What would you do??

OK, so I don’t clutter up the other thread, I have a question for all the guys who are replying to the minimum size limit issue.

You are on Mille Lacs, with a 50″ minimum(assuming it gets implemented). You catch a fish that is 53×29. This fish is likely a new state record according to your digital scale and the measurement forumla. You know it’s real close, likely within a half pound. What do you do???

I know the die hards will say release it, too close to call and would hate risk killing this fish. What about you weekend warriors like myself, who only dabble in the muskie fever occasionally.

Number one, I’d never get her in my live well, so I would surely have to kill the fish to get it on a certified scale.
Number two, I’d sure hate to kill a fish that just missed the state record, knowing full well she would have made it after one more meal.

I look forward to the opinions of you new guys especially!!

Thanks

John

I would not kill this fish I would document it the best I could get a witness or two and get a mount made. If I say I came close to breaking the record and you don’t belive me then thats no problem. I would not be looking for fame. Just to know I was close would be good enough for me. If you thought I was full of it, then I would let God judge you…thats not my job.

I would do EVERYTHING within reason to get some good photos. Then I would release it. I totally against killing one of these fish. Especially after seeing one over 50″ in a cooler last summer. That is my opinion.

I have mixed feelings on this to be honest.

I, on one hand have no problem killing a state record.

But on the other hand, if it is close, just get a replica…….

Why do you need to kill it???

When I first started ski hunting, I always wanted a 50″r for the wall. That was my goal, maybe even a 48″……

But, the more I hunt them, the more I keep wanting to preserve them. I haven’t broken that 50″ mark yet, after 6 hard years of chasing……..Everytime I get the opportunity, I freeze up, freak out, loose my mind and stare……..whatever, I loose composure.

These fish do hypmotize me. Last year on the Pond, I had a honest low-to mid 50″ class fish that was VERY thick come into my bait 5 times on 5 casts. She followed, but would turn away. Never got her to bite………..My knees were shaking so bad after that experience, I had to take about a 10 minute break, smoke a few smokes, and pound a few beers just to calm my nerves. They have done it to me twice on LOTW too…..honest fish in the mid-50″ range….I loose composure when they are that close, at the side of the boat, ready to eat my lure…….I always screw up……..

Because of my feelings above, I have no intent of killing a fish, except for a solid true state record.

I would rather kill 10 10lb walleyes and 5 5lb bass than one 48″ ski!

Today’s ski fishing is at an all time high for fishing and pressure. I’m not saying that is a bad thing, it is just a fact that many, many people today are ski fishing. Imagaine if everyone on Mille Lacs that ski fishes just kept “ONE FOR THE WALL” for one year………There is no size minimum, so why not??? It would be devestating to the fishery. Muskies can’t reproduce as fast as walleyes, bass, pike, panfish. So, put on the added pressure, and things are going to get tough. The beauty of it, is that we are in the prime of true trophy hunting right now!!!!!

Where are you going to go and catch a 45lb pike? Where are you going to go to catch a 18lb walleye? Where are you going to go to catch a 9lb bass? I don’t know, but that is what is needed to break todays record for the state……

But, where are you going to go to catch a 55lb muskie! I will go to Mille Lacs, and if a guys spends enough time, I beleive it will be broken this summer. John, you could break it this coming summer if you put in your time!!! The quality is there. That fish is there, along with probably 5 or 10 others in that lake that hold the record.

I can’t tell you where to go to break the record for pike, walleye, or bass……..But today, muskie fishing is in the prime of its life with monster fish. We anglers have to protect that and do the right things today, so we still have this resource in 10 or 20 years.

Musky fishing has increased with anglers many times fold over the past 10 years. As pressure increases, catch rate of the fish in going to increase. Truth to the matter is that not every fish released is going to survive. Warm water, deep water, hooks in critical locations, poor handling/release kills these fish. As pressure continues to increase, mortality is going to increase. So, today, we have to protect this resource.

I remember a few years back when the magical pike for the wall was a 20lber. It was rare to catch and you had to pretty much go to Canada to do it. Today, I know of 3 honest fish out of Mille Lacs that breaks the 45″ barrier, with the largest pushing 28lbs. These 3 fish were caught over the past 2 years. These fish are still there because of proper selective harvest and CPR. These three fish were released. A 28lb, 48″ pike is an ABSOLUTE monster. It is once in a lifetime fish for the state…….But, because of education that you don’t have to kill them, to show people you got it, they are there…..

John, you did say that you dable in it occasionally……….I did too……about 6 years ago…….It took one fish to convince me that every other fish is just bait!!!!!!!! I’ll get ya hooked on them this summer buddy!!! You will be selling your walleye gear in no time!!!!!!

I like to think i would put it back. Its easy to say now but until i would catch it I just dont know. I am not a hardcore musky guy, mainly cause the oppertunity is not that great in iowa. I have kept 2 muskys in the past. The one in my little picture that i talked my dad into letting me keep for a mount when i was little, and one that really swallowed my bait and was dead when i got him to the boat. After spending much time trying to revive him i just kepted it. I have since put a few back bigger in my few trips north.
I think Gary stated what musky fishing is all about. I personally remember the ones that missed the bait as much as the ones i was fortunate to land.

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These fish do hypmotize me. Last year on the Pond, I had a honest low-to mid 50″ class fish that was VERY thick come into my bait 5 times on 5 casts. She followed, but would turn away. Never got her to bite………..My knees were shaking so bad after that experience, I had to take about a 10 minute break, smoke a few smokes, and pound a few beers just to calm my nerves. They have done it to me twice on LOTW too…..honest fish in the mid-50″ range….I loose composure when they are that close, at the side of the boat, ready to eat my lure…….I always screw up……..

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THIS FISH IN QUESTION WOULD GO BACK IN THE LAKE…NO QUESTIONS ASKED….I LIKE GARY HAVE ALWAYS SAID IF I HIT THE 50″ MARK I WOULD PUT IT ON THE WALL…THIS IS A FISH OF A LIFE TIME. WELL LAST SUMMER I BROKE THAT 50″ MARK BY A FEW INCHES AND SHE IS BACK IN THE LAKE. I SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON THE WATER CHASING THE ELUSIVE SKI AND WHEN I HAD THAT MAMMA IN MY HANDS,LEGS SHAKING,HEART THUMPING, THERE WAS NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT SHE WAS GOING BACK. I SEE NO REASON TO KILL A FISH LIKE THAT, EVEN IF I WAS HOLDING A NEW STATE RECORD, I THINK SHE WOULD GO BACK, HARD TO SAY UNTIL THAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS. WITH A FEW GREAT PHOTOS ON THE DIGITAL CAMERA AND A GIRTH MEASUREMENT, HAVE A REPLICA MADE. I HAVE MORE RESPECT OF THE MIGHTY LUNGE, I WOULD RATHER SEE A HEALTHY FISH IN THE WATER, THEN MY NAME NEXT TO THAT STATE RECORD, KNOWING THAT I HAD TO KILL HER TO GET THAT ACCOMPLISHED….. THERE WERE TWO 1ST FOR ME THIS SUMMER, THE BEFORE MENTIONED 50+ IN FISH(MY NEW PERSONAL BEST) AND SAD TO SAY…I KILLED MY 1ST LUNGE, AFTER 10 YEARS OF NOTHING BUT CATCH AND RELEASE. I HAD A 35IN FISH EAT A TIGER TUBE SO DEEP THAT IT WAS STONE DEAD BY THE TIME I GOT IT TO THE BOAT. I COULD NOT SEE THE TUBE, ONLY MY LEADER. THIS STILL BOTHERS ME TO TALK ABOUT THIS. MAKING ME SICK TO MY STOMACH. SO FOR THIS REASON, I AM VERY CONFIDENT THAT A STATE RECORD WOULD BE PUT BACK IN THE LAKE TO FIGHT AGAIN. I AM NOT DISRESPECTING ANYONE WHO KEEPS A STATE RECORD, IT IS UP TO YOU!!!!!!!

Bob,
I’ve been meaning to ask for some time now……….

What is the story and that fish in your Avatar????

Did that Carp hit your Musky lure?

Carp………..bass………….I say: “whats the difference”

Bunch of rubber-lip bait is what I see!!!

First let me say that it is great to see all the great names big and small weighing in on this conversation. Fantastic to see Mr. Fellegy and Maina on the Board. Welcome to them and it is great to see the huge admiration for this great fish. My answer is no fish has made it into my boat and stayed. I HOPE that all of the fish I have released have made it and are still swimming. To date, my heaviest muskie is the one I am holding near left. It was 44″ with a 21 1/2″ to 23 1/2 inch girth. The girth measurement is skewed because the young man that did the measuring was so excited and scared by the size of the fish, I could not feel comfortable of his 23 inch measurement. Therefore, I fudged the fish down. By the formula it was between 26 and 29 pounds. I have released a 50 1/2 fish.

The fish I want a replica of and will get some day was 42″ and weighed 19# by formula. It had all the markings of a great tiger, but was a true muskie. Maybe some day after that, I will get the bigger fish in a replica.

I have a great desire for all large fish of all species to be released. I have a great quandry of having a young person in my boat and their desire to keep a fish to mount. I would like to think that at this time I could for some young man or woman convince them that the replica is the way to go. I had a 13 year old catch a 31″ walleye a couple of summers ago and that was the hardest thing to do was allow him to keep the fish for a mount. That particular scenario with a child makes it difficult, not the partial trophy, but the true trophy. I would like to think that I would talk the child into release and replica, but that is the toughest decision for me. With adults, no problem, back she goes!!!

To sum it all up, they all go back. I applaud you Minnesotans in this regard, we just tried to get a couple dozen lakes in northern WI into this category and it was voted down. I really wished that several lakes would have been put into that trophy category. In time more of them could have been put into that trophy category as we watched how the first few went.

First, do we agree a muskie IS a fairly strong fish when it comes to taking abuse. If not bounced around on a deck of a boat several times or having torn gear rakers or being left out of the water for several minutes, MOST fish are able to swim away when worked with for a while.

That said, IF I had what I think is a potentail state record muskie in the net/boat, I would keep it alive until it can be “officially” weighed and certified. How would I keep it alive? What fits in the livewell will go in the livewell OR if I am fairly close to a resort that has bait tanks going, I would leave it in the net and slowly troll it to the dock and take a few seconds to transport it to a tank. I’d call DNR fishery people to come and take all the vitals or with a tanker of their own, transport the fish to a certified scale. THEN…do what it takes to get the fish back in the lake and make sure it swims away. I would NOT release it at the dock but instead take it out to a deeper area where it it would have plenty of room to lay around and not get beat up by waves or the like.

So…IF I get the chance…I want to know the REAL story. Is it a record or not?! I think it CAN be done safely if planned out correctly.

Steve Fellegy
NPAA #49

Sorry it took some time to get back to you on the Carp.. I was out fishing Forest Lake for muskies and we saw a ton of carp groveling up in the shallows. The fishing was very slow so we decided that we would go home and get the bows and shoot some carp. If you have not done this….you must. Shooting carp with a bow is a riot. I wish that fish would have hit a musky bait, the fight would have been amazing.

If you plan on starting or staying in this Muskie fishing game, one thing you all should consider is that sooner or later you may kill one unintentionally. Unfortunately there are a many ways that this can happen. Isn’t that the fish(regardless of size) that deserves to be mounted and displayed? Simply offered for your consideration.

I would take a couple of pictures and release it, as I have the 50″ and another 49.5″(male)already on the wall. These fish were taken before the CPR theme was being touted and I fully understood the need to conserve these leviathans! Are 50″+ muskies still in their reproductive prime?

From what I have read and understand 48 inch plus Muskies are the most prolific spawners and obviously genetically superior.

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From what I have read and understand 48 inch plus Muskies are the most prolific spawners and obviously genetically superior. [/quote Thanks muskiemachinery, that is good to know!

As others have stated, I would do my best to document the fish via pictures and measurements and return her to the water. While it would be cool to be associated with the new state record, it’s not worth risking the fish’s life to make it happen. Just my two cents….

When I was 17 years old (31 years ago) I was pan fishing and caught a 48″ tiger muskie. When I think back to how I handled the fish and the fact that I killed it I feel bad about the whole deal. I have caught some smaller ones since and I don’t think twice about putting them back.

I would take several pictures and say thanks as the fish was put back.

OK. In light of the recent fish tales told by Jack, let’s assume the massive 68 does live in the pond. What would you do if you caught her. I’d be hard pressed to release it. Possible world record. I know it should be released, but I’d have a hard time doing it.

Its not like I made up the story!! If I had, with a story like that my nose would be sticking out the back of my monitor while I type this!!

If you were to catch a fish that size, and wanted to save it but still weigh it for a record, you would have to have someone with you, and a good cradle. Leave the fish in the cradle, in the water, and have your partner run the bow mount to the nearest resort while you hold the cradle. While making your way to shore use a cell phone and get ahold of the CO in that area so they are at the dock waiting for you with a certified scale when you get there.

I hear you Kooty. It would be an awfully hard thing to do releasing that fish. I would want to release her, but I would be itching to register it as the Record. As much as I hate to admit it, the later my win over

Ok, following Jacks advice. Is there a listing of CO’s numbers somewhere? Can you call TIP for something like this??? Would a 68″ even fit in a cradle? Jacks idea would be the best of both worlds. Weighing the new World Record and watching her swim away to batlle another day!

Either that could I put Gary’s # in speed dial. I thought it would be the proper thing to do is call Gary. By no means rub it in, just call him…. ok to raz him as much as I could

I can only imagine holding a fish that is only 5 inches shorter than me. I’d probably need Gary’s help holding her. And yes, he would be the first person I called after I watched her swim away. Just to share the love ya know!!

Good idea, but you may want to verify that process. Check out the State Record Application. Rule 6c & 8. IF you want the record to stand, you will likely need to kill the fish.

State Record Application.

-J.

I was thinking that too. I’m sure we had talked about it somewhere along the way. Well, like I said, with the right motivation, I could possibly be talked into releasing her. I know it would feel awesome to let her go and what does it matter if I have my name in the record book, right??? Boy, I sure hope I have to make this decision someday!!

Sixty-eight inch musky, crushing the current state record weight of 54.0 lbs. Out of Mille Lacs to boot…. Hhhhhhmmmmm….. I’d keep it.

However, I’m more likely to stumble into the state record Rock Bass instead.

-J.

A 68″ fish???

The state record is 66″ out of Leech………

I don’t know if I could release that fish. I guess if I had enough witnesses and good, proper measurements and weight, I would let her go if she was healthy.

But do understand, a fish of that porportion is a “freak” and my “guess” is that it doesn’t reproduce anymore.

If you released it, rest assured that you would be ridiculed for the rest of your life and challenged on your claim. Unfortunately, there are many “fish stories” that people tell. Then, there are many true stories of monsters that people call you a liar on and spend their time trying to disprove your claim.

There was a big ski that apparently got hit by a prop out on the mud flats a couple of years back before opener. The fish was suppose to be state record quality, if not bigger. The guys didn’t bring it in, because the season wasn’t open yet. True or not??? I don’t know, but I do beleive they exist.

Considering the quality of the fish in Mille Lacs, a 68″ fish would be a world record.

I can almost rest assure all, that nobody is going to catch this fish. She probably eats 5lb fish for a living.

A couple of years back, talking to the locals @ LOTW up in the Big Narrows. There was a report that a 72″ muskie washed up on shore and the seagulls were eating it. Apparently, they figured the fish died of old age and floated up. This was over by Clear Water Bay. Apparently, a local Indian found it while checking his nets. Word was the Ontario Ministries was called and they measured the girth, which came to 32″. That would be about a 90lb fish. Is it true??? I don’t know, but there appears to be no evidence on it today.

I do beleive these big fish exist, but the chances of catching them are just non existent. I beleive their eating habits and where they live are much different that what the “normal” muskie lives and does.

Good luck to the person who chases her. And an early congratulations to the person who catches the state record out of Mille Lacs this year. For I firmly believe that it will happen this year. There are so many “big fish” in that system right now, that are fully mature. They are pushing the 25 year mark and they have been eating very quality foods their whole life. The quantity of state records exist in that body of water more than LOTW, is my belief.

I have to admit, if it was that obvious it was a record book fish, i’d register it.
You only go round once and i’d take my 15 minutes of fame!
Can’t be perfect all the time!

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A 68″ fish???

The state record is 66″ out of Leech………

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I thought the State record was around 55″ So I did some research, here is what I gathered from the MN DNR website!

STATE RECORDS

Muskie: 54 pounds, 56 inches, Lake Winnibigoshish (Cass and Itasca counties), 1957.

So if you are talking about 66 & 68″ coming from a well fed lake Mille Lacs. These type of fish would crush the current record!

Yeah, I thought the record came out of Winnie?

Good research!

You guys are right…….My mistake.

I was just thinking of the 66″ that came out of Leech………