Atlantic sturgeon caught at a derby on Sunday in Quispamsis. (CBC)

Sunday was a wet but calm day for fishermen taking part in a sturgeon derby in Quispamsis, N.B.

The popular event isn't just about throwing your line in the water and pulling out some of the ugliest fish around. 

Not a lot is known about the Atlantic Sturgeon and the derby gives scientists an opportunity to study some of the fish that are being caught.  A team from the University of New Brunswick was on the water taking blood samples and weighing the fish.

Sturgeon are described as pre-historic and look pretty much as they did 250 million years ago during the era of the dinosaurs. 

Richard Little was the winner of the derby in 2011.  Fishing from a kayak, he pulled in a 52 inch, 30-plus pound sturgeon.