Freshwater

Beluga sturgeon (great sturgeon)

Esturión beluga (beluga)

Huso huso

SaltwaterBrackishFreshwater

At a glance

Typical size

Adults today are often 6–10 ft.

Depth

Deep river channels and the open sea.

Best time

Not applicable.

Found in

5 areas

Spot it, size it up and learn its habits.

Identification: The biggest freshwater fish on Earth: a huge, gray, shark-like sturgeon with five rows of bony plates (scutes), a short pointed snout, a big crescent-shaped mouth that reaches the sides of the head, and flattened barbels.
Typical size: Adults today are often 6–10 ft.
Maximum size: Historic fish of over 20 ft and over 2,000 lb were recorded; few giants remain.
Diet: Fish such as gobies, herring, carp and roach; young fish eat invertebrates.
Behavior: Lives at sea and swims up big rivers to spawn; it takes 15–20 years to mature, and can live over 100 years.

Where, when and how deep to look.

Where to find it: Found from Black Sea & Caspian, Russia, Mongolia & Kazakhstan, Northern & Central Europe, Greece & the Adriatic and Turkey, Cyprus & the Eastern Mediterranean. The Caspian Sea (Volga, Ural and Kura rivers), the Black Sea (lower Danube) and, almost gone, the Sea of Azov; the Adriatic population is extinct.
Habitat: The Caspian Sea (Volga, Ural and Kura rivers), the Black Sea (lower Danube) and, almost gone, the Sea of Azov; the Adriatic population is extinct.
Depth: Deep river channels and the open sea.
Fishing depth: Not a legal target.
Best season: Not a legal target; rivers are watched during spawning runs.
Best time: Not applicable.
Best tides: Not applicable.
Best weather / conditions: Not applicable.

What to tie on and what to throw.

Best bait: Not legal to target.
Best artificial lures: Not legal to target.
Tackle setup: Not legal to target; any beluga hooked by accident must be released at once.
Hook size: Not applicable.
Line: Not applicable.
Leader: Not applicable.

The rod, reel, line and lures BigJoe would use.

Also at Bass Pro Shops: Book Line cutter Pliers Gloves

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Step by step, from first cast to landing.

Go where it lives: The Caspian Sea (Volga, Ural and Kura rivers), the Black Sea (lower Danube) and, almost gone, the Sea of Azov; the Adriatic population is extinct.
Rig up: Not legal to target; any beluga hooked by accident must be released at once. Not applicable.
Pick your bait: Not legal to target. Lures: Not legal to target.
Fish it: If you hook a sturgeon by accident on the Danube or Volga, keep it in the water, cut the line close to the hook if you can't remove it easily, and report the catch to fisheries officials if asked.
Time it: Not applicable. Not applicable.

Fishing techniques: If you hook a sturgeon by accident on the Danube or Volga, keep it in the water, cut the line close to the hook if you can't remove it easily, and report the catch to fisheries officials if asked.
BigJoe's tip: Only buy caviar from certified farms with CITES labels; illegal wild caviar is what keeps beluga on the edge.
Catch and release: Catch and release: wet your hands, keep the fish in the water when you can, and release it quickly. Use circle hooks and a dehooker.

Is it good to eat, and how to prepare it.

Safety, rules and taking care of the fishery.

Safety warnings: A huge, powerful fish; the bony plates are sharp.
Regulations: Critically Endangered (IUCN). Wild beluga fishing and the trade in wild beluga caviar are banned in Romania, Bulgaria, Russia, Kazakhstan and the other range countries, and international trade is controlled by CITES. Poaching for caviar is the main threat. Russia, Mongolia and Kazakhstan require fishing licenses or permits, many rivers are leased to licensed outfitters, and rare fish need special permits. Check current travel advisories and go with a licensed outfitter.
Conservation: Dams have cut off most spawning grounds and poaching continues. Report illegal fishing or caviar sales.

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Sources & photo credits