July 1, 1999/ Byran ‘s STURGEON 59-3/4

It started out like any other day, same old thing. The job I was working on was on its third day and a week to go.

Dennis Graves said he was going fishing. I said that sounded like fun, so he asked me to go with him. I put in for a “floater” or a day off.

The bite had been on for two weeks and the fishing was good. Dennis has a new Duckworth 19 ft. boat with a Yamaha 140 on the back. It is a good fishing boat set up just for fishing. (I rode my bike to work with all my camping gear on it. I was planning on riding to my lot 30 miles down the beach but change of plans went in my favor and Dennis took me to Fort Stevens where Ilene, Myran and Trina were waiting for me.)

We left after work and were fishing by 5:30 p.m. down at the mouth of the Columbia. We fished here and there but no bites. It was getting late. His folks live down there and let us stay at their home. I got the bed and Dennis got the couch. They were too kind.

At 4:00 a.m. we were up and off fishing. We were in the water about 5:30 a.m. or so. We had been fishing for about 45 minutes when the pole let out a big bang as it straightened out the holder and almost went for a swim. The line was going out rather fast as I got to it and it didn’t stop as I got a hold of it. A few more runs and it went slack. I reeled and the sturgeon came right up to the back of the boat. Dennis lifted it into the boat. It was bigger than any fish I have ever caught.

Things were happening so fast that I didn’t have time to get excited. There was this adrenaline when it was in the boat.

Have you ever tried to measure a fish that is not liking where it is, and will not lay still, and is on the edge of the size limit of 60 inches? Now that is a challenge! We did the best we could and each time we came up with another size, but they were right there on the 60 inches with the fish jumping and squirming all over. It looked like it was ok so Dennis put a rope through its head and we tied it to the back of the boat.

We moved about 6 or 7 times but was only able to get a little 3 foot one. They have to be at least 42 inches long.
Taking the fish in was where we had the most fun, or should I say where Dennis had the most fun. As we pulled around the corner, there set the game commission and the State police. The thought of going back out went through my mind and I think I said something to that effect. We were legal, or we thought we were. I took the keys and started up to get the truck. The police met me on the dock and got my license number and looked at my tag. Meantime Dennis was having all the fun at the boat.

It seems that the fish grew 3 inches and was now 63 inches long. Dennis was upset with me for leaving him with this problem. The game person was calling the State police person and Dennis was thinking he did have a new boat and truck and was going to have a lot of time to think about it in jail.
;
In the meantime I am oblivious to what is going on and am off getting the truck without a care I n the world.

I back it down and am wondering what is going on. I go over there and they are measuring some other guy’s fish and says it is 53 or 56 inches. I am thinking, what is all of this? Dennis drifts out and I go back to the truck and Dennis loads the boat and I pull it out.

Over at the prep area Dennis tells me the story and State police person measuring in a straight line from the edge of the dock and getting 60-1/2 then 59-1/2 by dropping the tail. A luxury we didn’t have in the boat. The game commission person went over the contour of the fish. Dennis was getting a little upset but was keeping his cool.

We went back to his folks and spend another night to try it again the next day. They are a lot of fun and cooked a good dinner for us with cake and strawberries.

The next day was a fun fish day, getting one 41 inches long. Dennis didn’t want to try it on the other end of the scale so we put it back. I caught three fish and Dennis went fishing. Fishing is fun, but when you get them, it is more fun!