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

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/former-nhl-players-monster-catch-inspires-missouri-woman-to-reel-in-1200-pound-sturgeon/
- Published: 2026-11-15T17:39:10+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-15T18:34:31+00:00
- Original publisher: Fox News (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://www.foxnews.com/outkick-sports/former-nhl-player-monster-catch-inspires-missouri-woman-reel-1200-pound-sturgeon
- Topics: Entertainment, Horror, World

## Key points

- Katharine Eckert caught an estimated 1,100 to 1,200-pound sturgeon.
- The 11-foot, 4-inch fish was caught in British Columbia.
- It was tagged and released, so its weight is not certified.

## Summary

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.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.