Hooked on Monsters: Heather Johnson Battles Giant Sturgeon with First Pass Outfitters

Get ready for an absolute battle on the water as Heather Johnson heads out for her first-ever Pacific Northwest sturgeon fishing adventure! 🌊🦖 Stepping way out of her comfort zone (and terrified she’d have to thread squirmy worms onto a hook like she did as a kid), Heather joins professional guide Curtis of First Pass Outfitters at the West Mooring Basin in Astoria, Oregon. Curtis operates premier guided trips across the region, taking clients out for salmon, steelhead, crabbing, and legendary Columbia River sturgeon encounters. Using high-tech sonar to cheat their way straight to the best underwater biomasses, Curtis anchors the boat and rigs up the ultimate sturgeon treats—fresh sand shrimp wrapped tightly on barbless hooks with stretchy string to let the scent leech right into the current. What follows is an epic, bicep-burning wrestling match as Heather transitions from a complete rookie to a self-proclaimed professional: 🦪 The Perfect Keeper: After learning how to navigate the rod holder and properly set a barbless hook (slamming it back with massive force—no trout fishing rules here!), Heather reels in a beautiful, hard-fighting 47-inch White Sturgeon. Weighing in as a perfect "keeper size" if retention season were open, this prehistoric beauty gives Heather an unforgettable close-up (including a hilarious near-kiss and some unexpected fish gas right to the face!). 🐉 The Rare 150lb Giant: Just when Heather thinks her arms are too wiped out to continue, she hooks into the biggest surprise of the day on the hot rod—a massive, ultra-rare Green Sturgeon! Estimated by Heather to be a casual 150 pounds (and scaled by Curtis to a solid 70–80 lbs of pure muscle), this prehistoric dinosaur features highly pronounced armor spikes and gives Heather an absolute run for her money. From preventing the giants from cutting the line on the boat's bottom weld to enduring a face-to-face burp from a rare river monster, this overcast day in Astoria turned out to be the ultimate adrenaline rush. 🎣 Book Your Next Monster Fishing Trip Outfitter: First Pass Outfitters (Guided Salmon, Steelhead, Sturgeon, & Crab Trips) Guide: Curtis Phone: 503-741-0075 Website: First Pass Outfitters Location: Departing from West Mooring Basin, Astoria, OR. 📜 Explore Columbia River Maritime History Captivated by the prehistoric white and green sturgeon that have swam these coastal waters for millions of years? To dive deep into the rich commercial fishing, crabbing, and maritime history of the lower Columbia River, take a short drive over to the Appelo Archives Center in Naselle, Washington, to browse their extensive historical collections. 🔔 Subscribe & Support the Channel If you loved watching Heather battle giant prehistoric river monsters and want more epic Pacific Northwest outdoor adventures, make sure to Like, Comment, and Subscribe to the channel! #SturgeonFishing #FirstPassOutfitters #GreenSturgeon #AstoriaOregon #ColumbiaRiver #RiverMonsters #PNWAdventure #CatchAndRelease #Fishing #OutdoorLife #HeatherJohnson