River temps on the Snake River in Hells Canyon can drop into the lower 30’s in the dead of winter.  It is not uncommon to see large sheets of ice coming out of the tributary rivers  Imnaha R., Salmon R. and Grande Ronde rivers during the winter. These cold temps slow down the metabolism of all the fish in the rivers including the white Sturgeon. Sturgeon will feed very little and tend to bunch up and go fairly dormant to save energy. Our guides here at Hells Canyon Sport Fishing rarely fish for sturgeon during the coldest parts of winter, but for one who’s willing to commit the time and patience Sturgeon can most definitely be caught in the winter. The “Best” bait for winter Sturgeon in my book would be raw Salmon roe. Take the type of netting used to tie up steelhead egg clusters and tie a large Sturgeon version of an egg cluster. Keep in mind you do not want to use eggs cured in Salmon or Steelhead egg cure. Raw eggs seem to work the best, even if they had been previously frozen. Eggs tied up in this netting will stay on the hook well and “Milk Out” in the river leaving a huge scent trial that even cold dormant sturgeon my find to appealing to resist. Look for slower water that is in or near the deeper pools in the river. Bring lots of hot coffee along with really warms cloths and a propane heater. Patience will be the key along with good bait and finding good winter holding water. With a little luck you just may hook up and be warming up sooner than you think!