# got a 51" at WB on sat



## Hilde (Oct 21, 2008)

Got a 51" muskie at WB on sat casting a 2" wiggle wart!!


----------



## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

Congrats on the nice fish! Bet it gave you a tussle.


----------



## BaddFish (Jun 20, 2009)

congrats! I saw the pic on Cyber Muskie page. Nice fish!
51 is a fish of a lifetime!


----------



## serioustockman (May 4, 2009)

That is a monster!!!:B


----------



## serioustockman (May 4, 2009)

How do we see the pic


----------



## Hilde (Oct 21, 2008)

Caught on Sat 5-22-11


----------



## PapawSmith (Feb 13, 2007)

Wow, very nice fish. I'm afraid however you may now be in for an unfortunate, and in my opinion undeserved, beating.
Good luck.


----------



## WillyDub (Aug 26, 2009)

Wait for it....


----------



## luredaddy (May 25, 2004)

Nice fish !! Were you casting or trolling? The story would be nice to read.
John


----------



## COmmodore 64 (Jun 24, 2006)

Looks like a good eater!


----------



## partlyable (Mar 2, 2005)

Congrats man thats a great fish. I also hope that the beating that papawsmith does not come. thanks for posting.


----------



## KSUFLASH (Apr 14, 2004)

Nice fish!


----------



## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

luredaddy said:


> Nice fish !! Were you casting or trolling? The story would be nice to read.
> John


John - He said he was casting a wigglewart. Probably after 'eyes.


----------



## I_Shock_Em (Jul 20, 2008)

Awesome fish!!! That would be going on my wall if I had caught it


----------



## nicklesman (Jun 29, 2006)

beautiful fish wall hanger for sure!!!!


----------



## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Awesome fish, glad you released her at the ramp to get even bigger!!

Salmonid


----------



## Hilde (Oct 21, 2008)

I don't get the beating comment....


----------



## Hilde (Oct 21, 2008)

I was fishing foir muskie, usually only fish for muskie, just tried something different that would go deeper and its at the taxidermist now, I usually practice c and r but this one I decided to put on the wall...


----------



## bdawg (Apr 14, 2009)

nice fish! Looks like you made the right choice of lures! I won't beat you up for keeping it. I kept a 5lb bass last week!


----------



## FlashMan2702 (Jun 2, 2006)

Wow thats nice! And I definitely agree Im a 99% C&R guy too, but something like that, wall hanger no doubt!


----------



## PapawSmith (Feb 13, 2007)

Hilde said:


> I was fishing foir muskie, usually only fish for muskie, just tried something different that would go deeper and its at the taxidermist now, I usually practice c and r but this one I decided to put on the wall...


And that is what I'm afraid some will soon be on you about, keeping the fish, and much harsher then the few that already commented on it. If your pic was of you standing in the boat they would just beat on you for holding it wrong, holding it in the sun, or taking it out of the water all together. Even if it was a boat pic it would not have taken long for someone to push you for confirmation that she was safely released.
Anyway, like I said earlier, that is a very nice fish. I've never fished regularly for Muskie but have caught a couple accidental and a couple on purpose. The largest I ever caught was 45" and I caught it on a Wiggle Wart as well. It was a black and gold Magnum Wiggle Wart that I was casting of a point just after sunrise. The fish hit it right at the boat as I was circling my plug. I was actually showing my then 17 year old daughter and her boyfriend about doing a figure eight after retrieval when she slammed it. The two kids were standing on my front deck of my bass boat looking over the side watching when she initially came up and hit and it scared the crap out of them, they both screamed out loud. It was great.
Awesome trophy and I'm sure it will look great on your wall. Nice job.


----------



## heidlers (May 24, 2010)

I also practice C&R, religiously. That said, I also have several mounts on my office wall- all which are GREAT fiberglass mounts that were created using a couple good pics and measurements. The fish were all released for another day.

That muskie was a fish of a lifetime likely to to have found a spot on my wall as well, and I congratulate you on that Hilde, but also one likely to have been found still swimming the depths of WB long after his fiberglass twin were comfortable on my wall.

I'm not one to get on the "abuse wagon" that a few indicated was sure to leave the station following the posting of your pic. And please don't take my response in that way. While I may not agree, I respect your decision for harvesting the fish, but wanted to simply offer another perspective...with the same end result- having that beautiful MONSTER grace your walls for years to come!!! (I've also heard many argue that the fiberglass mounts hold up much better in the long run than skin mounts- though I cannot say I am an expert there and won't pretend to be.)

Congrats again on the catch- FAR bigger than any I have caught, I am jealous!!


----------



## Perch (Apr 5, 2004)

51" Muskie? Awesome...:B.......That fish would die before it got too much longer anyway...........WALL HANGER ! Nice !!! :B


----------



## MadMac (May 2, 2005)

Congratulations. a 51" in Ohio is a true trophy. No on will or should question mounting a 51" Ohio fish.


----------



## Socom (Nov 3, 2005)

Awesome catch! How long was the battle?


----------



## ZEBRACON1 (Feb 15, 2008)

Beautiful musky ! The size reminds me of a Canadian-size fish. The fish would look great on your wall I think. I too am a C/R fisherman. I thought that was part of the idea of C/R.... trophy-sized fish. A trophy is something that you put on display ( like on your wall ). If you didn't keep it the next guy would. How many guys on here would release a 10+ pound bass.... probably not many. You will catch hundreds of fish in your lifetime and if you only ever keep one or two trophies I think that's fine. Congrats on your trophy of a lifetime !


----------



## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

Simply AWESOME!!!!!!! :B


----------



## bassmastermjb (Apr 8, 2004)

Hope you have a good taxidermist in mind to get that monster mounted.I would like to see what she looks like hanging on your wall when you get her back.......Mark


----------



## Topwater Tony (Sep 30, 2009)

wow! congrats !!!


----------



## fallen513 (Jan 5, 2010)

Outstanding. To target a species and catch a specimen at the upper echelon of it's potential... well... that's as good as it gets. 

If you're going all out on the mount, you may want to consider adding a piece of timber to the display and have the musky chasing a couple bluegill with it's mouth open. I have a friend with a 48" on the wall and that's the setup...and it looks amazing.


----------



## foogy18 (May 16, 2011)

That is a great catch


----------



## rangerjulie (Apr 12, 2011)

Heidlers,

Congrats!! I was checking and according to the ODNR State Record Fish website you may have a record with that one. It shows the largest Muskie caught was 50-1/4" set back in 1972 at Piedmont Lake. Check it out.
http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Home/FishingSubhomePage/programs__activitiesplaceholder/recordfish_fshohiorcrdfish/tabid/6984/Default.aspx

RangerJulie


----------



## SConner (Mar 3, 2007)

Congratulations on an amazing catch!


----------



## Shorefishin (Mar 27, 2009)

bdawg said:


> nice fish! Looks like you made the right choice of lures! I won't beat you up for keeping it. I kept a 5lb bass last week!


Whaaaaaattt!!!????!!!! The nerve to keep a 5lb bass.
You should be banned



Just kidding....I would have mounted both


----------



## Steelhead Fever (Dec 31, 2009)

awesome fish man, congrats on the trophy! is it going on the wall?


----------



## FlashMan2702 (Jun 2, 2006)

Wow well congrats again if that is indeed the record!

_OutdoorHub Mobile, the information engine of the outdoors_


----------



## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

Congrats on a truly great catch and a darn nice picture.

Might be the longest but it has to be over 55# to beat the last one.


----------



## LearningtoFly (Apr 2, 2011)

Wow! Congratulations on the awesome catch!


----------



## JimmyMac (Feb 18, 2011)

You should post pictures of the mount when its done.


----------



## MDBuckeye (Sep 29, 2009)

Fantastic fish!

I wonder how old a fish like that had to be? I know the info on life cycle per inch is around but I'm to lazy right now.

I too would like to see the reproduction of it once it's finished.
Congrats!


----------



## MadMac (May 2, 2005)

Shortdrift is right. It would have to weigh more than 55.25# to be a state record. It isn't the longest either. Two 51" fish came out of WB last year. I caught one and two weeks later another was caught by a guy trolling for eyes.


----------



## vc1111 (Apr 13, 2004)

Congratulations, Hilde! We are blessed to have some great waters around us in Ohio. The musky is an amazing creature.


----------



## BaddFish (Jun 20, 2009)

We need more story... I mean was it a long fight? Any jumps? C'mon! Something!


----------



## heidlers (May 24, 2010)

I only dream of fish like that Julie! I can't take credit for it- Hilde actually was the master of that BEAST...I am sure he knew you were speaking to him! 

I think I am going to have an oppty tomorrow AM to try and track down my own at WB or Milton.


----------



## steelcrappie (Feb 15, 2011)

Helluva fish...... Helluva fish!! Good job!!


----------



## Hilde (Oct 21, 2008)

yeah it was a nice, long, fight, the fish jumped twice and tried to throw the lure, but it took about 10 to 15 min, about 8 laps around the boat, jumped out of the net twice as my dad tried to get it then when we finally got it in the boat the lure just fell out of his mouth as the hook broke in half, got really lucky!!!!! could have never got it without my fishing buddy there to scoop it up(my dad)... I appreciate all the comments and will gladly post a pic of it on the wall, oh and in the mount he is going to have his mouth open chasing shad....


----------



## THUNDERBUG (Apr 28, 2008)

Nice fish! Curious on the weight? I bet you she had an extra 7-10 pounds a week or 2 ago just in eggs....

T*BUG


----------



## LadyFisher (Apr 19, 2011)

Ok. First off. Anyone have a hankie, or napkin, or something??? Im drooling! LOL And, as per usual when I see a big muskie, caught by anyone other than me (which I have yet to do!) I AM JEALOUS!!! AWESOME FISH! (Obviously!  LOL) 

Now, MOUNTER, for sure. *MY* personal perspective on c&r vs. keep/mount::: (Dont take any of this as critique. NONE MEANT!  ) I personally TRY to assist a fish with recovery. Net, holding by hand in the water, whatever, while it regains its strength. Especially if it was a tough fight. And, I TRY release. BUT, if for some reason, the fish is not/does not/cannot recovering/recover, then YES I will keep it. The nature has its ways thing beside the point, if you catch something of that size, and you tried to release and it didnt work, why NOT keep it? Why release, just to let it die? Put it on the wall, where it will always put viwers in awe, and be "immortalized" so to speak. Honor it.

That being said, kudos! Great fish, great wall hanger, and more power to you for making a judgement call for yourself. No "what will they think". To each his own, and wether others agree or not, they should still respect that.

Now, can I burrow that Wiggle Whatever????!


----------



## jcustunner24 (Aug 20, 2007)

MadMac said:


> Shortdrift is right. It would have to weigh more than 55.25# to be a state record. It isn't the longest either. Two 51" fish came out of WB last year. I caught one and two weeks later another was caught by a guy trolling for eyes.


With that said Mac, do you believe that a record could be swimming in West Branch, or is the weight of the record an aberration for a 51" fish?


----------



## Steelhead Fever (Dec 31, 2009)

cant wait to see the mount!


----------



## MadMac (May 2, 2005)

jcustunner24 said:


> With that said Mac, do you believe that a record could be swimming in West Branch, or is the weight of the record an aberration for a 51" fish?


I think anything that beats the state record will be longer than that and will probably have to be full of eggs. Yes I do believe WB has a good chance to provide a new record. That's my goal anyway. There was one caught by hand at WB that blew away the record in 1990. Sixty some inches long and estimated to be close to 70# before dropping several quarts of eggs in the boat. ParmaBass's Dad caught it and chose not to submit it. Here is a pic.


----------



## FISNFOOL (May 12, 2009)

NICE........ Be proud of that catch. Here is a thought. There is decal paper you can buy for your printer. Check office supply stores. Crop and size that pic and print it for your boat decal.


----------



## MROASA (Feb 3, 2011)

Congratulations, I fished there two weeks ago and came up empty handed. Glad to see that someone is at least catching fish.


----------



## I_Shock_Em (Jul 20, 2008)

I know of a possible record breaker in the Scioto River down south. Was electroshocking three years ago and shocked it up. 55+ inches


----------



## jcustunner24 (Aug 20, 2007)

MadMac said:


> I think anything that beats the state record will be longer than that and will probably have to be full of eggs. Yes I do believe WB has a good chance to provide a new record. That's my goal anyway. There was one caught by hand at WB that blew away the record in 1990. Sixty some inches long and estimated to be close to 70# before dropping several quarts of eggs in the boat. ParmaBass's Dad caught it and chose not to submit it. Here is a pic.


Thanks. I know absolutely nothing about muskie fishing and I know it's your passion, so thank you for filling me in. Hope you get that record you're chasing.


----------

