Kevin Estrada, age 44, who owns Sturgeon Slayers guide service in Chilliwack, British Columbia is no stranger to catching giant white sturgeon – one of the largest freshwater species on the planet.
Estrada specializes in guiding anglers in the pursuit of these prehistoric giants, catching and releasing fish that often reach astonishing sizes. He operates primarily on the Fraser River near his hometown of Chilliwack, east of Vancouver, where some of the world’s largest white sturgeon are found.
Because white sturgeon are protected in the Fraser River, all fishing is strictly catch-and-release. As a result, fish cannot be retained and officially weighed. Instead, length and girth measurements are used to estimate weight. According to Estrada, many of the sturgeon he catches with clients would surpass the current International Game Fish Association (IGFA) all-tackle record of 468 pounds, set in California in 1983.
In 2021, Estrada guided former NHL goaltender Pete Peeters to an estimated 890-pound Fraser River sturgeon; far larger than the standing world record. As required by law, the fish was released unharmed.
A strong advocate for conservation, Estrada works closely with organizations dedicated to protecting and restoring white sturgeon populations throughout their historic range. For him, catch-and-release fishing is not only a regulation but a responsibility.
When Estrada guided a party of anglers on June 4 and they hooked and battled a fish that was well over half-a-ton, it was like capturing the Holy Grail of white sturgeon.
“In the boat were anglers Anders Sorensen, Travis Meiklejohn, Shawn, and Elvis,” Estrada told Wired2Fish. “We were fishing in murky water more than 100 feet deep around midday when a huge fish took the bait.”
Estrada declined to reveal exactly what bait was used.
“We’re not allowed to use live bait, and we don’t use lures,” he said. “I’m not going to say which bait — I like to keep a few secrets.”
The anglers used 200-pound braided line, a 70-pound monofilament leader, and a barbless hook. Multiple anglers took turns battling the massive sturgeon for about 40 minutes before it could be guided into shallow water for measuring.
The fish was so large that two tape measures were needed to wrap around its body because neither tape was long enough on its own.
“We found a safe area to collect measurements,” Estrada explained. “The fish was a ‘virgin’ (untagged). So we tagged it. I do a substantial amount of conservation work here in the province.”
The fish measured 11.67-feet in fork length, not total length, with a 60.23-inch girth measured at the pectoral fins.
Using a standard formula that estimates weight from length and girth, Estrada calculated the fish’s weight at approximately 1,200 pounds — well over half a ton.
After photographs were taken, the giant sturgeon was released unharmed back into the Fraser River.
“They have no problem after being released,” Estrada said. “The mortality rate for catch-and-release sturgeon is 0.012 percent. More than 30 years of data support that.”
Estrada believes the Fraser River remains one of the most sustainable white sturgeon fisheries in the world.
“We don’t own the river,” he said. “We steward it. Every fish we catch is treated as a living record, not a trophy.”
