BOISE - Two Idaho men have quite a fish tale to tell, after they pulled in an big sturgeon while kayak fishing on the Snake River.
Steve Carroll - who also goes by nickname "Sturgeon Steve" - posted a video on YouTube showing the amazing encounter.
Last Saturday, the Caldwell man and his fishing partner, Bryce Thompson of Twin Falls, were kayaking on the river about five miles downstream from Glenns Ferry when they spotted the big fish.
Carroll says they were in the water for just a few minutes when they encountered the sturgeon, but it took almost an hour to reel it in.
According to the men, it was eight-feet long, three-and-a-half feet around, and based on those dimensions, Carroll estimates it weighed 300 pounds or more.
After measuring the sturgeon, they released it, as required by law.
Carroll is sponsored by Alpenglow Mountain Sport, a kayak dealer on Bogus Basin Road. He says he has been fishing for sturgeon from kayaks for about four years.
He calls himself a "stickler for safety" and says it's important to know the water, have confidence in your gear, and always go with another person.
The kayaks he uses for fishing have pontoon-style hulls, which provide a lot of stability, and he uses special poles to keep the kayak still while fighting to land the fish.
Now that his team has caught an eight-footer, Carroll says he's setting his sights on a 10-foot sturgeon.
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