Record white sturgeon catch in Idaho described as 'exceedingly rare'

An Idaho lake known for bass and crappie fishing is now famous for having produced the state-record white sturgeon.

Greg Poulsen, visiting from Utah, landed the nearly 10-foot, 4-inch sturgeon on Aug. 5 after a marathon battle at C.J. Strike Reservoir.

White sturgeon, the largest freshwater fish in North America, are protected in Idaho and the state only recognizes catch-and-release records.

The sturgeon released by Poulsen measured 124 inches (10.33 feet). The previous record was 119.5 inches, set in 2019.

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game, which announced the record on Friday, explained that white sturgeon exceeding 10 feet are "exceedingly rare" anywhere but the deep-running Hells Canyon stretch of the Snake River.