100-Year-Old Giant Sturgeon Caught In Canada, Thrown Back In River

Fishermen in British Columbia, Canada, recently caught an enormous white sturgeon that is over ten feet long and estimated to be at least 100 years old. 

According to a Facebook post, “newbie” fishermen Steve Ecklund and Mark Boise went on a fishing trip near Lillooet with guides from River Monster Adventures, Nick McCabe and Tyler Speed, on Father's Day, when they caught the giant fish. It took almost two hours to reel in the white sturgeon. The video showed the beast leaping out of the water, revealing its true size. 

Watch the clip below: 

Mr Ecklund informed that the sturgeon measured 10 feet and one inch long, and had a girth of 57 inches. “Our last fish of the day ends up being the largest sturgeon caught in the company's history,” he wrote in the caption, adding, “This beast would definitely push 700lbs (317 kg) and be north of 100 years old.”

Once caught and photographed, the fish was released back into the water. 

Commenting on the social media post, River Monster Adventures wrote, “Omg we are lost for words what a true dinosaur.” “That is truly a Monster Sturgeon! Great hunt,” said one user. “Now that's a real prehistoric fish! Nice work guys!” added another. A third user jokingly wrote, “Good thing you keep it in the water. The river would drop 2 feet if you removed it.”

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As per Newsweek, white sturgeon are the largest freshwater fish in North America, growing up to 14 feet long, and weighing up to 680 kg. According to the Fraser River Sturgeon Conservation Society, white sturgeons can also live for over 150 years. 

This sturgeon had not been previously tagged, leading to officials suspecting that this may have been the first time it had been caught. The guides reportedly scoured the river using sonar equipment to help fishermen find the biggest catch they could.