It is a common belief among many anglers that sturgeon fishing in the California Delta, Suisun Bay and San Pablo Bay is best after the water muddieds up from the fall and winter rains and water temperatures begin to cool. From November through April is traditionally considered to be the prime time for sturgeon fishing.

However, the late summer and early fall can also be a great time to pursue white sturgeon, as exemplified by the great success that Kevin Yost of Lucky Strike Sportfishng has had since he brought his boat back to Pittsburg Marina in late August.

"Since September 1, we have brought 51 sturgeon to the boat, including 18 legal and 3 oversized fish," said Yost. "When the water temperature cools down more the sturgeon fishing should get downright scary."

Yost has been fishing salmon roe for sturgeon in variety of locations from Sherman Island to the Mothball Fleet. On a rare personal day of sturgeon fishing, Yost and Captain Rich Tipton experienced outstanding diamondback action, hooking up 6 sturgeon including two fish measuring 56 and 53 inches.

Fishing was also very good on the weekend of September 15-16. Saturday's adventure to Suisun Bay yielded an amazing 8 sturgeon, including 4 keeper fish. The 4 Fresno area anglers fished salmon roe on the incoming tide between Pittsburg Harbor and the Middle Grounds. While Yost skippered the boat, Tipton served as deckhand.

Viktor Novix caught and released a monster 86 inch sturgeon, as well as keeping a 47 incher. Oleg Savelyev nailed a 56 incher, while Yaroslav Yurchac bagged a 48 inch diamondback. Vasiliy Uvful also nailed a 48 inch sturgeon. The ecstatic anglers also released several shakers.

On the following day, the 6 anglers fishing with Yost caught six fish, including one 47 inch keeper, two oversized fish measuring 76 and 74 inches long and three undersized diamondbacks.

Praveen Lal of Sacramento caught the 47 incher, while Mark Oliva hooked and released the 74 inch sturgeon. Roger Perkins battled and released the 76 inch monster. The other three anglers, Karl Im, Hue Nguyen and Malone Legaspis, hooked and released shakers.

"The overall health of the sturgeon is getting better," according to Yost. "With the institution of the 46 to 66 inch slot limit last year, the fish are not being pressured as much."

The white sturgeon fishery in California has a long and interesting history. The fishery was closed in the late Nineteenth Century and then again from 1917 until 1954 because of heavy commercial fishing pressure.

The Department of Fish and Game, when it reopened surgeon fishing in 1954, estimated that the fish had rebounded to 10,000 legal-sized fish over 40 inches, based on the "best available data."

The fishery reached its historic height of 144,000 legal sized fish from 46 to 72 inches in 1998-99, the result of great spawning conditions caused by high flows in 1982-83. This data was obtained from capture and release of tagged sturgeon.

However, the fishery declined to 40,000 legal-sized fish by 2001. Then in 2005 the DFG released highly controversial data that the fishery had declined to only 10,000 legal-sized fish.

This prompted a series of meetings that resulted in emergency closures and a new slot limit that was contested by many veteran anglers and skippers. The sturgeon population for 2007 is expected to be approximately 25,000 legal size fish, according to the DFG's preliminary data.

The DFG attributes the wide variation in sturgeon numbers to the fact that white sturgeon find a good spawning environment in the Sacramento River system only every 10 to 15 years.

Yost fishes from a 32' Albin SportFisher and furnishes top line fishing equipment and tackle, including 7.5ft Shakespeare Ugly Sticks, Pflueger G15L reels and 65lb. Power Pro Line.

For more information, call Kevin Yost of Lucky Strike Sportfishing at 707-301-8050, http://www.luckystrikefishing.com. For information on other sportfishing operations booking sturgeon trips on the Delta, Suisun Bay and San Pablo Bay, review the Delta and sportfishing sections of this magazine.

Make sure that you buy your sturgeon card and review the latest DFG fishing regulations before fishing for this prized species.

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