60" Muskie!

[andy j]

I heard from a guy that a 60" muskie was caught on Lake Vermilion a few days ago, It was released, I would love to see the pictures. The state record is going to be broken sooner or later. AJ

[BDR]

I would think 60"s would smash the record. ?

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Brian Rogers
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[LundBob]

Andy J please drop me an email at [email protected]

I'm from Duluth also. Hoping to share info. I'll spill my guts 1st so you know i'm not just lookin for your spots:}

Here's my online album. I have more to upload but i been too busy fishing.
http://www.clanmage.net/gallery/album12

[This message has been edited by LundBob (edited 10-09-2004).]

[muskieboy46]

I know a guy who caught a 62 inch on a metro lake but it was REALLY skinny and didnt even break 50pounds.

[DoctorB]

There was a documented 55 inch fish caught and released while prefishing for the SimplyFishing tournament on Vermillion. Pictures are on MuskiesFirst. I doubt a 60 inch fish was caught from there. If it had been, it would have been all over the muskies boards by now.

Muskieboy - I think your friend has to check his ruler or you need to call him on his lie. He must fish in the Chippewa Flowage a lot! 52 Yes. 62 No. There have been some absolute monsters documented (and thankfully released) in the metro area - 54 to 55 inch fish. The odds of one reaching 62 inches in the metro are zero. The odds are better for a meteor crashing through my roof right now and striking me down as I type than there being a 62 inch muskie in the metro, let alone catching one. It is beyond the realm of genetic possibility for the forage base our lakes have here.

For perspective, the theoretical ultimate maximum length in some of the best muskie lakes in the world are: Lac Seul - 58.5", Lake of the Woods - 58.6", Eagle Lake - 55.6", Wabigoon - 55.6", Ottawa River - 55.4", Georgian Bay - 58.5", French River - 58.8". The average maximum is obviously a few inches shorter in each lake. This is from the published research of Dr. John Casselman, whom is a research scientist for the Onatrio Ministry of Natural Resources.

Ken Obrien's 65 pound fish was 58 inches in length and 30 years old.

The only 60 inch fish I can think of was Dan Jacobson's 63 inch from Lac Seul, the lenth and accuracy of which is debatable.

A documented 62 inch fish would be one of the single most important muskies ever, even if it was under 50 pounds. Documented is the key word.

[AWH]

LundBob,

How big is that catfish??? That's something you'll never see again!

[AWH]

DoctorB,

A 62" fish impossible? No. Doubtful? Yes. But not impossible, not even for the metro. You never know when you might have a genetic freak.

There's a lake that I know of that is strictly a numbers lake. They "claim" that the maximum size of most of the muskies in the lake are in the low 40s. But there have been a couple of documented 50" coming out of the lake. So sometimes you do get those rare fish that defy all odds.

There's probably someone out there that remembers the exact size better than I do. But I know of a 60" fish that came out of Leech many years back. Something in my head is telling me it was 66"? But I'll just say 60" to be on the safe side. It was only 33 pounds I believe at the time it was caught. But in all the thousands of musky catches I have heard coming out of Leech, the next biggest one I can ever remember hearing about is 57". So the odds of a 60" fish out there are not good. But you never know when a genetic freak might show up.

AWH

[Big G]

Yep, the freak out of Leech was 66". It is mounted and on a wall.

Doubtful as one put it, to see one of these, yes......but not impossible.........

[DoctorB]

Guys we are talking about two different things here. There exists the possibility of a 62 inch muskie in waters like Leech, though the likelihood of it happening is still so infinitesimally small that for all practical purposes it is zero as well. But it is possible there, and in a handful of other lakes in Northern Minnesota. None of which are anywhere near the 494/694 loop. That meteor is possible as well. I hope tonight is not my unlucky night.

Al Maas caught a 57 incher in Leech. Steve Sedesky has a 57.5 incher from Leech. Both of these fish were released, though Steve’s was from 1998 so who knows if that fish is still alive. Jim Flesch guided a client to a 57 incher on Leech in 1996. I think that fish might have been released, but I cannot recall that with certainty. The 58 incher from Cass last year was killed, just like the hundreds of other muskies that that guy from Illinois has killed from Cass. There have been a number of documented 54 to 55 inch fish from most of the other good lakes up there – Mille Lacs, Vermillion and other unnamed lakes. Take your pick. Heck, there has even been a 57 and 56.5 caught over the past several years out of two of those unnamed lakes that I know of firsthand. I’m sure there are others. I know I’d keep my mouth shut if I was on fish of such size.

What do these lakes have that the metro doesn’t? They are all big water lakes. Cass and Leech are natural lakes with a much lower population density than stocked lakes. This is obviously advantageous to growing bigger fish. The common denominator is cisco, whitefish, tullibees and a population of suckers that dwarfs the metro area lakes. The forage base and quality thereof is simply unrivaled. These lakes have the ingredients to grow such a fish, however remote the possibility may be. The lack of these forage fish in the metro is reflected in a less girthier fish, with the exception of one lake that tends to have the fat girls.

You have to remember that these are the first stocked Leech Lake strain fish that are growing up now. The top end is about 55 inches. This does not mean they are done growing, nor that they can’t get larger. It’s just that for the amount of time that they have been alive in the lakes – Vermillion, Mille Lacs, or any of the metro lakes for that matter – they have grown to a top end of approximately 55 inches, with some variation from lake to lake. I think it is highly unlikely that one leapfrogs ahead seven inches to 62 inches with no documented catches from 55 to 62 inches in the metro.

The forty inch lake that gives up a fifty incher arguement is really irrelevant. We are talking 62 inch fish, which is a statistical anomaly and in a different league, not a fifty incher that has become so common now (relatively so) that a fish of that size is not notable. I can literally pick from a handful of lakes right now, including three in the metro area and have a legitimate chance of seeing one in that class most times out. There have been thousands and thousands of documented 50 inch fish. The number of legitimate 60 inch fish can be counted on one hand and you don’t need anywhere close to five fingers to do it. It may be as low as zero. I don’t want to turn this into a debate-the-world-record-debacle, which has been done enough, so I’ll even give you Cal Johnson’s fish that was 60.25 inches. Just name one (other) legitimate 60 inch fish! From anywhere in the world!

I think it is the December 2001 article of Musky Hunter where Joe Bucher, Steve Herbeck, Larry Ramsell, Doug Johnson, Bill Sandy and Dick Pearson give their thoughts on “Super-Fish”. These guys live on the best muskie water in the world and were at the forefront of some of the best muskie fisheries discovered. They know more about muskies than probably the combined knowledge of all users of this site. Their personal bests all fall several inches short of 60 inches although each believes they may have seen a fish that approached 60 inches.

Feel free to post the names, phone numbers and locations of any of the above mentioned fish or email that info to me at [email protected] because I will drop what I am doing and contact the person that caught them. I’d also take time away from the water on my next trip in the area to see the mounted 66 incher.

Catch and release works. Muskies don’t grow when they’re dead. I only hope that we keep releasing these fish so we can see the ultimate potential in our lakes. We are living history right now. The state record will fall, though it won't be a sixty inch fish. It may have been released a few times already. Hopefully that trend will continue.

RK, MuskieTreats, Lance, please post your thoughts if you have any (especially RK). You guys know a lot.

[Esoxmn]

[This message has been edited by esoxmn (edited 10-11-2004).]

[Esoxmn]

I remember seeing a pic of that 60" out of leech.

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Why did'nt Noah swat those two mosquitos?

Gary

[AWH]

DoctorB,

You bring up a lot of very good points and I agree with pretty much everything you have said. I can also tell that you have a lot of knowledge when it comes to muskies, as the things that you bring up, I know as well to be true. Do I believe that there was a 62" fish caught out of the metro? No, I don't. So we are in agreement there. I just don't believe that it's impossible. I know of some monster fish that have been caught in the metro, the biggest that I know of was a 55" to 56" fish a few years ago. So I do believe that a 60" fish is possible in the metro, even with the excellent points you have brought up. A rare beast if it exists in the metro. And because of that, we may never see or hear of one. But you never know.

AWH

[Fish-n-Freak]

I'm not sure who Dr.B is but he is aware of my fish from 1998? So I can start to narrow it down. If he is a doctor in the Ph.D sense than I have a good ides. ;-)
I would agree with the idea that in general we are looking at 57-58" being the maximum, even in the world class lakes. The story is that Spray's fish was 63" and it was displayed with a tape measure for all to see. Over the past two years there has been a number of 55 to 58" fish coming from a few different places. Larry Ramsell has pictures of a fish that was caught in a DNR trap net that "look" to be 60" or more, but it was not measured. It was able to thrash it's way free from two guys and pulled one in the water with it. I think that was in Eagle Lake.

I have held 57.5" of Muskie, I have seen fish that I would swear are bigger. BUT, I am not seeing or holding 57" fish everyday so the judgement gets cloudy. After years of seeing fish that are smaller, I'm sure a 57 or 58" fish is going to look HUGE and might trick me into thinking it is bigger than it is. Until they hit my ruler, I can only guess. I do know someone that, only days after catching a mid 50" fish, saw one that was much bigger? How big, we don't know, but again it could have been a 60" fish.

I think we will see a 60" fish in the next few years, but it will not be a common thing. CPR is the key, some of these "super fish" need to be released in the mid 50" range to see their full potential. I don't think we want to set a max size for Muskies, because there are those people that will figure it's ok to keep a fish that has no growing left to do. The important thing is the fact that these 50" plus fish produce over 800,000 eggs a year, instead of 200,000 in the smaller 40" fish. The genetics of a 57" fish are very important to maintain, and that is a whole different topic.

Good Luck to all, there are big fish out there and many are in MN! We are in the middle of some of the best Muskie fishing ever, with the original stocked fish growing up all around us. This is the best time of year to stick a pig.

Steve Sedesky

[This message has been edited by Fish-n-Freak (edited 10-12-2004).]

[muskieboy46]

Maybe my metro is bigger then your metro but i know there are some big fish that come out of this lake im talking about. Ive seen
55 inchers caught ont this lake. The guy who caught it was a bass fisherman that could care less about muskies. He wouldnt have documented it. Anyway, you dont have to believe me.

[JohnMickish]

Like my mom says, "never say never, you don't hold the key to the future."

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It still beats workin'

[g man46]

I am pretty sure there is a 60" muskie mounted (replica) at the Owatonna Cabelas. When I started muskie fishing I talked to the guy in the muskie department and he was the one who caught it, and it was on Leech. I know the fish is mounted there, I have seen it, but I am only 95% sure it was 60". I think it's funny all of the people who have "seen" mid and upper 50' inch fish on these "secret" lakes. You guys are right, it doesn't matter if we believe you or not, but if you try to make claims about these fish it is a lot easier for others to swallow with a picture, or even the name of the guy who caught it. I caught a REALLY fat muskie on LOTW that I knew was well over 50" untill the tape measure told me it was 48" (LOL)

[This message has been edited by g man46 (edited 10-13-2004).]

[CaptainMusky]

Just watched Waters and Woods with John Gillespie this past weekend. They were fishing up in Montreal on the French River I believe with Pete Maina who knows a thing or two about muskies and big ones too!
Pete hooks and lands a nice fish. They take photos of it and then place it in the cradle to measure it.
John is pretty pumped as always and he says that'll go 50 'eh Pete? Pete, no it's not that big as he holds the head of the fish in the cradle while the guide as the tail. The fish was 53.5" and Pete couldn't believe it. He swore it wasn't even 50". Moral of the story, I think even accomplished professionals can be off in estimating a fish's size and it is possible to UNDERESTIMATE just as easy as over estimate.
DoctorB, none of those fish you mentioned were truly caught on Leech. Just trying to protect a couple smaller lakes that produce some bruisers.
I know of two 58" fish that were caught and released on one Northern MN lake in the same year, saw photos too and there is little doubt to their true size.
60" fish in Vermillion? Probably. Caught? Probably not. If there were photos of a fish like that they would be floating all over the place by now.
I could be wrong, but I believe Blob Mehsikomer caught and released a 60" fish in Canada a couple years ago. Supposed to be World Record Release.

[This message has been edited by CaptainMusky (edited 10-13-2004).]

[DoctorB]

Captain - I was aware of that in general and in one of the mentioned specifically, but not the other two. Would you please email me at [email protected].

Thanks everyone for the input! Keep it coming

[andy j]

Bob has a 57", that is his biggest, there is video of him hooking a huge muskie and it gets off close to the boat, it was a horse, I would guess at least 60".

[bassman186]

Guideman;

Being an avid Bass fisherman I can say Yes we do carry 60" Tape measures in our boats!

Matt

[mudman]

my buddy has a 53" and his dad a 54" from LCO in Hayward. His dad has caught many muskies around 50" but only 2 over. The week after he caught is 54 he was out and said he had one on that was close to 60" and got off. That area of wisconsin has some horses, and those lakes are so deep and big that it would be hard not to believe that a 60 exists in that area.

But like everyone has mentioned, you can always be off with your guess.

So lets answer this question. which lakes have the potential of a 60"
Mille lacs, Leech, Cass, Bemiji, V, st. Louis, Mississippi, LOTW, Little boy, wolf, where do people think its going to come from? or maybe wisconsin?

[half2fish]

GMan,
It is a 60" in the cabelas. I was there about a month ago and was in awe looking at the monster. i think it was 57lbs. not too sure on the weight. but that # wants to stand out in my mind. But i believe that there could be a 60" anywhere there is muskies. You never really know untill someone catches it of drains the lake down.

[Fish-n-Freak]

Hey Captain,
I am pretty darn sure I was on Leech Lake, It's that big one next to Walker right?

October 31st, 1998 6:12pm Walker Bay on a Black and Brass Bucktail, hooked on a figure 8.

The smaller lakes in the area do put out some BIG fish, but my was from Leech.

There are many guys out there that could CPR a 60" fish and never let anyone except their best friends, with tight lips, know about it.
The fishing pressure that news would bring to their water is not worth the press.

Steve Sedesky

[cjac]

Fish-n-freak:
You mentioned Eagle Lake and a DNR netted 60 incher in an earlier post, are you talking Eagle off of 169 in Plymouth? Doesn't seem like a large enough lake to support such a fish, although I believe they are Leech strain muskies stocked in there, correct?

Hey, China produced a 7'6" basketball player in Yao Ming, so I guess anything is possible! Ha Ha!

cjac

[guideman]

I'm sure every bass fisherman has a 60 inch tape measure in his boat....

In all the years of guiding on the Big V, I have seen a number of fish that I thought could be over 55". However I am
doubtful that anyone has caught a 60" fish, at least not yet. I can estimate a fishes size as well as anybody and I have been off by 4 to 6" many times.

Especially when it comes to Big Muskies so now emagine if you will, that I'm a Bass fisherman who rarely see's handles or much less boats a large muskie. Man thats the biggest fish Iv'e ever seen, it must be at least 60". Wait, I always keep my trusty 60" tape in the boat for that once in a lifetime giant muskie.

Oh yea, I believe that story.

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Terry "Ace" Sjoberg
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