# Pymatuning Muskie



## mzr76

Has anyone heard about a huge Muskie caught a few weeks ago out of Pymatuning? I heard it was over 54" and caught by a guy named Bill Sugars? I believe it is getting mounted. I would love to see a picture of that monster!


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## MuskieJim

I was on the lake that day if I'm thinking of the correct fish. We were fishing the southernmost end of the lake and went to Jamestown marina to fill up on gas. The guy had just left with the fish but I did see pics. I believe it was 53.5", right around 35 pounds. Fish was caught by Stockers on a believer.


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## mzr76

was 51.5 inches and it weighed 46 pounds.


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## ShutUpNFish

mzr76 said:


> was 51.5 inches and it weighed 46 pounds.


I'd like to see a pic of that one!


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## Kastmaster93

ShutUpNFish said:


> I'd like to see a pic of that one!


yea, me too!


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## MuskieJim

They may have been different fish, because the one I saw a picture of was longer than 51, and was NOT a near 50 pounder.

Dude, are you sure on these numbers? A 46 pounder would have made some news. I'm pretty sure someone told you a fish tale  

Here's something to compare it to, just as a reminder of how big a true 46 pound fish is:

Rich Clark, 46 pounder at 56.5 inches. 









Rich Clark again, with a 48 pounder that was 57 x 26









I'm not saying there isn't a 40 pounder in Pyma, because we all know there are!


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## mzr76

My Dad has known the guy over 20 years. He catches a ton of Muskies on Pymatuning. He has been fishing that lake a long time. He knows it better than most. I think the guy is kind of a loner. I assure you the numbers are accurate. He weighed it on a certified scale and is getting it mounted. Remember, muskies caught around this time of year are going to be fat from feeding all summer as well as getting fat for the winter. Baitfish are bigger so food is plentiful which is why catching them now can be tougher. Chances are that if you catch one around this time of year it's going to be a bigger one. I'm sure if you or I caught one that big most of the fishing world would know about it but this guy likes to keep to himself.


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## ShutUpNFish

mzr76 said:


> My Dad has known the guy over 20 years. He catches a ton of Muskies on Pymatuning. He has been fishing that lake a long time. He knows it better than most. I think the guy is kind of a loner. I assure you the numbers are accurate. He weighed it on a certified scale and is getting it mounted. Remember, muskies caught around this time of year are going to be fat from feeding all summer as well as getting fat for the winter. Baitfish are bigger so food is plentiful which is why catching them now can be tougher. Chances are that if you catch one around this time of year it's going to be a bigger one. I'm sure if you or I caught one that big most of the fishing world would know about it but this guy likes to keep to himself.


Really? Wow, I wasn't aware of any of that...thats cool! I was just way impressed by the length versus the weight and still would love to see a photo of that fish....Congrats!


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## MuskieJim

I understand that fish are bigger this time of year. Both of the fish posted below were caught in the late fall. So you are saying that your dad's friend caught a fish as big as the one pictured below? 46 pounds is 46 pounds. But the fish you are speaking of is 6 inches shorter than either of the ones below. These fish are from the St. Lawrence and have virtually the best genes a musky can have in terms of size. But I'll just let this one go. Tell him nice catch!


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## mzr76

"Lake Hudson is one of Michigan's premier muskie lakes," said guide Fred Lederer. "My best muskie days have been at Lake Hudson. On one half-day trip I took a client out and we boated nine muskies."

Not only are good numbers of fish taken, but the sizes are there as well. In 2000, *John Gemi landed a 49-pound, 12-ounce muskie that measured 51 inches in length.*

http://www.wisconsinoutdoornews.com/articles/2006/12/21/news/news2.txt

Eagle River, Wis.  With temperatures in the single digits the morning of Thursday, Nov. 30, Tom Gelb, of Conover, launched his row-trolling boat on a Vilas County lake.

It was the last day of Wisconsins 2006 muskie season and cold temperatures were not going to stop the hardy outdoorsman from going after a trophy fish one last time.

Gelb, 71, already had fished several days that week, noting the time of day big fish were chasing and hitting his lures dragged behind the small wooden craft.

The last couple of days, moon rise had been the key, said Gelb, as he retold his story at Eagle Sports Center in Eagle River with a half dozen muskie hunters listening. Two, three days ago, I had four fish I caught between about 45 minutes before moon rise and about 15 minutes after. Yesterday (Wednesday) I got one 493/4 about 45 minutes before moon rise. I couldnt get 50 inches out of that fish, no matter how I measured it.

Gelb said that four of the six (counting the 51-pounder) were moon fish. They struck right before the moon rose; one struck just minutes after it rose, and the smallest hit about two hours after the moon had risen. Thats not coincidence, Gelb noted. And all of the fish that hit before the moon rose T-boned the bait. They were very aggressive.

Moon rise on Nov. 30 was 1:35 p.m. I caught the thing about 11, 11:30, so thats (moon rise) what turned it on, Gelb said. (Its) a bit of a stretch to call it a moon fish, but it still struck before the moon rose, he said. The water temperatures were very cold, about 381/2 degrees.

It measured 53 inches and weighed an incredible 51 pounds, 2 ounces. The fat fish had a 281/2-inch girth. It was weighed at a certified scale at the U.S. Post Office in Conover.

The giant muskie hit a Buchertail Depth Raider, running about 17 feet down in 35 feet of water. Gelb said he had about 75 feet of 80-pound test line out. The second rod behind his row-troller was dragging a Legend Perchbait running about 24 feet down. But the fish of a lifetime hit the Harley-Davidson blue Depth Raider.

Its a cisco pattern with blue paint once used at Harley-Davidson, where I worked, said Gelb, who retired from Harley-Davidson in 1997 after 37 years with the company, helping himself to some paint when he left. Its a good fall color.

When the fish hit the lure, Gelb said he rowed fast and hard, reeled in his second line and starting fighting the fish.

Thats kind of the way I do most of my muskie fishing. I had just a devil of a time getting it into the net. When I finally got it into the net, I couldnt get it into the boat, so I rowed to shore, he said. At first it looked like a fat 48-incher, and then I thought it might be a 50. In the boat, I measured a 30-inch girth but it was sliding around so much. I measured it at over 50 inches with a 30-inch girth. I couldnt believe it.

For Gelb, it was his first 50-pounder. The last time a 50-pounder was caught in Vilas County was in 1975, when Gene Allen caught a 51-pounder from the Flambeau Chain of Lakes.

For me, the biggest one before this was in 1998, a 521/2-incher with a 26- or 27-inch girth, about 44 pounds, Gelb said. But I said if I ever caught a 50 (pounder), I was going to keep it. In Wisconsin, nobody has caught a legitimate 50-pounder in some time.

The last Wisconsin 50-pounder was caught by Robert Grutt from Big Round Lake in 1989. In April 2005, walleye fisherman Ryan Dempsey of Green Bay released a 56-inch muskie in the Lower Fox River that he didnt weigh, but with a 331/2-inch girth, the fish was likely more than 50 pounds, according to Steve Heiting, of Musky Hunter Magazine.

Gelb, who is a field editor for Musky Hunter Magazine, said keeping a 50-pound fish once every 30 years wont hurt the fishery and proves there are 50-pound fish are swimming in Wisconsin waters.

I mean, I starting fishing up here in 1952, and we used to keep everything that was over 30 inches, he said. There are so many more muskies now. If you get a legitimate 50, then you should keep it. Ive been telling everyone that, so I figured I better practice what I preach.

Gelb now has the proof, noting that the muskie is being mounted by Lax Taxidermy in Conover. Ron Lax said the muskies stomach was empty when he opened the fish. In fact, it didnt have many eggs, either, maybe about two pounds, and not a lot of fat. This fish was all meat, Lax said.

Everybody says they want to catch a 50-pounder and I caught one! Gelb said.

Musky Hunter Magazine managing editor Steve Heiting, of St. Germain, contributed to this report.


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## MuskieJim

I'm a musky nut, no doubt about, and I know all about Tom Gelb's 50 pounder that was only 51 inches. I had a chance to see the replica of the fish (i'm sure the real one is in Tom Gelbs living room!) and it's MASSIVE. The problem is that you are trying to compare a natrual musky caught in Wisconson in virtually freezing waters (November 30) when fish are at their largest to a stocked musky caught on Pyma during the beginning of September. I'm not saying it's impossible, just very unlikely. Do you have a pic of the 46 pounder?

So the fish is as big as the first one in Rich's photo? Like I said, 46 pounds is 46 pounds, no matter where the fish was caught......


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## stream_stalker

Wow, I never thought I would hear of a fish that fat coming from pymo or of pymo being compaired to hudson lake LMFAO...


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## ShutUpNFish

I certainly believe there are 40+ lb muskie in Pymy, theres no doubt there is...I've seen some caught and believe I lost one earlier this year.... 

I am certainly NOT trying to discredit your friend's awesome catch, just commenting on how nice it would be to see photos of the fish due to the rarity of it's claim.

Wait a minute here...this whole story makes little sense....I went back and re-read this whole thread. Mzr76, weren't you the original poster asking if anyone had heard about the fish? If your dad knows this guy and you obviously do as well, judging by your description above....why wouldn't you have already known who caught the fish and everything about it? Rather than asking randomly about it in some open muskie forum? Just doesn't seem to make much sense to me?? Then when some sceptecism arose, you seemed to pounce on it like an attacking cat! and knew everything about it all of the sudden?

*Fun Fact:* In order to put things into perspective for all of you....a 51.5" muskie needs to have approx. a 27" girth in order to weigh 46lbs....quite possible!

*Another Fun Fact:* Pymatuning Lake was once revered one of the top ten muskie waters in the world!

I will NO longer debate this issue....its a mute point without a photo. It makes everyone look pretty stupid IMO!


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## MuskieJim

Pymatuning Lake musky caught 5/16/09 during Three Rivers Chapter of Muskies Inc tournament. Caught by Tom Simon on a Warner crank bait-- 51 inches long with a 26 inch girth. 

Weight Calculator = 43.095 pounds


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## BITE-ME

Just an observation...

Jim - I think you are a bigger muskie porn addict than myself.


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## Whaler

Dennis McQuillen caught a 47 pound 3 ounce Muskie out of Lake Milton back a year or two before they drained the lake to repair the dam. It was the biggest Muskie turned in that year by a member of any Muskies Inc. chapter including those in Canada. It beat out a Muskie from Wisconsin by 3 ounces. 
He had it mounted and had a case built for it with a glass or plexiglass front so he could take it to Muskie type events to show it.
He said he had lost one bigger about the same time he caught this one. I don't know if there are any that size in Milton now since the lake was re-filled but there should be. There are plenty of baitfish in there for them.


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## Jackfish

A bit off topic but relevant to this thread

On a pike outing up north, during one exceptional outing  I got a #17,#17.5, #17.5  the longest of these fish went 42.5, the shortest was 38. Was having a great time not only catching fish, but also explaining to my older brother how he wasnt. He shut me up with freak of nature. His fish only went 38, yet hit the scales at #22?

Same body of water, same time of year, same weedbed  yet had a fish that was 4.5 inches longer and was somehow 4.5lb lighter? 

But if you look around next time your at the grocery - tall people, short people, fat people, and skinny people. Averages are simply averages.

I also agree the way the thread unfolded sure didnt make much sense.


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## ShutUpNFish

I saw this and felt it would apply nicely here!


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## ThreeRiversEsox

This was the biggest musky caught out of the trapnet survey this spring at 47.5" long....


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## crittergitter

ShutUpNFish said:


> I saw this and felt it would apply nicely here!


"Pichers" HAHA! That's freakin hilarious. 

Also, he looks like the football fan from the Allstate commercials, "Go State!"


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## MuskieJim

ShutUpNFish said:


> I saw this and felt it would apply nicely here!


I believe Paul took this pic at a recent Steelers game. These are your people Paul, your tailgate buddies! Hahahaha! Just kidding!


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## ShutUpNFish

Thats actually me on the far right!! Now I'm really mad!! What are you trying to say Jim??? 

Those Stillers suck! Bring on the Pens baby!


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## mzr76

Here is one that was the same size caught back in May:

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/outdoors/s_626272.html

Tom Simon of the Three Rivers Chapter of Muskies Inc. caught a musky that was 51 inches long with a 26-inch girth and weighed 46 pounds out of Pymatuning. So I guess that makes 2 muskies caught out of there that were the same size. Maybe they were twins.


First, I heard about the muskie from one of my clients. he asked me if I knew anything of it. So I thought that going here first maybe someone would have known. Coincidentally, while telling my Father about the fish I heard about he told me that his buddy from where he worked had caught a huge muskie. After my Dad checked with a few of their mutual friends he said the official numbers were 51in 46lbs. 

Did I see it? No. The guy who caught it has probably caught more muskies than anyone on this forum out of Pymatuning. The guy is mainly a loner so you are probbaly not going to hear about all of his catches. The fish is being mounted, it was weighed on a Certified Scale. I'm sure the guy has pictures and if I can get one I will and post it but it's highly unlikely. Just because you didn't hear about it or see it doesn't mean it's false. 

The examples on the last post were just to show you that a fish can be under 52 inches and weigh over 45lbs. Why is that so hard to believe?

http://web.tusco.net/ohiohuskiemuskieclub/photo3.htm

http://web.tusco.net/ohiohuskiemuskieclub/images/TimRitter53.jpg

Tim Ritter Lake Milton 53in 40lbs in the link above. 

Why is 51in 46lbs so hard to accept? I wonder what your parents had to go through when you found out there was no such thing as Santa Claus? Especially since there were pictures of him everywhere!!!!!!!!!!!

I know guys that have caught over 45 muskies in a week at Lake St. Clair (on separate occasions). But that is probably impossible too..........


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## crittergitter

You do know this is the internet right. I am sure all of what you are telling us is on the up and up. However, the internet is like a giant bar where many a "story" are told. Sometimes anglers just gotta poke and prod to differentiate the legit stories from the bs.


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## MuskieJim

Alright mzr76, I believe you. Lets drop it! Sorry Paul, I was just kidding around 

There's tons of 51 inch fish that weigh in the 40's. I posted the pic of Tom Simons fish, it's a beast! It's just very rare to find fish that heavy and fat. It's all good, I'm not calling you a liar. Lets move on.


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## stream_stalker

MuskieJim said:


> Alright mzr76, I believe you. Lets drop it! Sorry Paul, I was just kidding around
> 
> There's tons of 51 inch fish that weigh in the 40's. I posted the pic of Tom Simons fish, it's a beast! It's just very rare to find fish that heavy and fat. It's all good, I'm not calling you a liar. Lets move on.



Fighting on the internet is like racing in the special olympics, even if you win you're still retarded.... Or maybe it's better to fight with Jim on the internet, that way he can't get mad at you when you steel his fish an throw his plyers at you an threaten to leave you at the fishing hole!!!


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## stream_stalker

mzr76 said:


> I know guys that have caught over 45 muskies in a week at Lake St. Clair (on separate occasions). But that is probably impossible too..........


Please, all readers refrain from topping this with photo evidence, the sites banwidth is only so large!!!


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## ShutUpNFish

mzr76 said:


> Here is one that was the same size caught back in May:
> 
> http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/outdoors/s_626272.html
> 
> Tom Simon of the Three Rivers Chapter of Muskies Inc. caught a musky that was 51 inches long with a 26-inch girth and weighed 46 pounds out of Pymatuning. So I guess that makes 2 muskies caught out of there that were the same size. Maybe they were twins.
> 
> 
> First, I heard about the muskie from one of my clients. he asked me if I knew anything of it. So I thought that going here first maybe someone would have known. Coincidentally, while telling my Father about the fish I heard about he told me that his buddy from where he worked had caught a huge muskie. After my Dad checked with a few of their mutual friends he said the official numbers were 51in 46lbs.
> 
> Did I see it? No. The guy who caught it has probably caught more muskies than anyone on this forum out of Pymatuning. The guy is mainly a loner so you are probbaly not going to hear about all of his catches. The fish is being mounted, it was weighed on a Certified Scale. I'm sure the guy has pictures and if I can get one I will and post it but it's highly unlikely. Just because you didn't hear about it or see it doesn't mean it's false.
> 
> The examples on the last post were just to show you that a fish can be under 52 inches and weigh over 45lbs. Why is that so hard to believe?
> 
> http://web.tusco.net/ohiohuskiemuskieclub/photo3.htm
> 
> http://web.tusco.net/ohiohuskiemuskieclub/images/TimRitter53.jpg
> 
> Tim Ritter Lake Milton 53in 40lbs in the link above.
> 
> Why is 51in 46lbs so hard to accept? I wonder what your parents had to go through when you found out there was no such thing as Santa Claus? Especially since there were pictures of him everywhere!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> I know guys that have caught over 45 muskies in a week at Lake St. Clair (on separate occasions). But that is probably impossible too..........


Easy there guy....don't get yourself all in a tizzy...nobody was discrediting your claim there, just asking questions is all. What else did you expect when you posted about such a trophy and no photos? Great story and certainly congrats to a fish of a lifetime!

Anyway, you spoke of 45 skis in a week at St. Clair impossible???? LOL, would you believe 28 in one day!? St. Clair is truely, just like that 46+ lb muskie, a freak of nature!


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