Former NHL player’s monster catch inspires Missouri woman to reel in 1,200-pound sturgeon

Inspired by an account of NHL player Nick Leddy catching a giant sturgeon, Missouri angler Katharine Eckert booked a fishing trip in British Columbia and landed an enormous fish of her own. Her catch may be the largest freshwater fish documented for a female angler, though it cannot be confirmed as a world record.

Fishing with her boyfriend and guide Kevin Estrada on the Fraser River near Chilliwack, Eckert fought the 11-foot, 4-inch sturgeon for about 40 minutes. Its weight was estimated at 1,100 to 1,200 pounds from measurements, as protected white sturgeon must be released and cannot be officially weighed; the fish was tagged and returned to the river to support conservation research.