World's Record Muskellunge

New World-Record Muskie

Some of the most beautiful country anywhere in North America surrounds Lake Bellaire, in Antrim County, Michigan. The land of Hemmingway’s youth is gripped by massive lakes like Torch, Elk, and Charlevoix that reach inland like the fingers of Lake Michigan. Stretching through rolling hills, massive dunes, and stately forests, these vast waterways are mostly clear as air and dramatically underfished. Bellaire, connected to that chain of lakes via the Grass River, is where Joseph Seeberger (center), of Portage, Michigan, decided to sojourn with a couple friends (brother Chuck and friend Jason Orbeck) last October. On the “lucky” 13th of that month, he boated this kraken: A Great Lakes muskie 58 inches long, with a girth of 29 inches. It weighed 58 pounds. 

He was fishing with a sucker minnow on 8-pound test fluorocarbon—obviously not out for muskies in particular. They were, in fact, chasing smallmouth bass. The goliath has since been recognized as Michigan’s new state record muskie, eclipsing the “old” mark by a couple of inches and 8 pounds. The “old” mark was established in 2009 by Kyle Anderson…on Torch Lake. Move over, Hemmingway. Antrim County. Home of world-record muskies. 

Source: In-Fisherman

WORLD RECORD MUSKIE:

67 POUNDS, 8 OUNCES MUSKIE

The world record was taken from Lake Court Oreilles in Hayward, Wisconsin, on July 24, 1949 by Cal Johnson. 

65 POUNDS MUSKIE

The Ontario record Muskie weighed 65 pounds and measured 58 inches in length with 30.5 inches in girth. Toronto's Ken O'Brien caught the great fish on October 16, 1988, in Georgian Bay's Blackstone Harbour, Moon River Basin. The story goes that it was Ken's first time Muskie fishing. I guess beginner's luck is true sometimes. 

61-pound Muskie

Martin Williamson 

Georgian Bay 

Fish: 61-pound Muskie 

Length: 53.5 inches

HISTORY OF MISTERY

For years the world record stood at 69 pounds 15 ounces, caught by Art Lawton in the St. Lawrence River. In 1992 this record was found to have been falsified, and was disqualified by the Freshwater Fish Hall of Fame and the IGFA. Replacing it was Louis Spray's 69-pound 11-ounce fish caught on Wisconsin's Chippewa Flowage. The fish in turn was disqualified, and Cal Johnson's fish was recognized as the record. 

Louie Spray's muskie

Louie Spray shows off the 69-pound, 11-ounce Muskie caught on Oct. 20, 1949.

Art Lawton's Muskie, which was disqualified as the world record. It's still a beautiful fish and one of the largest Muskie ever caught so you still have to give Art's Muskie some appreciation. 

Kyle Anderson's muskie

Check out this monster muskie from Michigan. Kyle Anderson of Rapid City, Mich. caught this 50-pound, 8-ounce muskie on Sept. 27 in Torch Lake near Traverse City.

Muskie on a fly

Check out this huge 52 inch muskie caught on a fly!