Sturgeons are some of the oldest species of fish to date, as they are descendants from the family, Acipenseridae, which date back to the Early Jurassic epoch some 175 to 200 million years ago.
With that being said, sturgeons have become an endangered species overtime in numerous parts of the world, and sightings are few and far between in Missouri.
Needless to say, you can imagine how ecstatic Missouri angler Troy Staggs was to reel in this 50-55-pound lake monster.
The Missouri Dept. of Conservation tweeted out Staggs’ lucky catch, noting that the 56-inch long sturgeon was his second sturgeon catch-and-release ever, and it took him a whopping 47 minutes to get the fish on the boat.
They also noted that this was only the sixth lake sturgeon catch from Lake of Ozark since 2016.
According to the Missouri Dept. of Conservation, the lake sturgeon can live up to over 100 years old, and can reach over 200-pounds. They become adults around 25 years, with this specific sturgeon being around 30 years old.
I gotta say, if I were Troy Staggs, I’d be heading straight to the casino with a big wad of cash…
Two lake sturgeon catches in a lifetime are extremely rare.
“Paddlefish snagger Troy Staggs got a surprise when he inadvertently landed his second lake sturgeon from Lake of the Ozarks. It was 56 inches long, weighed 50–55 pounds, and is around 30 years old. This was the sixth lake sturgeon reported from LOZ since 2016.
Instead of snagging the fish, his fishing tackle wrapped around its tail! It took him 47 minutes to bring the fish to the boat, where he took a quick measurement, snapped a few pictures, and released the fish back into the lake.
Lake sturgeon can live to over 100 years old and reach over 200 pounds. They are Missouri’s longest-lived animal and our second largest fish. They become adults at around 25 years and move into tributary streams to spawn. This makes them more visible as the fish frequently spawn in shallow water.
MDC began stocking lake sturgeon in the 1980s and continues to stock them to help recover this state-endangered species. Lake sturgeon are protected in Missouri and should be released immediately after capture.”
