Huge Father's Day Memory

Ron and Paul Jarvis will long have something to remember about Father’s Day 2014.

The Atlanta father and son were looking for a fish outing of a lifetime and found it in Chilliwack, B.C. It was the first time Paul, 19, an avid angler, had fished with his dad, Ron, and he hooked into one of the largest white sturgeon ever caught on the Fraser River.

The sturgeon was 11 feet, 10 inches long and 56 inches in girth. Based on a mathematic formula, it weighed more than 880 pounds.

“In the first few minutes I had it on the line I couldn’t believe the weight and power of the fish. I am a big guy and I could barely hold on to the rod let alone begin to reel the fish,” said Paul Jarvis, a 6-3, 250-pound college sophomore. “Managing that fish became a true father-and-son challenge.

“As I battled the fish my dad handed me water to keep hydrated and he even held on to my fighting belt and harness. When I saw that head come out of the water it was massive.”

After more than an hour-long battle the sturgeon was brought to shore by guide Dean Werk of Great River Fishing Adventures, who applied a PIT tag for conservation efforts. The anglers got behind it for photos and videos to capture their once-in-a-lifetime catch.

“I was looking to make the first fishing trip with my son memorable,” Ron Jarvis said. “This fishing trip has been a great bonding experience. It’s a great Father’s Day weekend and a unique adventure we’ll never forget.”

This is the fourth giant sturgeon caught in less than 2 years by Great River Fishing Adventures clients. British tourists Michael and Margaret Snell made international headlines with a 12-4 sturgeon on the Fraser River two years ago.

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“It is really exciting to see a fourth monster fish like this within such a short time period,” Werk said. “It is proof that our conservation efforts are successful and that this is a sustainable fishery as we have seen increases in the population for the past 2 years.”