This report is for Marcus Island. It was my first time ever sturgeon fishing. This was a shore venture. I am using a 10 ft ugly stick with prn 50 squall reels. Started with 8 ounce weights on a slider. My casts didn't go as far as I expected. 100 ft distance. Ended up switching out the weights for rocks wrapped in wire and running the bait out on kayak. Nobody was getting bites all day. Ended up getting this 35 incher at 730pm on sturgeon candy squid. Some of the lessons I learned off an interesting, friendly and helpful gentleman named "Rotten" Rod. Big thanks to his teaching.

First impressions from a beginner.
1. Yeah you aren't gonna cast in the middle of the river. I saw a guy with a 15 ft spinning combo do about 150 ft.
2. Elastic string is so much better than fishing line for tying down your bait.
3. Save yourself the casting hassles and bring a kayak of something to run your gear out.
4. Whatever I used for weight was gonna drift. The 8 ounce weights drifted about 200 feet so I switched up to 1 ft x 6 inch rocks.
5. Expect or plan you break your weight off when you get a fish. Most of the time, the act of setting the hook will rip it off.

Gear
10 ft ugly stick / Penn 50 squall level wind
50 to 80 lb maxima line
20 lb maxima to the weight
120 lb Dacron to the hook
8/0 barbless gamakatsu octapus
8 ounce weights/ rocks wrapped in wire.

Bait
Pumpkinseed
Crappie
Sturgeon candy squid (1 fish)

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