240 Pound Fish Caught In The Detroit River

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Staff laying next to adult lake sturgeon on deck of boat by Jason Fischer/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

A real life “river monster” was caught in the Detroit River by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service personnel last week.

In a post on social media, the Alpena Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office, a U.S. government organization tasked with fishery conservation in Lake Huron, western Lake Erie, and the Detroit River, among others, said the fish was a “once in a lifetime catch”.

The organization’s mission statement says they “work to investigate and restore native fish species like lake trout and lake sturgeon, monitor for and educate about the threats of aquatic invasive species” and “restore aquatic habitat that benefits fish and wildlife.”

The fish, described as one of the largest lake sturgeon ever recorded in the United States, measured 6 feet, 10 inches long (208cm) and weighed in at 240 pounds (109kg). The fish had a girth of nearly four feet (122cm).

The Alpena Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office says based on the fish’s size, it’s assumed to be a female, and that it’s over 100 years old.

“She likely hatched in the Detroit River around 1920 when Detroit became the 4th largest city in America,” the post said.

Officials say the fish was quickly released back into the river after processing.