Iowa to 50" ??

[JPenny]

I think this issue would make for a great article. The key of course is education and articles are a good way to spread the good word. But, as can be seen in the previous posts, it's not an easy task here in Iowa. Folks, you cannot compare muskies to bass, walleyes, crappies, pheasants, squirrels, rabbits or any other wildlife. Muskies sit on top of the food chain. The apex predator. King of the beasts in our waters. And naturally, because of their position in the grand scheme of things, there are fewer muskies than any other fish. And getting a muskie to trophy size in this state is something of a miracle. But it doesn't have to be. Think of it this way. Let's say you've caught a 42" muskie in an Iowa water. You're excited as you should be! A beautiful fish for sure, but knowing how fishing pressure is here in Iowa, do you really think this is the first time it has been captured? Highly doubtful at best. Now, if someone like Esox Magnum had not released that fish when he caught it, you would not have had the chance to feel that thrill you experienced when you caught it. Why not pass this on to the next lucky angler? Saying you want a trophy for your wall is no excuse. Get a reproduction mount and put your photo next to it on your wall. Want to really brag about it? Take a release shot and put that next to your mount. Now there's something to brag about! You just conquered the king of the beasts in Iowa waters, but in your infinite wisdom you released it to fight another day and thrill another fisherman.

Esox_Magnum, you seem to now who I am. Who are you? I enjoy reading your posts, perhaps we could meet sometime.

[Esox_Magnum]

Nope no idea who you are other that what your profile says.... I'm just an everyday muskie hunter and ice fisherman....

[JPenny]

Well, you seem to do well. Good luck in future outings.

[Esox_Magnum]

Time on the water almost daily in the summer helps....Winters a little tougher being restricted to weekends only....

[muskydeceiver]

Ummm Shawn. When Jack Penny asks if you want to get together sometime you ask him when and where. When I first started chasing these stupid fish I remember reading his articles in Esox Angler. Tons of good info in that magazine. Really miss it. Jack I think I have heard you live in Iowa, where abouts? I live in Carroll and would love to buy you a beer sometime.

[Esox_Magnum]

Matt nobody ever accused me of being the sharpest nail in the box....

[JPenny]

Well muskydeceiver thank you for those kind words. I currently live in Newton and I'd be happy to take you up on that offer. Nothin' like a few beers and some good conversation!

[Esox_Magnum]

If your ever up in the IGL's are, same offer stands, always up for chatting fishing...

[JPenny]

Thank you for the offer Shawn. I'd like to see the IGL again. Last time I was there was in the late 50's/early 60's. Many good memories!

[Agronomist_at_IA]

There is a proposal to raise the length limit on muskies from 40 inches to 50 inches. The proposal goes to conservation commision for approval on May 13.

Whats anyones thoughts about increasing the 40" min muskie length to 50".

What was ever disscused with the length limit proposal. I looked at the regs on the HSOforum and it looks like they stayed at the 40in min length. I guess I wouldn't have a problem with them going to maybe a 45in min length, But going to a 50 from 40 seems a little rediculous to me. You'd be basicly asking a person to bump up to or break the current state record if they wanted to keep the fish for on the wall. I can see where you want to establish a solid population of trophy type fish, but there is no reason to put the min length to keep a fish for trophy within 2 inches of the state record. I mean if 52 is the state record, what percentage of the muskie popualtion would even grow to that length?

Just looking at the state records..............

Muskellunge 50 lb. 6 oz. 52" Spirit Lake Dickinson 8-00 Kevin Cardwell Spirt lake

Tiger

Muskie 27 lb. 2 oz. 47" West Okoboji Dickinson 8-89 Shannon Green Spencer

Northern

Pike 25 lb. 5 oz. 45" West Okoboji Dickinson 2-77 Allen Forsberg Albert Cityf

[Esox_Magnum]

We have released several near and over 52 in the past few years, only 1 may have been within 5 pounds of the current record... keeping and mounting a 45" muskies like mounting a 5 pound walley....

As for the proposal it's on the back burner for the moment, getting barriers in place to keep invasives out and game fish in the IGL's is priority of the moment...Care do donate $700 grand?

[Agronomist_at_IA]

We have released several near and over 52 in the past few years, only 1 may have been within 5 pounds of the current record... keeping and mounting a 45" muskies like mounting a 5 pound walley....

As for the proposal it's on the back burner for the moment, getting barriers in place to keep invasives out and game fish in the IGL's is priority of the moment...Care do donate $700 grand?

Truthfully if it only takes $700,000 thats cheap for what it brings to the area in revenue. What's the story on asian carp that were found in the lakes.

[Esox_Magnum]

Only a couple were found in the nets, course there could be many more. Sadly we loose alot of fish the DNR spends alot of money on to raise and stock that just swim out of the system, up until the Asian carp the lake owners would not allow or even hear about a barrier, now are willing to help pay for it....Estimated we have lost 50% of the muskie poulation on West O in the past few years, with a projected adult base of 800 fish we cant afford to loose 1 let alone half.... Personaly I think we lost alot more than that judging by how few we saw and caught this past season...A few seasons ago a good day was seeing 15-20 fish and netting 2-3,a bad day was seeing 4-5 and getting nothing,2011 best day was 6 seen none caught and guys who nomaly put 20+ a season in the boat saw numbers 1/3 of that some even less....

[Agronomist_at_IA]

Only a couple were found in the nets, course there could be many more. Sadly we loose alot of fish the DNR spends alot of money on to raise and stock that just swim out of the system, up until the Asian carp the lake owners would not allow or even hear about a barrier, now are willing to help pay for it....Estimated we have lost 50% of the muskie poulation on West O in the past few years, with a projected adult base of 800 fish we cant afford to loose 1 let alone half.... Personaly I think we lost alot more than that judging by how few we saw and caught this past season...A few seasons ago a good day was seeing 15-20 fish and netting 2-3,a bad day was seeing 4-5 and getting nothing,2011 best day was 6 seen none caught and guys who nomaly put 20+ a season in the boat saw numbers 1/3 of that some even less....

The only thing that will suck about that is fishing the little sioux after a barrier like that going up. it will more then likely cut down on the number of walleye & pike in it. I've seen the muskie that you're taliking about being caugh down at the linn grove. at least there still in state and not totally lost.

[Esox_Magnum]

Some have been netted as far away as Gavins Point that originated out of Spirit...DNR does stock the rivers and rivers have a better chance at natural reproduction...I for one fully support a barrier for both inflow and outflow, we have enough invasives above water we don't need any below it....

[Big Perc]

We have released several near and over 52 in the past few years, only 1 may have been within 5 pounds of the current record...

Wow shaley...that would make that fish really fat. I know of a 54" x 28" that weighed 53.5 pounds on a certified scale...you telling me there are fish of that caliber in the Iowa great lakes...highly unlikely. I would love to see pictures of a 47 pound Muskie out of Iowa. What were those measurements 53" x 30"

[Esox_Magnum]

Clayton Wills 53 is the heaviest I know of, pics are in a past issue of Muskies Inc mag... This is one of the better ones we have caught.... 51.5 40 pound range... And we have seen a couple well above the one in the pic... IGL's, Clear, PC all hold 50"+ fish, we always have a few off both Clear and IGL's in our chapter every year...

[Big Perc]

I'm not talkin 50" fish, I'm talking 50 pound fish, even mid 40 pound fish. That really is an awesome fish but mid 40 pounds, not even close. Maybe mid 30 pounds but not quite 40 there bud. Keep fishin. The fish caught from a lake down south here might go 40 pounds and it was way heavier than the one you posted. Keep fishing! Good luck at clear lake.

[Esox_Magnum]

Fish is bigger than the pic shows... Don't care what you belive or don't belive, Look up claytons fish thats a low to mid 40 pounder easily... I'm sure Tracy has or can get pics for you if you can't find them...

[gloomiseye]

Did you guys see the musky caught on big creek the other day? Talk about a tank!

[Esox_Magnum]

Yep great fish....