Fisherman Snags 10-Foot Sturgeon on Fraser River—Here’s Why They’re So Huge

Fisherman Snags 10-Foot Sturgeon on Fraser River—Here’s Why They’re So Huge
NHL hockey player Nick Leddy poses with his over 10-foot sturgeon, caught while on a fishing trip with Sturgeon Slayers on the Fraser River. Courtesy of Kevin Estrada
Michael Wing
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British Columbia’s mighty Fraser River twists its way down from the highest Rocky Mountains to the sea near Vancouver. Named by early explorers seeking new trade routes in the 19th century, it was called “Elhdaqox” by Athabaskan tribes, which in the Tsilhqot'in language means “sturgeon.”

Where the Fraser Valley opens into a wide canyon before dumping into the Pacific Ocean, fishing guides like Kevin Estrada capitalize on this still-pristine river’s robust population of prehistoric bottom feeders. The name of the Chilliwack-based operation he runs, Sturgeon Slayers, is misleading, because Estrada, 42, a former NHL draftee, is bent on conservation, tagging the fish he catches for recreation and then releasing them.
Michael Wing
Michael Wing
Editor and Writer
Michael Wing is a writer and editor based in Calgary, Canada, where he was born and educated in the arts. He writes mainly on culture, human interest, and trending news.