Random Lake Sturgeon Fact: The lake sturgeon is the giant of inland freshwater fishes and one of the oldest living animals in the world. The largest recorded from Lake Michigan in recent times was killed by a boat propeller near the mouth of the St. Joseph River in 1943. It was 7 feet, 11 inches long and weighed 310 pounds. Another with a weight of 215 pounds was 152 years old when it was caught in 1953.