Plate 69 of 79SaltwaterInshore & Chesapeake Bay

Shortnose Sturgeon

Acipenser brevirostrum

A rare, endangered sturgeon of the large coastal rivers — never a target; know it so an encounter ends in an immediate, in-water release.

Typically present

advancedShore-accessibleBoat recommendedEstuarineBrackishTidal freshwater

This profile has not yet been checked against an official regional data source — confirm identification, seasons, and regulations before you rely on it.

Shortnose Sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum) — Fig. 69. Acipenser brevirostrum
Photo: Ryan Hagerty / USFWS, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service — Public domain

Head-on comparison of shortnose sturgeon (left) and Atlantic sturgeon (right) mouths, showing the Atlantic sturgeon's proportionally narrower mouth — Fig. 69. Acipenser brevirostrum
Photo: Ryan Hagerty / USFWS, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service — Public domain

Habitat: Chesapeake Bay, Tidal rivers
Methods: Shore, Kayak, Inshore boat
Difficulty: advanced
Eating: Usually released

Identification

Look for

Similar overall body plan to Atlantic sturgeon (bony scutes, flattened snout, barbels) but notably smaller and shorter-snouted — Atlantic sturgeon can exceed 10 feet, where shortnose sturgeon rarely exceeds 3 feet
A relatively wide mouth for its size compared to Atlantic sturgeon, and a shorter, more rounded snout

Local waters

Large coastal rivers, including the Chesapeake Bay/Potomac River system

Catchable both from shore (shore) and by boat (kayak, inshore boat).

Show on the map

When to fish

Typically present: no seasonal pattern recorded

Genuinely rare in Virginia waters — this is not a species anyone should be intentionally fishing for, and an encounter of any kind is uncommon.

Tide stage for this kind of water

Rising water on the shallow flats

Flooding water lets fish spread onto shallow flats and grass to feed; open-Bay structure fishes on any moving tide.

From: Reading tides without overthinking them

Water temperature

The water, not the calendar, sets the season here — a warm October or a cold snap moves these bands.

Water temperature and the seasons

How to catch it

Catchable both from shore (shore) and by boat (kayak, inshore boat). Technique notes for this species have not been written yet; the baits and rigs below are the documented starting points.

Terms usedPresentation

Handling and release

Not a food-use species in this guide (catch-and-release or restricted) — release.

Federally listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. It is illegal to harass, harm, pursue, capture, or kill a shortnose sturgeon. Documented Chesapeake Bay/Virginia sightings are rare — roughly 93 shortnose sturgeon recorded in the Bay area between 1996-2012, compared to 1,590 Atlantic sturgeon over the same period. If one is ever encountered, release it immediately with minimal handling.

Cleaning, chilling, and cooking a legal catch covers the steps between the cooler and the pan.