Mighty sturgeon tops 11ft and weighs 700lb
This enormous prehistoric-looking head belongs to one of the biggest sturgeon ever landed.
The huge specimen, more than 11ft long and estimated at 700lb-plus, was caught on Canada’s mighty Fraser River near Chilliwack in British Columbia.
It’s one of the largest fish ever to be recorded during a 15-year study of the species carried out by the Fraser River Sturgeon Conservation Society (FRSCS), and gave Dan Lallier, of Onoway, Alberta, a day he will never forget.
“I set the hook and I watched the fish jump clear of the water and my stunned expression soon turned into ecstatic screams as my adventure played out,” said Dan.
The sturgeon took a fish bait and battled for just over an hour before coming to the side of the boat.
“I knew that white sturgeons on the Fraser can grow to immense sizes, but I still found the experience hard to believe,” Dan continued.
His realised his fishing dreams thanks to his guide, Yves Bisson of the BC Sport Fishing Group (BCSFG), located in the Harrison Hot Springs Resort & Spa on the shores of Harrison Lake.
“What a beautiful, healthy fish – my congratulations to Dan, whose encounter is a great example of the world-class fishery we are privileged to engage in and protect through conservation measures,” said BCSFG boss Tony Nootebos.
The group used recognised International Game Fish Association (IGFA) standard protocols to measure and tag the white sturgeon, that will now be included in the research database used to track and monitor the species.