BOISE, Idaho — Greg and Angie Poulsen's trip from Eagle Mountain, Utah was certainly worth it after Greg hooked a 10-foot, 4-inch white sturgeon while fishing at C.J. Strike Reservoir Aug. 5 to set a new Idaho record.
C.J. Strike is typically known for its abundance of crappie and smallmouth bass, according to Idaho Fish and Game (IDFG). However, on July 20, Paul Newman of Fruitland set a new catch-and-release state record for channel catfish at the southwest Idaho reservoir.
Poulsen's catch measured 124 inches in length, shattering the previous white sturgeon record of 119.5 inches, set in 2019 by Rusty Peterson.
Idaho Fish and Game said sturgeon greater than 10 feet are very rare and usually only seen in Hells Canyon.
The department collected hundreds of fish for surveys from the Snake River and C.J. Strike. Idaho Fish and Game has only found "a handful" of sturgeon in the same class as Poulsen's record-breaking catch.
Biologists have landed more than 4,000 sturgeon during surveys in Hells Canyon over the last 30 years, but only 10 have been measured at more than 10 feet in length.
"So yes, they do exist, but these are very rare and special fish," IDFG wrote in a news release.
White sturgeon fishing is allowed only on a catch-and-release basis in Idaho and cannot be removed from the water during handling.
According to Idaho Fish and Game, sturgeon around C.J. Strike Reservoir usually reach sexual maturity after 10 to 15 years. The process can take even longer in Hells Canyon.
To learn more about Idaho's record fish and to apply, click here.
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