Huge sturgeon caught near Lillooet, B.C., for likely the first time in its 110-year life
A massive sturgeon caught near Lillooet, B.C., on Father's Day may be the largest ever landed on that portion of the Fraser River, according to the company that organized the fishing trip.
River Monster Adventures estimated that the nearly 700-pound fish was around 110 years old. It measured 10'1" (nearly 3.1 metres) long and had a girth of 57 inches (1.4 metres), the company said in an email to CTV News Vancouver.
Alberta hunters Steve Ecklund and Mark Boise joined guides Nick McCabe and Tyler Speed for the excursion. They had caught a few sturgeon earlier on in the weekend, but none came close to the size of the giant they landed late Sunday, after a roughly two-hour, two-kilometre-long upstream fight.
"The sturgeon jumped out of the water multiple times, and that’s when they realized how big this dino actually was," a spokesperson for River Monster Adventures said.
The company said it believes the fish may be the largest ever caught in the "middle portion" of the Fraser River, and it's the largest the company has ever been involved in catching in that area.
Despite its advanced age, the sturgeon had not been tagged, suggesting that this may have been the first time it had been caught, according to River Monster Adventures.
"Steve and Mark have never fished the Fraser, so it was a fish of a lifetime," the spokesperson said.
After taking some photos, the crew released the fish back into the Fraser.
According to Fisheries and Oceans Canada, white sturgeon are the largest freshwater fish in Canada, and they've existed relatively unchanged for millions of years.
In a critical state of decline in some parts of B.C., the bottom-feeding fish is among the wildlife protected under the Species at Risk Act. Species living in the Nechako River, Upper Columbia River, Upper Fraser River and Upper Kootenay River are all protected by the federal act.
The Fraser River Sturgeon Conservation Society says white sturgeon can live well over 150 years, and can grow up to six metres in length.
With files from CTV News Vancouver's Kendra Mangione
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Most of Canada to receive emergency alert test today
The federal government will test its capacity to issue emergency alerts today, with the exception of Ontario, where the test will take place on May 15.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests about relationship with Prince Harry
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Ontario man devastated to learn $150,000 line of credit isn't insured after wife dies
An Ontario man found out that a line of credit he thought was insured actually isn't after his wife of 50 years died.
Boy Scouts of America is rebranding. Here's why they've changed their name
After more than a century, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding as Scouting America, another major shakeup for an organization that once proudly resisted change.
Trial begins for Winnipeg serial killer who claims he was mentally ill
The trial of a man who admits he killed four women in Winnipeg is set to begin Wednesday, and a law professor says lawyers for Jeremy Skibicki have multiple hurdles to clear for a defence of mental illness.
These adults born in the '90s partnered with their parents to buy homes in Ontario
An Ontario woman said it would have been impossible to buy a house without her mother – an anecdote that animates the fact that over 17 per cent of Canadian homeowners born in the ‘90s own their property with their parents, according to a new report.
New Canadian study could be a lifesaver for thousands suffering from CTE
A first-of-its-kind Canadian research study is working towards a major medical breakthrough for a brain disorder, believed to be caused by repeated head injuries, that can only be detected after death.
Rape, terror and death at sea: How a boat carrying Rohingya children, women and men capsized
In March, Indonesian officials and local fishermen rescued 75 people from the overturned hull of a boat off the coast of Indonesia. Until now, little was known about why the boat capsized.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.