There are big fish, and then there are giant fish. A 10-pound largemouth is a big fish. It might be a truly impressive specimen from the local reservoir. But that’s not what we’re talking about. We’re talking about giants large and ferocious enough to make a meal out of your personal-best largemouth.
In this world-wide round-up of monsters, we’ve selected and profiled a handful of the biggest and most sporting species that live in freshwater. Dig out your passport and gird your loins for some of the most violent, back-breaking fishing on the planet.
Pacific White Sturgeon- British Columbia
If size matters most, add white sturgeon to your bucket list. These western giants spend time in freshwater and salt, but they are known as North America’s largest freshwater fish. They grow perpetually through a century-long lifespan to top 10 feet in length with weights well over 1,000 pounds.
White sturgeon move between saltwater estuaries and freshwater rivers in a range that spans the Pacific coast from Mexico’s northern Baja to Alaska. Arguably the best white sturgeon fishery in the world is British Columbia’s Fraser River. For 30 years, the Fraser has been catch-and-release-only for this slow-growing giant. A 9-footer is the fish of a lifetime, says Kevin Estrada, of Sturgeon Slayers guide service, yet in 2021 he guided clients to an 11-foot, 6-inch (fork length) monster that is one of—if not the largest—rod-and-reel catch ever.
Read more at sportfishingmag.com.
