History was made this week on the Fraser River in British Columbia, Canada where Sturgeon Slayers announced a new fishing world record for the largest white sturgeon ever caught and measured. This prehistoric fish was released back into the pristine waters of the Fraser after it was measured and what is truly wild is Sturgeon Slayers set the new white sturgeon fishing world record by breaking their own record!
Back in 2021, they caught and measured a white sturgeon that was 352cm or 11 feet, 6 inches from nose to fork (tail) and it was a whopping 55″ around, a girth measuring over 4.5-feet. Until now, that was the largest of this sturgeon subspecies ever caught and measured. Flash forward five years, countless anglers and guides fishing the world-famous Fraser River, and they have somehow managed to capture lightning in a bottle for a second time and set a white sturgeon world record.
Sturgeon Slayers Catch New White Sturgeon World Record Measuring 356cm Fork Length
Up in British Columbia, they measure from the tip of the fish to the fork of the tail. That isn’t always the case here in the State where sturgeon often get measured from the tip of the fish to the tip of the tail. Even still, this is the longest ever measured anywhere.
This fish has a fork length of 356cm, or 11.67 feet long. Most bottlenose dolphins measure 6-12 feet long so this fish is longer than the vast majority of bottlenose dolphins swimming around in the ocean.
Check out this close-up view of the new world record fish in front of the Sturgeon Slayers boat:
Truly stunning:
new white sturgeon fishing world record caught by Sturgeon Slayers on the Fraser River in British Columbia, Canada
Following this catch-and-release, Sturgeon Slayers founder Kevin Estrada said “the significance of both these record-setting fish is that conservation works. These fish are getting bigger and the fact that both had not been caught and tagged before is incredible. This latest fish is far more than a record. It demonstrates what happens when conservation, responsible angling, scientific collaboration and public awareness come together to protect a species that has survived for millions of years.”
Shawn North and Elvis Penton were fishing with Sturgeon Slayers and are the men on the reel who brought in this once-in-a-lifetime fish. After photographs and measurements were taken, it was released safely back to the Fraser River to keep on living its life and grow even larger.
The aforementioned previous world record of this subspecies of sturgeon was caught by former NHL goalie and Vezina Trophy winner Pete Peeters. That was such a beautiful fish. The armored plating of these fish really accentuates the fact that they are living fossils.
At the time that fish was caught, a local biologist confirmed it was over 100-year-old. That means this new world record white sturgeon is almost certainly also older than 100 years which is truly hard to wrap my mind around. Think about how many world wars this fish has lived through. Calvin Coolidge was the president 100 years ago! Air conditioning wasn’t even common for another 30 years after this fish was born!
Now, if you are at all interested in booking a fishing charter with Sturgeon Slayers and fishing the Fraser River you can check out their website where they have an email contact form that you can use to request a charter. They are, hands down, the best sturgeon fishing outfit on the best sturgeon fishing river in the world. If you want to catch a dinosaur they are your crew.