9-year-old New Jersey boy catches 270-kg sturgeon during B.C. fishing trip

WATCH: A 9-year-old boy from New Jersey cashed in on his father’s promise big-time, when he caught a giant fish in BC. Randene Neill reports.

VANCOUVER- A nine-year-old boy from New Jersey got more than he bargained for during a recent fishing trip to B.C.

Keegan Rothman went fishing on the Fraser River in Chilliwack with his dad, who offered the trip to his son as a reward for getting straight A’s on his report card.

On Monday afternoon, Keegan caught a Jurassic-sized 270-kilogram Great White Sturgeon that measured more than three metres in length.

It took almost two hours for Keegan – with a little help from his father and a fishing guide – to reel the giant fish close to shore, jump into the water, take a few pictures, and release it.

He said he has long been fascinated by sturgeon because “they’re actually a living dinosaur.”

He may just be nine, but Keegan has already proven to be a pretty skilled angler. During a trip to Mexico last year, he caught a 14-kg dorado and a 55-kg sailfish.

WATCH: Keegan with the monster sturgeon in the Fraser River

-With files from Randene Neill