Lake sturgeon were once plentiful but were fished to near extinction in many places by the early 20th century.

WSJ: Standing Guard for the Sturgeon

Lake sturgeon, he said, once populated the river thanks to rocks and boulders that created spots to lay eggs in well-oxygenated water that was safe from other predators.

WSJ: Real Rapids in Grand Rapids?

Even with our potentially top player on injured reserve (the Atlantic sturgeon is currently under a commercial fishing ban), companies like Sterling, Tsar Nicoulai and Seattle Caviar are offering subtle, very caviary-tasting roe from the Pacific Coast white sturgeon, the lake sturgeon of the Great Lakes and the Mississippi, and even from the oddly abundant paddlefish, a distant sturgeon cousin.

FORBES: Roe Rage

Sturgeon Lake at the north end of the island has a sandy beach for swimming and it joins with the waterways of Steelman and Mud Lakes, making it an ideal spot for more experienced kayakers who are looking for a challenge.

BBC: Portland's urban adventures