LAKE OF THE WOODS COUNTY, Minn. (FOX 9) - A massive lake sturgeon caught on the Rainy River has set a new Minnesota record and highlights the remarkable comeback of this ancient fish.
Travis Keating lands record sturgeon
What we know:
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources certified an 80-inch lake sturgeon caught by Travis Keating as the new state catch-and-release record. Keating landed the fish April 18 during a bitter cold front, with wind chills near 5 below zero and gusts over 40 mph.
Keating was fishing with friends and described the experience as "over an hour of pure chaos." After nearly eight hours in Four Mile Bay, he moved closer to the river mouth, hoping for a late bite. His patience paid off when his rod doubled over and, after a long struggle, his crew managed to bring the massive fish into the boat.
"Getting the fish finally in the boat was such a surreal moment that I just couldn’t wrap my head around it," said Keating. "Now looking back, still can’t believe I was the one to catch the fish and can’t wait to get back and try to top it!"
The fish measured 80 inches long with a 38-inch girth. Based on DNR length-girth-weight charts, it’s estimated at around 165 pounds. Keating’s catch came during an annual sturgeon trip, a tradition that’s become popular as more anglers try their luck at landing the giant fish each spring.
Sturgeon recovery and why it matters
Why you should care:
The record catch is more than just a personal milestone — it’s a sign of the sturgeon’s recovery in the Lake of the Woods-Rainy River system. These fish can live more than 150 years, but were nearly wiped out by commercial fishing and pollution in the late 1800s and early 1900s. With the passage of clean water laws in the 1960s and 1970s, especially the Clean Water Act of 1972, water quality improved and the sturgeon population began to recover.
Ongoing monitoring now shows successful reproduction in most years.
By the numbers:
Population estimates show sturgeon longer than 40 inches grew from about 16,000 in 1990 to about 60,000 in 2004 and 92,000 in 2014. While there hasn’t been a new population estimate since 2014, monitoring continues to track their comeback.
Sturgeon fishing on the Rainy River has become a spring tradition for many Minnesotans, with the chance to catch a fish that’s both rare and historic.
What we don't know:
The most recent population estimate for sturgeon in the system is from 2014, so the current number of large sturgeon is unknown. It’s also unclear when the next official estimate will be conducted.
The Source: Information from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.