my bait.


Kris

Interesting stuff.Good luck,
STRIKE ZONE

The "FAMILY" reunion that was good.