# Show off your 50's



## ShutUpNFish (Apr 17, 2007)

We all know the "Magic" muskie number...50". It took me nearly 10 years to finally land my first 50+....I must admit that C&R is a true testiment to the success rate toward achieving that magic number. 3 of my 6 overall 50+ inchers have come in recent years and spread over a short amount of time. So you young-gun muskie fisherman are truely lucky to be involved in an era of muskie fishing that is certainly better than it has EVER been in the past! Don't let it spoil you Please respect those fish and the sport to help continue its growth and prosperity for the future and the future of our young anglers! 

Here are three 50s that I have digitally, the rest were taken before the age of digital cameras and in albums at home somewhere. Enjoy and please feel free to share your "Magic Number" fish!

52.5" Kawarthas









52" Kawarthas









52" St. Clair









The other fish are a 50" a 50.5" - both from PA and another 51" from the Kawarthas. Just goes to show that in the last 10 years of muskie fishing, I have caught 6 50+ fish and had not caught one in the first 10 years of fishing for them. Thanks to C&R! Who knows what the future has to hold....Keep up all the good work muskie fisherman!

Have a GREAT 2010 Season Boys!! Now Lets see 'em!


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## Stripers4Life (May 2, 2007)

Nice. There is alot to be said about C and R. Good Fish.


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## Muskyman (Jan 30, 2005)

Congrats on your 50's, very cool to catch one, much less 6. As per my location under my join date, I'm still looking for mine. I have Muskie fished for about 7 years now and so far my p.b. is the one in my avatar...49.5, close but no cigar. C&R is definately working, the average size fish is bigger now than it ever has been. I hope everyone has a great year as well!!


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## Poohflinger (Feb 2, 2010)

Those are great fish! I remember as a kid seeing old musky heads dried out and nailed to bait shop walls. The old timers used to keep every one they caught. They used to tell me they ate too many walleyes and wanted them out of the lake. Almost like a bounty on fox or coyotes! It is truely amazing to see the size fish you guys are getting. Now for the question...would you ever mount a musky, and at what size does it have to be if you would?


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## ShutUpNFish (Apr 17, 2007)

Thats a great question..and my answer is absolutely YES! If someone catches a fish of a lifetime, it is their right and perogotive to mount that fish for the memory. I'd never dog a guy for having a big fish mounted...I do, however question those who make claims of record fish and release them. Theres a lot of photo enhancing trickery out there these days and those who make every effort to make those photo ops look extra large if you know what I mean. IMO, in order to be a true record, the fish must be weighed on a certified scale! There are also reproductions out there these days that are available...I'm not a huge fan of the repos and prefer the real thing. However everything within context. This is my first 50+ that I got mounted and it had to be at least 50"....first muskie mount and final unless I get a true monster...For me thats a fish of 45+ lbs


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## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

I agree with your take on a "record" class fish. Releasing them completely ruins your credibility in my opinion even if you are the nicest guy on the planet. Also, I think some people fail to realize that "record" class fish are at or near their apex. If aint likely to live much longer anyway so there is certainly no guratee that it would live to be caught by another angler and if it did chances are as it is older it may be less able to put on the weight by feeding well enough. 

As for trophies, I agree with you as well. The trophy is in the eye of the beholder and if that is "you" and "you" wants to keep it, then by all means. I do disagree with folks that set the bar low and raise it and keep mulitiple fish to mount. I guess a couple wouldn't bother me, but if a guy kept a 40"r, a 44"r, a 45"r, a 46"r and a 48"r, at some point you gotta say whoa.......let's stop killing them(especially when reproductions are a reasonable alternative). Heck, I haven't even caught a husky yet(I am very confident that will change in 2010), but I am not mounting a fish under 48"s(this is my bar for Ohio fish, if I fish elsewhere the bar would go up to 50"s or the legal limit size for that water). The only way I would keep one is if it died and would not release(odds are low as we always keep fish in water except a quick photo).


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## ShutUpNFish (Apr 17, 2007)

Well said.


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## Stripers4Life (May 2, 2007)

I agree, I may get my first 50" mounted. Only if it's a memorable catch and depending on my mood. And If I ever happen to catch a true monster. Other than those 2 circumstances I can't say I would harvest the fish. The replicas aren't bad, but I think if i were to spend the money I want the real thing.


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## BITE-ME (Sep 5, 2005)

I've come within a couple of inches a number of times, but this is the only one I've caught that hit the magic 50" mark.

50" St. Mary's River - Upper Peninsula, MI


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## RFrye (Apr 10, 2009)

Hey BITE-ME... I've fished the St. Mary's system many times.... there are some real nice fish in there!

I lost a real monster near Raber Bay to a kink/ bad spot in the old Spider Wire braid, I hate that stuff to this day!


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## ShutUpNFish (Apr 17, 2007)

Awesome fish BITE-ME!!


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## ltfd596 (Apr 15, 2005)

I have only been Muskie fishing for the last 5 years. I have not caught a 50"er yet... However, I have caught quite a few in their 30's, 2 - 40", a 41.5", 42, 2- 44", and a 46.5".

I have one of them mounted - the 42". That may seem small you most of you, but I have to tell you the circumstances....

A couple of years ago, me, my father-in-law and my dad went to Canada. We all knew this would be the last trip for my dad. On that Wednesday, my dad caught his biggest to date - a 48". He was so excited... and went around and around on whether he should keep it ot release it. He set it off to fight another day.... Well the rest of the after noon was him and my father-in-law drinking.... HEAVILY. the both got wasted. I stayed sober to watch them make fools of themselves. 

Anyhow, about 4 in the afternoon, I wanted to go back out. They went with me, but pretty much laid passed out in the bow of the boat. A few hours into it, I hooked into the 42". They both woke up to help me land it, but my Father-in-law was still so drunk, he FELL OUT OF THE BOAT.

after about a 15 minute stuggle, we got it in the boat. We all agreed that this one had to be mounted for "historical" sake. 

even though it isn't a monster... I have a great story to tell with it!


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## BITE-ME (Sep 5, 2005)

Thanks ShutUpNFish. That's an impressive bunch of 52's you got.

itfd596 - Good story. I've got one muskie on the wall, it's a 42" as well. It was the first muskie I ever caught & was deffinetly a trophy to me at the time and still is.


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## ironman172 (Apr 12, 2009)

my best is 46....so no picture from me...and I don't even fish for them...but there is one swimming around that I hope to catch over that magic number
Very nice fish by the way!!!


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## Marc_Grattan (Nov 19, 2005)

I've been lucky enough to have a few 50's come aboard from KY and Canada. Here was my last a 52.5"


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## Poohflinger (Feb 2, 2010)

Nice fish man!


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## BITE-ME (Sep 5, 2005)

Had to share... Just got my second 50" this past weekend at the Detroit River. She scaled out somewhere between 50-1/4" to 50-1/2" on the bump board. The fish was caught casting. An hour after I let her go, my boat partner hooked up with one just as big and lost her at boatside  We scored to many fish this past weekend, so I'm going back up to hit LSC again this weekend!!!

​


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## brn2fsh (Feb 28, 2010)

That is one sweet looking fish !!!


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## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

Nice fish all! And I agree with Shutup and Critters comments regarding record fish. Sorry ITFD about the loss of your Dad but I'm sure when you look at the mount you think of good memories of him.


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## BaddFish (Jun 20, 2009)

great thread and great pics guys... just wish I could contribute ... hopefully this year  ... I agree with stripers4 life... I don't plan on keeping my first 50" but I can't say that i won't change my mind if its truly a memorable battle, etc.. i would feel better keeping one from st clair or canada then Ohio..


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## Jackfish (Apr 15, 2004)

nic pics guys, unfortunatly I don't have a 50 to my name yet... no pic for me


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