Shortnose sturgeon

Overview

Habitat summary

Shortnose sturgeon are classified as anadromous, living in the estuarine reaches of most Atlantic seaboard rivers and ascending to flowing freshwater to spawn. They tend to congregate in the main river channels and only use smaller tributaries to a lesser extent. While shortnose sturgeons only occasionally frequent marine habitats, they can tolerate full seawater, and do migrate between rivers. The shortnose sturgeon can be found from New Brunswick Canada, to the St. Johns River in Florida (National Marine Fisheries Service 1998).

Diet

feeders consuming organisms on, in, or near the bottom of a water body.

Aliases

Shortnose sturgeon

Water type

freshwater

When to fish

Seasonality

Shortnose sturgeon are classified as anadromous, living in the estuarine reaches of most Atlantic seaboard rivers and ascending to flowing freshwater to spawn. While shortnose sturgeons only occasionally frequent marine habitats, they can tolerate full seawater, and do migrate between rivers. Spawning times differ geographically due to the fact that shortnose sturgeon require specific water temperatures to spawn. Shortnose sturgeon migrate from estuarine waters to fresh water to spawn. Spawning begins when the water reaches temperatures of 44. Females can lay from 27,000 to 208,000 eggs per spawning act. Eggs hatch 13 days after spawning at 44. Males will first spawn around two years after r

Migration notes

While shortnose sturgeons only occasionally frequent marine habitats, they can tolerate full seawater, and do migrate between rivers. Shortnose sturgeon migrate from estuarine waters to fresh water to spawn. Shortnose sturgeon are classified as anadromous, living in the estuarine reaches of most Atlantic seaboard rivers and ascending to flowing freshwater to spawn.

Where to fish

Habitat summary

Shortnose sturgeon are classified as anadromous, living in the estuarine reaches of most Atlantic seaboard rivers and ascending to flowing freshwater to spawn. They tend to congregate in the main river channels and only use smaller tributaries to a lesser extent. While shortnose sturgeons only occasionally frequent marine habitats, they can tolerate full seawater, and do migrate between rivers. The shortnose sturgeon can be found from New Brunswick Canada, to the St. Johns River in Florida (National Marine Fisheries Service 1998).

Habitat zone

freshwater

Fishing zone

freshwater

How to catch

Not in the source.

Bait & lures

Not in the source.

Size

Not in the source.

Records

Recorded catches retain their source scope; state and world catches are not national records.

No record catch is in the source.

Browse sourced catches for this species

Related states & places

Place links are planning context, not proof of local species presence. Florida city links marked local context follow existing directory relationships, not catch reports.

Source-linked directories

Real local listings currently cover Florida only. Boat-ramp, charter and creator links below follow existing Florida species relationships. Bait-shop links are city context only, not species-targeting evidence.

Boat ramps — Florida

Selected examples from 1580 source-linked directory records.

• Prairie Creek - Camps Canal Take Out Point (Potano Paddling Trail)
• Lochloosa Park
• Lake Alto Park
• Santa Fe Lake Park
• Lindsey-Philips Park Boat Ramp
• Owen-Illinois Park at Windsor
• Earl P. Powers Park Boat Ramp
• Waldo Canal Park

Browse the Florida boat ramps directory

Bait shops — Florida

Selected examples from 628 source-linked city-context records.

• 39th Convenient and Bait Shop
• Bass Pro Shops
• DICK'S Sporting Goods
• Bait shop
• Hawthorne Bait & Tackle
• Lochloosa Harbor resort
• Townsend Grass Shrimp
• Family Discount Food Store

Browse the Florida bait shops directory

Related species

Navigation links share a recorded scientific genus or a source state and water-type grouping. This is not a claim of identical habitat or legal targeting.

• Lake Sturgeon
• Rainbow Smelt
• White Perch
• White Sturgeon

Source evidence by state

Legacy Florida source profiles

• Shortnose sturgeon