# 56 pound Muskie caught from the Larry



## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

http://www.fishinfo.com/fishing-articles/article_612.shtml

You wonder why if the fish died they didn't get it weighed "officially". That seems to be a little strange...


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## triton175 (Feb 21, 2006)

That's an interesting technique - putting a Williams Whitefish spoon behind a Believer.Looking at his videos, it seems that a lot of fish are hitting and missing on that rig.


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## ShutUpNFish (Apr 17, 2007)

Thats a HOG. A mid 50lber isn't any sort of record for those parts, IMO, really no need to get it weighed officially. Great story too...the only thing I might shake my head at is the comment Walters made about losing a fish and feeling empty inside....Its a shame really that the sport has come to that and people are sometimes forced into that "extremist" mentality....He needs to focus MORE on the many fish he releases successfully to ease his ill fillings about killing one fish. Just my .02 worth.

The guy has been chartering for muskies for nearly 9 years and that was his 100th muskie since he started chartering?....something to think about in regards to the St. Lawrence.


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## dtigers1984 (Jul 24, 2007)

Definately a huge fish. 

Has any one read about one caught in Green Bay this fall that went 57.5 x 33.5 inches? There was a tiny article and picture in last months In-Fisherman magazine, but that's all I've heard about it. The article suggested that it surpassed Dale MacNair's fish for the largest muskie ever released.


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## ShutUpNFish (Apr 17, 2007)

"Largest Muskie Ever Released" Now thats a joke...lol 

A record released fish...is like an oxymoron

Especially so in this fanatical world of muskie fishing these days!


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## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

ShutUpNFish said:


> Thats a HOG. A mid 50lber isn't any sort of record for those parts, IMO, really no need to get it weighed officially. Great story too...the only thing I might shake my head at is the comment Walters made about losing a fish and feeling empty inside....Its a shame really that the sport has come to that and people are sometimes forced into that "extremist" mentality....He needs to focus MORE on the many fish he releases successfully to ease his ill fillings about killing one fish. Just my .02 worth.
> 
> The guy has been chartering for muskies for nearly 9 years and that was his 100th muskie since he started chartering?....something to think about in regards to the St. Lawrence.


Just me but if I was putting it on the wall I like to know what it wieghed as opposed to subtracting off the wieght of the cradle etc. Plus who knows how accurate the digital scale is in the cold temp., weak battery etc. 

100 muskies in 10 years/ I hope he is only guiding for them 1 or 2 months a year.


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## dtigers1984 (Jul 24, 2007)

ShutUpNFish,

I agree, but that is how it read in In-Fisherman. I was just curious if anyone else heard about it.


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## katfish (Apr 7, 2004)

You guys sure like to rain on someones parade

I made a decision years ago that I would rather release a trophy Ohio flathead alive than preserve (freeze it) according to Ohio's verification rules.

Guess what----I would be fine with others suggesting it wasn't a record fish.
I get it all the time when I report weights anyway.


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## FishHunter88 (Nov 8, 2010)

I know friends who have friends....who love to scuba dive the St. Lawrence and they say they have seen muskies close to 6 feet in the deepest depths


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## MuskieJim (Apr 11, 2007)

FishHunter88 said:


> ....who love to scuba dive the St. Lawrence and they say they have seen muskies close to 6 feet in the deepest depths


Its funny you mention that....my brother-in-law has been begging for me to get certified to dive. His good friends did the Niagara last year and will be doing a summer trip on the St. Lawrence this year. I'm sure they're some big fish down there, that's for sure.


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## FishHunter88 (Nov 8, 2010)

MuskieJim said:


> I'm sure they're some big fish down there, that's for sure.


These individuals have been diving boat wreaks on the river for years and have seen plenty of resident muskie on the wreaks...I personally don't know if I could do something like that I give it up to the people that can


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## smoothkip25 (Nov 17, 2008)

katfish said:


> You guys sure like to rain on someones parade
> 
> I made a decision years ago that I would rather release a trophy Ohio flathead alive than preserve (freeze it) according to Ohio's verification rules.
> 
> ...


Im with ya on this one! Its just as big of a thrill releasing a trophy as catching it to me! I also get alot of guys arguing weights but its obvious they have never caught anything of that size!


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## Rod Hawg (Jan 13, 2011)

I caught a State Record Gill last year and got a replica of it. But I didn't certify it because I wanted to see that fish live. Not die in a freezer. Oh well. I'm happy catching a fish that big. Its a fish of a life time and thats good for me!


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## SeanStone (Sep 8, 2010)

According to the In-Fisherman publication Critical Concepts Catfish Series 1, A record fish can be certified and released without freezing it. There are various rules and regulations that have to be met, but it can be done. The largest barrier is getting a scale certified, in which you have to buy a scale and mail it to IGFA with 10$ and get it certified. This is required annually. The next barrier is getting a biologist to identify the fish, this rule was made for the controversial channel/blue cat records all around the U.S. Im pretty sure this can be achieved by photos, but make sure they are quality photos, take dozens from different angles. After these two barriers you need to print off a paper from IGFA that verifies your catch and you will need to have a witness sign off on this paper. Along with the above mentioned obstacles you will need to send in a line sample and a picture/diagram of the set up used to catch the fish, i think 50 feet, could be yards though, in order to test for breaking strength. I believe this is for line class and state records. These are the "basics" of certifying a state record, but there are literally hundreds of rules that you need to follow. (No angler may touch your line or pole during the fight, stuff like that.) Keep up with the rules and guidelines, get a certified scale and you won't have to debate weather or not a state record is worth killing a potentially 30 year old fish such as a flathead.


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