The sand shrimp is like candy to them, but so are night crawlers. I'm not sure why night crawlers work, but they sure love to suck them down," Rico said. "Every day when I go out, I typically will throw three kinds of bait out, because what they want to eat can change every day. Let the fish determine what they want. Sometimes they want a combination, but you have to experiment to find out what they want."

FINDING HOTSPOTS
Before you can obtain success, you'll need to find prime areas where sturgeon can be found. This is easier said than done. With dozens of miles of water to cover, there are countless holes that could hold fish. To maximize success, a quality depthfinder is imperative for viewing the bottom's contour. For the most part, you are seeking deep holes, depressions and other abnormalities in the river bottom.

"I've learned those areas from years of guiding the system, targeting walleye. That's how I've found the deeper depressions where water goes from 20 feet to 50 feet to 100 feet," Rico said. "I'm looking for a depression that can be from 50 to 100 feet deep. That's pretty much all you need."

Depressions are bound to harbor sturgeon, but try not to overlook creek and river mouths. The mouths of the Hood, White Salmon and Klickitat rivers are prime feeding grounds for sturgeon. The late fall and winter runs of anadromous fish from these and other tributaries pump food into the system that sturgeon eat. For the most part, these waters have late-fall salmon runs and winter steelhead runs. As the fish spawn and die, their carcasses are flushed into the Columbia and wind up at the mouths of these rivers. The sturgeon position themselves there to capitalize on the incoming food.

"There's not that much food being flushed in, but there is some. The sturgeon know that if they are in that area, there will be food," Rico added. "They'll be in the mouth of the river shoveling through the sand looking for clams and other food."

WATCH THE WEATHER
Before heading out on the Columbia, pay close attention to the weather. Wind can be a major issue this time of year. Oftentimes, the wind can keep anglers off the water or can make your experience rough if white caps are out. The weather can also play a major role in the bite.

"I'd say that the weather dramatically effects fishing," Rico said. "Those fish are very sensitive to light."

Changing weather patterns normally result in spotty fishing. For the most part, overcast weather seems to be best for keeper fish, and sunny days and stable weather brings about a productive, steady bite. Consistent weather is a good indication that the bite should be good.