Part 3 of Sturgeon fishing from a boat setup

OK, now let’s get the leader setup for Sturgeon Terminal Tackle for Boat fishing!

In this section, you will need the following:

• 130lb Dacron Leader
• Lock Snap (size 4)
• Hook (size 7/0 - 10/0)
• Pool Noodle (Optional)

Starting with the Dacron leader, different baits will require different leader lengths.

After getting the bait on your leader, you don’t want to have much leader left. When the bait is on the bottom of the river, you want the bait to stay as close to the bottom as possible and not have the bait floating and twisting in the current off the bottom.

For baits like squid, smelt and similar size baits, you would want about a 20” leader, so cut your leader line about 2 or 3” longer to allow for the knot and excess. By the time you put about 4 or 5 half hitches up your bait, you will have a minimum leader left on an average 6” bait.

For bigger baits like a whole shad, you will need a longer leader. It can be up to 48” or more, depending on the size of the shad.

Tie the snap hook onto one end of your leader and the hook on the other end and your leader and you are set.

Hook size

If I am not targeting a specific size sturgeon, I will use a 7/0 hook when fishing with squid, smelt, herring, etc.

If I’m targeting oversize and using partial or whole shad, I will use a 10/0 hook, but I have caught oversize using a 7/0 hook.

OK, now for the pool noodle. For $5, $10 or even more, you can buy yourself one of those off the shelf leader holders, but if you time it right, you can buy one of those pool noodles for $1 that are about 4 foot long and you can get 4 or 5 leader holders for a $0.25 or less.

If you opted for the pool noodle, cut it at the length that will fit where you plan on storing it. Mine is cut at 10”, because it fits nicely in the top of my tackle box. At 10” I can hold 9 or 10 leaders.

Now cut a slit down the length to the core. That gives me a place to drop the snap hook end of the leader into, then wrap the leader around the noodle and stick the hook into the noodle to keep it there and you are set.

Stay tuned for Part 4, where we start using all this stuff to start catching Sturgeon fishing from a boat.