Big fish found dead in Lake Washington

From Keith Magnuson via the Seattle Times



SEATTLE -- An eight-foot sturgeon was found belly up near the shores of Lake Washington by a water-skier Saturday.

The fish, the biggest of its kind found in the lake since 1987, was found by Keith Magnuson, who told the Seattle Times that he originally thought the beast was a shark.

"At first I thought it was a shark, but then we figured out it was a large sturgeon," Magnuson said.

The fish measured about 8-feet long and was found north of Matthews Beach. State Fish and Wildlife biologists said large sturgeon are uncommon -- but not unheard of -- in Lake Washington.

Sturgeon can grow up to 20 feet long and weigh more than 1,000 pounds.