Shropshire angler and the one that didn't get away
He has caught some big fish in his time - but pensioner Peter Starbuck wrestled with the catch of his life when he hauled this 350lb giant from the depths.
The Oswestry fisherman has just returned from his summer holiday in Canada to tell the story of the one that didn't get away.
Mr Starbuck travelled to British Columbia for a fishing holiday to catch salmon, and while he was there he took a trip to the Fraser River to try his hand at catching white sturgeon.
But he amazed his guide, Steve Kaye, by landing an enormous 350lb fish.
"It looked like a scene from Jaws," the 78-year-old said.
"It was the second time we went out, just myself and the guide, and I caught a fish after an hour. I could feel it getting more weight on the line and thought maybe I'd caught one about my weight, 160lb.
"Steve said we'd bring it in, and he cut off some of the line so we could pull it in. It towed us down the river for an hour and eventually it got close enough that we could beat it.
"It was actually like being in the gym on the weight machine, and you think you're going to do 20 reps, but the fish was saying you get off when I tell you. It's pulling on your back and also really your whole body. You have to be aware of not being pulled off the boat.
"It was really that exciting. It was a marvellous experience and this time I can tell the story of the one that didn't get away."
Mr Starbuck said that after releasing the giant catch back into the river he went on to catch another 12 fish with a combined weight of 1,500lb.
"It was wonderful," he said. "There were quite a few bald headed eagles and we saw a beaver as well. I'm now planning to go back next year."
After watching Mr Starbuck's massive catch, Mr Kaye was so impressed that he posted the picture on his Facebook page, where it has attracted almost 100 'likes'.
He posted a caption with the picture: "78 years young with 350lbs of Sturgeon...never to old to live life!"
Mr Starbuck, who runs his own business, started fishing in the early 1970s. After fly fishing for trout for 20 years he moved on to fishing for salmon.
"I went to British Columbia two years ago to catch salmon," he said. "Last year I went back and someone suggested I should try fishing for sturgeon."
