White sturgeon are the largest and most powerful fish in North American inland waters. A typical rig for white sturgeon consists of a heavy saltwater rod, 100-pound-test line, a 3/4 pound singer and a 12/0 hook. The best baits are cut fish, shrimp, and large clusters of nightcrawlers.

Most white sturgeon are anadromous, spending the majority of their time in estuaries of large rivers along the Pacific coast and entering coastal rivers to spawn. But some spend their entire lives in the upper reaches of these rivers, hundreds of miles from the sea. White sturgeon are usually found in rivers with clean water and moderate current.

The upper half of the white sturgeon's body is grayish to brownish, usually speckled with white. Its lower half is pale gray to white. The snout is short, somewhat flattened, and blunt when viewed from above. The barbels are closer to the tip of the snout than those of the lake sturgeon.

Eating Habits

Although white sturgeon are primarily bottom feeders, they eat a wider variety of foods than other sturgeon. In addition to insect larvae, crustacenas and fish eggs, they feed on dead and live fish, frogs, and clams. A domestic cat was found in the stomach of one large sturgeon. They feed most heavily in the evening.

Table Quality

The firm, white meat is good eating, and their eggs make excellent caviar.

Age & Growth

The largest white sturgeon are probably over 100 years old. Growth is considerably faster in the southern part of their range.

World Record

468 pounds, caught in the Carquinez Straits, California, in 1983. Many larger white sturgeon have been caught commercially, including a 1387-pounder taken in the Fraser River, British Columbia, in 1897.