51"!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Vince Weirick]

Sad news today folks...we lost a friend...BIG friend.  She will be missed.  A 51" pig was caught last week and kept.  I congratulate the guy that caught her!  I wish he would have done a replica but it was his choice. 

[Muskiefool]

Bummer 

[steve fiorio]

Do you known where the fish was caught?
steve

[Vince Weirick]

Tippy is all  I know.

[muskellunged]

What a shame.  As you stated, he had a choice.  It was the wrong choice, but it was his to make. I won't villify a person for exercising his legal right to harvest a musky.  He earned it, so my hat's off to him!  My only hope is that this is his fish of a lifetime, and that he won't keep future legal keepers.

We can hope that this fish was nearing the end of it's lifestage, and that the lucky fisherman gave alot of sweat over his lifetime to catch that musky.  Also, it's further proof that there are 50"+ musky in Indiana waters, and that's reassuring to me.

I do hereby pledge that I will release all muskies caught in Indiana, whether that fish is a new state record or not.  I also will do my due diligence to educate other fisherman on the water about the benefits of releasing large muskies back into the system, and the opportunities available regarding reproduction mounts.

Mike Witowski

[curt l]

this is why we should try to get indianas size limit to 52 "like canada's!this sucks I hate it when people keep these things !lets keep educate people on photo and release !!

[Vince Weirick]

Curt,

Good luck getting the DNR to listen about raising the size limit.  I kinda agree with them.  Their points are:

1)  Muskies are a put and take fishery in Indiana
2)  They are stocked every year
3)  (and the biggest of all)  In 2005 there was a lake study conducted.  Of all anglers they questioned there were about 1200 muskies caught...of those only 11 were kept.  That is less than 1% of fish caught that were kept.

Many more fish are lost to poor handling...sometimes the proper handling isn't even enough.

[william bennett]

man sorry to hear of this ..bill

[Vince Weirick]

Actually you should be glad to hear that...not many are being kept!  Isn't that what we want?

[william bennett]

vince i believe tha same as you about keeping fish.. . they all should be released.. but  you know the story and how it goes.. bass/panfishing guys , if they catch a big one they will keep it. i feel that a pic  and a replica goes along way and the feeling i get from watching that fish swim away."PRICELESS".  there is no better.....bill

[Vince Weirick]

That lake survey was conducted asking all anglers during the 2005 year...no matter what they were fishing for.

I would also like to mention that some are thinking this thread is discussing a fish that was caught this year...not so.  The original posting was made in 2006.

[curt l]

dang thats along time ago that proly be a 57" by now !!guess that old stuff should be erased !or something cuz when your tired reading these you dont read dates !dumb rumors!