A man fishing on an East Tennessee bridge recently captured what is possibly one of the largest and oldest fish living in the state, Fox 17 reports. Christopher Begley, an angler from Rogersville, reeled in the massive capture while fishing from the Horton Ford bridge on the Clinch River above Kyle's Ford, according to a post from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency on Wednesday (April 14).
Begley managed to catch a lake sturgeon, but due to its size, he needed help from his fiancé, Kathy Trent, to reel in the little monster. The fish measured more than 5 feet long, coming in at a whopping 61.5 inches.
According to Bart Carter, coordinator with the regional fisheries program, the sturgeon is nearly 30 years old. Carter went on to say that the giant fish is likely part of a restoration effort in the area that dates back to 1992 when 3,200 lake sturgeon were released in the river.
According to the TWRA, lake sturgeon can grow up to 8 feet long and weigh up to 300 pounds. They also have the potential to live up to 150 years.
If you're concerned about the sturgeon's fishy fate, don't worry. Begley released it back into the water.
Photo: Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency