For the avid angler, Idaho truly is the promised land, an embarrassment of riches in all reality. Idaho boasts over 107,000 miles of rivers and streams, and this doesn’t even consider the myriad of high alpine lakes and fishable reservoirs. If the line often cited to fishing beginners holds true, that the “tug is the drug,” then Idaho’s wild expanses will ensure that the passionate piscator need never worry about getting “clean.”
When dreaming of Idaho fishing, most in Sun Valley would likely conjure images of freestone rivers and the striking speckles and vibrant colors of native trout, but Idaho’s wilderness offers plenty of other species to target during a day on the water. From the high alpine Arctic grayling in the Sawtooths, to the golden scales of Snake River carp, a beautiful fish that’s a thrill to catch even if many turn their noses up at the notion, opportunities abound. One species towers above the rest in both unique character and the battle it puts up: the white sturgeon.
Nearly everything about the white sturgeon sets it apart from other Idaho fish; its size, lifespan and lifecycle, and, perhaps most notably, its connection to the prehistoric world. Today’s trout and salmon species have been swimming the Earth’s waterways for roughly 7 to 10 million years, which is nothing to sneeze at. But the white sturgeon has existed on earth, relatively unchanged, for somewhere between 175 and 200 million years, meaning the first sturgeon swam alongside the dinosaurs of the Jurassic and Triassic periods.
Lacking typical scales, sturgeon have skin that is more akin to that of sharks, and they protect themselves with five rows of bony, spiky plates called scutes. And while most trout in the Big Wood River live around three to 10 years, white sturgeon do not even reach maturity until they are somewhere between 10 and 30 years, with the oldest of the species still alive and kicking as genuine centenarians.
For the angler, the size of these ancient fish is the draw, with the largest among them topping 10 feet and more than 500 pounds. No fish tale exaggerations needed with these giants.
Three of Idaho’s principal rivers, the Clearwater, Salmon, and the Snake, are home to sturgeon populations, though anglers are only permitted to target sturgeon on the Snake and Lower Salmon. Perhaps the most famous place in the state to land these extraordinary fish is in Hells Canyon.
The rugged basalt cliff walls of North America’s deepest gorge provide an awe-inspiring backdrop for a day on the water in search of these prehistoric behemoths. Though he has spent substantially more of his 40-plus-year career on the local waters of Blaine County’s high country, legendary fishing and outdoor guide Guy Robins has made several successful sturgeon runs into Hells Canyon.
Robins describes the experience of hooking into a sturgeon after throwing a line into a deep pool of the river and patiently waiting for a strike. “You would set the drag on the reel really loose, so they can pick it up and run with it,” says Robins. “Then you hear this ‘click, click, click,’ and you switch the reel over and set the hook. Then, you know, normally first thing they do is just launch out of the water.”
The astonishing sight of the massive fish, weighing hundreds of pounds, clearing the surface and then crashing back into the river will set any fisherperson’s heart to racing and is just the opening salvo of the battle between human and fish. From this point, the feat of reeling in a white sturgeon can take hours and will require arms of steel and unshakable resolve. “They’re so strong, you know? After that jump they usually dive down deep and will run and get in and out of the current,” describes Robins. “It’s definitely a battle. They’re not just going to roll over and come in.”
Landing a sturgeon is also an entirely unique experience when compared to the typical river and lake fish species and almost always involves the angler ending up as wet as the fish. In order to adhere to Idaho Fish and Game regulations and plain old decency, these beautiful fish must remain in the water. So, capturing a photo of your sturgeon will require you to join your catch in the flowing waters along the bank of the river. Handling these creatures with the utmost care is paramount and just a small part of the regulations in place to protect and conserve the fragile population of these ancient swimmers.
Like salmon, sturgeon are anadromous fish, meaning they spend their adult lives in saltwater or brackish estuaries, returning to the freshwater rivers of their birth to spawn. Unlike salmon, however, sturgeon will reproduce multiple times throughout their long lives, returning to the salt between spawning runs.
During the first half of the 20th century, a multitude of dams were constructed along Idaho’s rivers. These dams have essentially cut off the sturgeon population’s ability to return to the river to spawn as they are able to venture downstream of the dam but have never been recorded making the arduous return trek up the fish ladders.
For a fish that grows exceptionally slowly and only reaches spawning maturity after 10 to 20 years, this means that the decline in their population will likely continue without successful human intervention. While there are efforts underway to help these fish rebound in places like Hells Canyon, only time will tell if the initiatives can stem the tide.
Working with responsible local guide outfits will ensure one can enjoy a bucket list-worthy day on the water, while safeguarding these extraordinary fish, so they can continue to thrive in Idaho’s rivers for the next 200 million years.
THE IDEAL STURGEON EXCURSION
When to Go: Sturgeon can be found year-round, but the best times are widely considered to be spring or fall.
Choose Your Guide: Find a guide that will cover everything you need and book early to secure your ideal dates.
Consider Your Lodging: Many guide services offer lodging along the river of varying degrees of “roughing it,” so find the one with the amenities that matter to you.
Preparation: Prepare for good, long days on the water and potentially long, difficult fights with massive and powerful fish.