# -54" Muskie @ Salt Fork-



## JignPig Guide (Aug 3, 2007)

After my Mercury Marine motor broke down at Salt Fork Friday/yesterday, I had to use my trolling motor to get back to the camp ramp. I was within 1/4-mile from the camp beach area. And some old dude said he had just caught a 54-inch muskie while jigging for saugeye & walleye. I said, "Fifty four inch Muskie!!! That's a giant!" We talked for a few minutes. And he heard me bad mouthing Mercury Marine motors for a while. And he just calmly kept on fishin'.

Now this guy is legit. I didn't see it happen. Nor did I see pictures. But he lives on this lake. No kidding. He camps at Salt Fork for around two months a year and fishes everyday. Another bass angler that has a real nice Ranger bass boat was camping & fishing there. And he said that old dude is a fishin' machine. And catches hundreds of saugeye/walleye per year out of there.

Sorry I can't prove this story. But I think if I ever caught a 54-inch Ohio muskie... I would call everybody I know, and then have a press conference. It just makes you wonder how many real good anglers like this old guy are out there.


----------



## Snyd (May 5, 2004)

Sure wish you had a picture of that brute. Oh well if the sory is true the man caught one heck of a fish and I am sure he enjoyed the fight while it lasted.


----------



## turkeyt (Apr 13, 2006)

JignPig Guide said:


> After my Mercury Marine motor broke down at Salt Fork Friday/yesterday, I had to use my trolling motor to get back to the camp ramp. I was within 1/4-mile from the camp beach area. And some old dude said he had just caught a 54-inch muskie while jigging for saugeye & walleye. I said, "Fifty four inch Muskie!!! That's a giant!" We talked for a few minutes. And he heard me bad mouthing Mercury Marine motors for a while. And he just calmly kept on fishin'.
> 
> Now this guy is legit. I didn't see it happen. Nor did I see pictures. But he lives on this lake. No kidding. He camps at Salt Fork for around two months a year and fishes everyday. Another bass angler that has a real nice Ranger bass boat was camping & fishing there. And he said that old dude is a fishin' machine. And catches hundreds of saugeye/walleye per year out of there.
> 
> Sorry I can't prove this story. But I think if I ever caught a 54-inch Ohio muskie... I would call everybody I know, and then have a press conference. It just makes you wonder how many real good anglers like this old guy are out there.



Nice to here about the Musky, but i sure hate to here about the motor going south on you.


----------



## MuskieJim (Apr 11, 2007)

The lake has 50's, no doubt about it. 54" is massive, that would be one heck of a fish! One has come out of there before, check this out....

http://www.ohiomuskiefishing.com/salt-fork-giant-muskie.htm


----------



## Tatonka (Aug 23, 2007)

I wish there was pics, that would be a heck of a fish


----------



## Muskarp (Feb 5, 2007)

You guys still wouldn't believe a picture. What would that do? Just have you guys comparing his hand size to the fish so you could "try" to disprove it. 

Actually, there have been three reported to the muskie anglers log. The most recent was 2000. The largest 54.5.

http://www.ohiodnr.com/muskielog/sumall.aspx

You have to go to link and scroll down to SF. It will not let me go strait to it.

I'm sure there are a ton of guys that don't know about the MAL or care to report.

You were towing somebody, right? You know better than to tow with a Mercury.


----------



## dugworm (May 23, 2008)

C'mon. No pic? I don't buy the story. :G


----------



## TClark (Apr 20, 2007)

Allot of folks love fishing just for what it is. If I caught that fish I could care less if someone believed me or not.
I would be more concerned about releasing it a.s.a.p. so that another fisherman could enjoy the battle too.

Lots of guys on here wouldn't believe a 54" musky if it jumped from the water and bit your ole face off....I know I know, you'd blame it on Big Foot. 

It strikes me funny the thought processes some people have. If you get in trouble with the law, you're presumed innocent until proven guilty.

In fishing, you are presumed guilty of lying unless you have a photo to prove your innocence....even then, there would be those trying to figure out if it was produced in photoshop.

Cheer each other on, don't tear each other down...life is to precious and too short!

My name is Terry Clark and I approve this message. ;-)


----------



## greendragon (Sep 20, 2007)

I have known this old fella for years and he woiuld not lie to anyone about anything. Jig/Pig it was nice to meet you at the ramp twice, hope you got your motor repaired cheaply. The old gent is not much of a talker so when he says anything about fishing I listen.


----------



## JignPig Guide (Aug 3, 2007)

greendragon said:


> I have known this old fella for years and he woiuld not lie to anyone about anything. Jig/Pig it was nice to meet you at the ramp twice, hope you got your motor repaired cheaply. The old gent is not much of a talker so when he says anything about fishing I listen.


Hey it was nice meeting another OGF'er too. 

When my motor is repaired. And if I don't have work related obligations. I'll send you a private message. Maybe I'll take you up on the chance to fish with you at Salt Fork Lake in your nice Ranger. And I'll return the favor and let you fish out of my Triton at Wolf Run. 
When my wife is with me on these mini-trips of mine. I don't get much fishin' in. Especially when my freakin' motor is broke down.

Take it easy greendragon. And one more thing... Your boat and slide-in camper combo is what I'm wantin' to get in the future. It's perfect for what guys like us do.


----------



## crappiecat (Sep 7, 2010)

Those are the kind of guys I like to see and hear about. always get the naysayers that need proof for themselves to believe it, but who cares. There are way more huge fish caught that aren't reported on a public forum than some people care to believe.


----------



## SMBHooker (Jan 3, 2008)

crappiecat said:


> Those are the kind of guys I like to see and hear about. always get the naysayers that need proof for themselves to believe it, but who cares. There are way more huge fish caught that aren't reported on a public forum than some people care to believe.


Agreed, OGF is the best fishing forum in my most humble (but accurate  ) opinion!! However, I don't . . as many here do not, have the time it takes to report, upload pics and discuss everything everytime I'd like. Plus, some of the best stories are the ones only shared between the friends that made them.

Guys like that are "real" and some of the most down to earth people anyone one would be lucky enough to run into for the short time it takes to swap stories and exchange our enthusiasms for fishing. 

Not every story needs pics for proof . . . sometimes the stories are better served off the grid and left to our imaginations to hope we could one day excperience something just as cool. JignPig - thanks for sharing!! 


Sent from . . . off and over there.


----------



## WALLEYE WALLHANGIN' (May 10, 2008)

700" tuna on erie......without pics..:B


----------



## SMBHooker (Jan 3, 2008)

WALLEYE WALLHANGIN' said:


> 700" tuna on erie......without pics..:B


After seein the beast you just posted, I might be apt to believe it. 


Sent from . . . off and over there.


----------



## WALLEYE WALLHANGIN' (May 10, 2008)

well not quite 700 but a confirmed wallmount:T:T:T


----------



## GahannaFishSlayer (Apr 7, 2012)

State record Muskie out out of Piedmont Lake in 1972 was 55 lbs 2.08 oz. and measured in at 50.25". My guess is that if it were a 54" Muskie it would probably be a state record........ Just sayin.


Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


----------



## buckeyebowman (Feb 24, 2012)

I've been lucky enough to catch a few FishOhio fish over the years. Do I have any FishOhio certificates? Nope! Pics? Nope! The bass were released and the walleye I ate, provided they weren't gravid females which I also released. My brother in law has arrowed several Pope & Young bucks and the mounts are on his walls. Does he have any Pope & Young certificates? Nope! 

Some folks just don't feel the need to have their accomplishments validated by someone else. They know what they did, or didn't, do, and that's good enough for them.


----------



## GahannaFishSlayer (Apr 7, 2012)

So I guess the guy who told me he caught a 26" bass and the kid who has told me that he caught a 16 lb bass here in central Ohio aren't exaggerations since they said they caught it it actually happened. Give me break. People tell "fishing stories" all the time just because someone said they did something doesn't mean they actually did. 


Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


----------



## Josh h (Aug 14, 2011)

I love fish stories but no picture=B.S. in my boat. That 'fish' is a possible state record. I can believe a 40" (which is probably a 30") with no pics, but a monster??? Most of us have a phone camera, and a real camera. Muskie guys all have a tape, a floating tape and camera to document. No pic, no fish.!!!
Josh


----------



## TClark (Apr 20, 2007)

> Some folks just don't feel the need to have their accomplishments validated by someone else. They know what they did, or didn't, do, and that's good enough for them.


Amen to that!!!


----------



## GahannaFishSlayer (Apr 7, 2012)

I just landed a 31" saugeye. Sorry no pic.


Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


----------



## GahannaFishSlayer (Apr 7, 2012)

Just found out that it was a state record.... Ah who cares. I know I caught it so that's all that matters.


Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


----------



## Muskarp (Feb 5, 2007)

Josh h said:


> Muskie guys all have a tape, a floating tape and camera to document. No pic, no fish.!!!
> Josh


I have released at least fifty ski with no picture or even measurement. I have no floating tape. Some days I forget the camera. It's really not that important to some of us. Especially some old guy that may have nobody to show it to anyway. So lighten up! BTW- He's a saugeye guy, and aside from this site, usually don't photograph their catch. So he probably doesn't have and probably couldn't use one anyway.

Why does it upset you and Gahannanofishcatcher so much? Is it because you guys can't catch one.... even a 12" stocker? Apparently you guys aren't as good as you think you are!!!


----------



## MuskieJim (Apr 11, 2007)

Josh h said:


> I love fish stories but no picture=B.S. in my boat. That 'fish' is a possible state record. I can believe a 40" (which is probably a 30") with no pics, but a monster??? Most of us have a phone camera, and a real camera. Muskie guys all have a tape, a floating tape and camera to document. No pic, no fish.!!!
> Josh


This would probably be the case. To a non-musky fisherman, a 48" looks like a 55". I have pulled fish that were so fat I swear they had to be close to the five-0 mark, but fell short by 3 or 4 inches in cases. Regardless, you cannot claim and tell other fisherman "I just released a 54" muskie", when in reality you have no tape measure or scientific way of putting that number on it. JMO. But regardless of the exact numerical size, I'm sure the man caught a big muskie. 

Lets get real. 99% of our PHONES have cameras nowadays. And OF COURSE we all catch tons of big fish that no one hears about (or at least not an open forum!). Why burn your own spots to a bunch of strangers on OGF?????? :Banane19:


----------



## Muskarp (Feb 5, 2007)

MuskieJim said:


> Lets get real. 99% of our PHONES have cameras nowadays.


I think you need to come back to reality. A bunch of older guys, especially in rural areas, do not even own cell phones. Half the hollers down there have no reception.


----------



## TClark (Apr 20, 2007)

He knew exactly how much it weighed because....wait for it......it had scales on it.


----------



## MuskieJim (Apr 11, 2007)

I never get reception there, but the camera still works great! To the 1% of people in 2012 living without cell phones, you are correct sir. 

I applaud the thought of catching a fish for yourself, who cares how big it was, etc. But you can't go claiming to have caught a 54" without any tape measure, photo, or witness without bringing a little heat. In comparison, it is like saying you caught a 12 pound largemouth in Ohio, but didnt have a scale


----------



## Rod Hawg (Jan 13, 2011)

Dang thats a hawg!


----------



## GahannaFishSlayer (Apr 7, 2012)

I usually don't let stuff on here get to me but stating you caught a fish 4in bigger than the state record with no proof I thought was a little ridiculous. 

Also I too have caught plenty of bass, eyes and Muskie among other species that qualified for fish Ohio. I have yet to send in for a pin. It doesn't really matter to me either. At the same time I'm not claiming I caught a fish that blew away a state record. That's all.


Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


----------



## dtigers1984 (Jul 24, 2007)

GahannaFishSlayer,

State record fish are determined by weight alone. The length does not factor into it being a state record.


----------



## laynhardwood (Dec 27, 2009)

I think the state record fish weighed in at over 55lbs and was 50.25in long but it goes by weight not length if someone did get a 54in musky it would have to be close to a record but with no proof just another fish story 


Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


----------



## GahannaFishSlayer (Apr 7, 2012)

I know the records are measured by weight. But when you add 4 inches to any fish that's gonna pack on some meat.


Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


----------



## WISH IT WAS YOU (Jul 25, 2006)

*Language removed* i cant stand when people ripp on someone and say their reasoing is that no true at all this guys never said he caught it just said a friend of his did if you dont believe it then move on to another thread


----------



## KaGee (Sep 8, 2006)

Good night Lucy!


----------

