Minimum size for a keeper sturgeon is 46 inches. If you catch a sturgeon over six feet long, these days you must return it to the water. You are only allowed to catch one per day or have one in possession. Delta lore has it that some have gone to as much as 1,000 pounds and had to be hauled from the water with mule teams. Most sturgeon are caught using bait, some by anglers after striped bass.
Ghost shrimp is a favorite bait.
Some anglers practice catch and release. You might enjoy Charlie Soderquest's whimsical book Sturgeon Tales , although it is not a book about fishing. Some say they also are the best eating. This is a prolific fish and it is not difficult to catch 20 or 30 of them on one evening's outing. Typically they weigh in at a pound or two, but many tip the scales at 8 to 10 pounds.