Fish

Green sturgeon

Esturión verde

Acipenser medirostris

SaltwaterBrackishFreshwater

At a glance

Typical size

Adults 4–7 ft.

Depth

10–300 ft.

Best time

Do not target.

Found in

5 areas

Spot it, size it up and learn its habits.

Identification: Olive-green sturgeon with a greenish stripe along the side and on the belly, a long narrow snout with barbels closer to the mouth than the tip, and fewer, larger bony plates than the white sturgeon.
Typical size: Adults 4–7 ft.
Maximum size: About 7 ft and over 300 lb.
Diet: Shrimp, clams, worms and small fish.
Behavior: Spends most of its life at sea and returns to a few rivers to spawn (the Sacramento, Klamath and Rogue).

Where, when and how deep to look.

Where to find it: Found from Central & Northern California, Oregon & Washington, British Columbia, Alaska and Pacific Northwest Rivers & Lakes. Coastal waters and estuaries from California to Alaska; spawns in a few rivers in California and Oregon.
Habitat: Coastal waters and estuaries from California to Alaska; spawns in a few rivers in California and Oregon.
Depth: 10–300 ft.
Fishing depth: Do not target.
Best season: Do not target.
Best time: Do not target.
Best tides: Do not target.
Best weather / conditions: Do not target.

What to tie on and what to throw.

The rod, reel, line and lures BigJoe would use.

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Step by step, from first cast to landing.

Go where it lives: Coastal waters and estuaries from California to Alaska; spawns in a few rivers in California and Oregon.
Rig up: Do not target. Do not target.
Pick your bait: Do not target. Lures: Do not target.
Fish it: If you hook one while white sturgeon fishing, keep it in the water, unhook it quickly and let it go.
Time it: Do not target. Do not target.

Fishing techniques: If you hook one while white sturgeon fishing, keep it in the water, unhook it quickly and let it go.
BigJoe's tip: Learn to tell green from white sturgeon: the green has a green stripe and barbels closer to the mouth.
Catch and release: Catch and release: wet your hands, keep the fish in the water when you can, and release it quickly. Use circle hooks and a dehooker.

Is it good to eat, and how to prepare it.

Safety, rules and taking care of the fishery.

Safety warnings: Heavy fish with sharp bony plates.
Regulations: The southern population is listed as threatened; California, Oregon and Washington prohibit keeping green sturgeon, and it may not be removed from the water. Licenses, size and bag limits and seasons are set by each state — the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (wildlife.ca.gov), Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (myodfw.com) and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (wdfw.wa.gov) — together with NOAA Fisheries and the Pacific Fishery Management Council. Rules change often, and many areas are no-take marine reserves: check before you go.
Conservation: Dams blocked spawning areas and the population dropped; it is now protected.

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Sources & photo credits