Almost a record

[CommonSense Guy]

I agree. There would be more trophy's if people left the 45's alone and occasionally took a monster. But then again there would be more 57's around if people left the 55's alone. Oh well I don't care if people pound MIlle Lacs as long as they leave the Woods alone. Anyway as many predicted Sat was a big day. Cisco spawn and the moon.

[hanson]

The way I see it, I go fishing to catch fish; not see them or watch the birds.

In the act of catching a fish, things happen. You get a fish that is deep hooked, you get a hook in the gills, you get a fish that is fighting for his life cause he doesn't want you to catch him. What can you do? That stuff happens.

IMO, the best thing we can do as fisherman is be prepared, and work as efficiently and effectively as possible to give the fish a good shot at a successful release.

I mean if we are really that worried about killing fish, why fish for them? Every time you hook a fish, and I don't care what species it is, there is a risk that it will not survive a release.

Sounds like these guys tried to let her go, but it wasn't to be. What can you do? It happens.

[Cooter]

So many close calls to the MN record lately, just a matter of time.

[Fishing_High]

Well said Hanson.

[HugoBox]

Well stated Hanson.

I guess that for some people the only answer would be to not fish with hooks period. I guess trolling around and taking snapshots with the underwater camera would be a possible solution - oh wait maybe the LEDs would hurt the fish's eyes.

Sorry for that but this is a great forum and i have learned a ton from the good people that post here - its just too bad that there is always a negative aspect to focus on.

[Muskiefool]

Fish die thats a fact, it's the things we do between setting the hook and tossing her in the box or back in the lake that count, if you have a fish go down so be it, Ive seen several die in other boats, all were due to the 2-3 guys in the boat all needing to be in the picture when the fish was clearly needing water and attention.

I think we should all be prepared for a deep hook situation and most of us are with various tools and techniques, I'm sure I'm not the only person to deep hook a fish and have to work from both ends, but by some rational we should just say well she's hooked deep shes gonna die, or the gill got ripped shes dead, I just got a fish last week that the gill plate and gill arch were badly damaged from a previous release and she was eating and very.

Healthy my point is that it's up to us as anglers and in the case of most Muskie fishermen to be good sportsmen and conservationist's and if she can swim away at least she has a chance, these fish cost us as anglers allot of money in stocking and specific species lake assessments, it's our responsibility to do what we can to educate and propagate the information needed to move forward 20 years not back 20.

I really am not worried about this fish, it's dead, I'm concerned for the next 55 that may not see 57 or 60, I'm not saying don't fish and I'm not crying over the spilled milk I'm worried about the future of all the lakes and specifically a few that are being harvested at a higher rate than others.

If your out looking for the record to kill so your name can be in the book I understand that, it's not my objective but I understand, the best thing for that angler is getting a certified scale in the boat they cost a couple hundred bucks and you can weigh the fish right in the net, then you know what you have I'M NOT saying that was this guys intention, but it may save some fish this fall and next summer and fall.

Theres people that don't want Muskie in that lake for many reasons and they love it when we start to bicker and when we kill one they have a lil party for themselves, it's up to us to educate the next generation of Muskie haters before they cant be educated, Muskies are not eating all the Walleyes and not destroying your lake, the guys that are in full swing with there campaign to stop muskie stocking and introduction cannot be educated, they just hate our fish.

[HugoBox]

Muskiefool -

I appreciate your passion for catch and release and I wouldn't keep a musky if I didn't have to. I also appreciate the fact that musky fisherman try to take good care of the fish they release. I just think that given the audience here (mostly musky fisherman) we are all concerned for the future of these fish and its a given that everyone, including the guy who caught it, would rather have seen the fish swim away.

Good luck to all of you the rest of this fall - I'm pretty much duckin' the rest of the year.

- erik