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Posts: 1536
Location: God's Country......USA..... Western Wisconsin | 55" 27 1/2" girth 50 pounds
http://www.twincities.com/ci_7325811?source=most_viewed | |
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| wow. what a freakin hog | |
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Posts: 686
Location: Tomahawk, Wisconsin | That is a MONSTER!!! Guess who is going over there next week  Congrats to Hammerski as well, wow!!! | |
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| Is it necessary for people to keep killing these fish? | |
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Posts: 32890
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Yes it is, when they die despite trying to release the fish. Did you read the article, or is that too much to ask?
'Kiritschenko has fished for muskies since he was 7 and has never kept one. Like other muskie anglers, he believes in releasing muskies so they can grow bigger. But this muskie was deeply hooked and couldn't be revived. '
'"It was belly up,'' Kiritschenko said. "I have mixed emotions about keeping it because I know there will be a backlash from other anglers who don't believe in keeping fish. But I didn't have a choice."
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| I won't post another word about the dead fish after this post.. I just have to say that it is making me sick seeing all the fish that are ending up dead from Mille Lacs this year.. Seems like it is the same excuse, fish was hooked bad.. Please read Jonesi's post about "Are you prepared?" I know everyone thinks they are, but I don't believe it.. You are lucky enough to be able to fish on the best waters in the world for muskies, you get the privledge to take a photo with a monster fish, be responsible and take proper care of the fish so it can be released.. I know I personally don't want to see a Wabigoon situation happen on Mille Lacs, yet it sure does seem like many people don't care, with the amount of dead fish that keep showing up...
Edited by jclymer 10/31/2007 4:48 PM
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Posts: 32890
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | So you are accusing the anglers in that rig of mishandling the fish? | |
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| "Yes it is, when they die despite trying to release the fish. Did you read the article, or is that too much to ask? "
LOL... Yep, its too much to ask... Yes it is necesssary to kill a fish Sworral? Is it too much to ask that people understand how to properly handle fish.. Releasing a fish is much more that pulling some hooks out and hoping it swims away...
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Location: Twin Cities | Great article, and the comments (on the newspaper's site)are HILARIOUS. Some really jealous SOB's in there. Looks like one here too?
Edited by JRedig 10/31/2007 5:44 PM
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Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | The guy has been fishing for several years, I'm betting he has an idea how to handle a fish. | |
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Posts: 32890
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | The fish died despite the angler's best attempt to release it. It happens. Despite that, you clearly accused the anglers of mishandling that fish.
If one died while you were trying to release it, what would YOU do?
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| Man, what a fish.
"Deeply, hooked. Belly upped." And he worried about backlash from other anglers. It is really a shame that the first thing that crosses a guys mind....a guy who has obviously caught his share of muskies and released them.....is that he is going to upset other people.
Face it guys, some fish are going to die. No way around it.
We would love to let them all go, with one hook buried right in the corner of their mouth, but it doesn't always work out that way, and we are going to have to learn to accept it.
I'm sure that there are plenty of big fish caught every year that we don't get to see because the guys don't want to get grilled about ..."Did you release it? Did you pinch the tail?"
I'm sure that he would have let it go if she would have made it. He said he tried. What more can anyone expect? Hell, he doesn't owe any of us an explanation.
Congrats to him, and I wish that it could have eaten a 4.5 pound eelpout right before he caught it. | |
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Posts: 136
| I don't know, that fish looked pretty healthy to me, no blood, fins splayed. Maybe waiting for his friend to see it and take pictures was too much on the fish. Or maybe he thought it might be the new record. I have no idea, but it seems big fish die way to often on that lake. | |
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Posts: 3480
Location: Elk River, Minnesota | With more people fishing the same waters, the more mortality will take place. That is a fact we must all deal with no matter how we like it or not.
Regardless, choice or not to release, he's perfectly in his right to keep it, and it's one heck of a nice fish!! What is done is done. we should be grateful we have such wonderful opportunities to catch fish like this. I personally don't want to detract from one's trophy at all. This guy's first thought was what others would say about having to keep it. I'll take the man's word for it that he tried and was unsuccessful. Fish don't live forever and none of us have the right to judge another's actions.
I say, "CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CATCH!!!" ENJOY THE FISH ON THE WALL AND RELIVE THAT MOMENT OVER AND OVER!!!
Steve
Edited by VMS 10/31/2007 5:18 PM
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| If you have no idea, then why accuse? The Muskie Mafia are preaching to the choir. Enough. | |
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| He has all rights to keep that fish, even if it was healty to swim or not, it falls in a legal lenght does it not?, so why cry about it, he tryed to release it, give the man props for an effort on realeseing a giant fish, if it was me........wackkkkkkkk | |
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Posts: 31
Location: sauk rapids, mn | I agree with Steve, this is a musky guy, if he could have released it he would have. In fact he made the attempt. My question to Jclymer is, how do you know every fish you have released survived? Maybe it swam away, but later died. Maybe it died because you mishandled it. Reality is we don't know. We all try to do what we can, but things do happen. Have you never had a fish inhale the lure? It can be a difficult process. I feel much worse when some walleye angler keeps a 40' musky to show his friends and then leaves in the garden. Clint | |
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| I have been accused of acting uncivil, so let me explain my frustration..... It is no secrete that Mille Lacs has a good population of trophy fish.. It started back on June 29th when a specific weedbed produced many fish in one night, including a 56" fish that was "hooked bad" and killed and flaunted around a local bar.. Through out the rest of the year many other big fish were caught, and killed, some reported, some not, but most used the same excsue, "hooked bad." I do not think that "hooked bad" is a good excuse.. I have also watch MANY fish mishandled my careless, unresponsible people. I would love to hear Hammernick, Ronnstrand, Thomas and Jonesi post the number of fish they have caught and let us all know the number of fish they killed because "it was hooked bad." I will guess the number is VERY low, if any, because they know how to properly handle the fish, even if it is hooked deep.. I really don't have much more to say, you all know my persoanl opinion is there is no GOOD reason to kill a fish, and I will stand behind that... | |
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Posts: 623
Location: Bloomington, MN | Congratulations to the angler on a super fish! I hope he chooses Lax or Fittante as the artist to preserve that speciman. I like his confession in the newspaper article that he was brought to tears with his catch! I would be more than likely to react the same way after conquering that life time goal. I'm still amazed by the callousness of some anglers that get 50"+ fish and react with as much enthusiasm as getting all the coins they tossed in the toll booth basket! I have had some bad photos of me taken holding fish, but to have a theme going in numerous muskie photos with the expression as if someone took a leak on their Post Toasties that morning is odd. If the sport of muskie fishing is that boring, take up golf! I think I can track down at least 80 releases of 50"+ fish this year out of Mille Lacs. I'm not sure about the survival rate, but I'm questioning the concern of #'s Pistol Pete states are being kept. I realize that some fish are kept, but the overall release rate has got to be better than 95%. I do not fish Mille Lacs that frequently, but I'm not aware of any deliberate angler harvest of muskies that would impact that lake. Please inform me as to what you are aware of. I thought that "almost" all muskie anglers release their fish, and have heard the "other fish" anglers are releasing a majority of their unintentional cathches . The C.P.R.P's (Catch, Pulverize & Retain Pontooners) days have been gone for a few years (that I'm aware of) due to being fed "education" on the limited resource they make their $ on. This post had to take me 2 hours due to the constant "Trick or Treaters" at the door. Happy Halloween! | |
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| I do not think that "hooked bad" is a good excuse.. I have also watch MANY fish mishandled by careless, unresponsible people.
it's actually a GOOD thing if people are keeping fish, then claiming the fish wouldn't revive as a way to avoid the flack they'll inevitably receive for not releasing it. it means that the message and social pressure to release fish is powerful and reaching to most all muskie anglers. this means many people who might have kept a fish are instead releasing it, while the few who still keep them have to create a "cover story" to make it ok. think about it.
as for badly hooked fish? it actually can and does occasionally happen when sticking sharp points into the mouth of a fish.
a fish was killed in my boat this year. a nice 41"er from one of my favorite lakes in Minnesota. it inhaled a bucktail into the gills, and during the fight essentially killed itself by ripping out it's gills on the hooks.
i have all the proper tools in my boat, and ready to go whenever needed. i have had adequate practice handling fish to be able to do so efficiently and effectively, even in delicate hook-out situations. and yet, this one died. so...shame on me?
i felt bad, but it wasn't the end of the world. i honor and value muskies, but i don't worship them...
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Posts: 536
Location: Brainerd Area | Its a fish. Yes a big one. But its just a fish. It died. Get over it. Did he kill it? Or did it die because it was hooked to deep to recover? Dunt matter! ITS DEAD! Do I kill fish? Dunt try to. Have I killed fish? Yep. 2 of them. Did I mean to? Nope. Does this mean I mishandled the fish? Nope. Does this mean I didnt do everything to revive the fish? Nope. It happens no matter how much you try to protect them.
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" I would love to hear Hammernick, Ronnstrand, Thomas and Jonesi post the number of fish they have caught and let us all know the number of fish they killed because "it was hooked bad." I will guess the number is VERY low, if any, because they know how to properly handle the fish"
You said it yourself. Fish can die even if the person knows how to handle the fish properly. Thats fishing.
The only way to protect them from dieing is to stop fishing for them. HAHAHAHAHA like thats going to haappen.
Duck | |
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Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Josh,
It isn't what you are trying to say in most cases, it's how it's said. Most of the time I think everyone knows what you actually are trying to say. It's a matter of two things, really; (1) allowing others their personal opinion and respecting same because that is expected (demanded!) here so everyone feels comfortable posting their beliefs. (2) Presenting yours without all the vitriol.
Argue your point all you wish, that's cool. Take it personal and be rude, and you lose. Go too far, and you won't be welcome to discuss your point of view here, which would be a shame, IMHO, your argument needs to be heard.
That's if you want your message to be heard and considered seriously.
Look back at many of my previous posts on Mille Lacs. I said I felt that a 48" limit would result in a decline in that fishery because of harvest. I got ALLOT of flack for that, too so back off me and take a deep breath. If the limit in Mille Lacs was 54", I think two things would occur; no fish under that would be harvested, and more over that would be released.
I don't know if there's any support for a larger limit there from the MNDNR. What's the general barometer there---Treats? Hooker? MI folks? Please let me know if you have a handle on that. | |
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| I'm in complete agreement with Jclymer on this.
If I were going to kill a big fish and wanted to avoid as much flack as possible, I would tell everyone that I tried to release the fish and it died.
Yes, it's just a fish, but guess what? There are many big fish being killed around this state that you never hear about on the internet due to the shame involved. How much longer till we have a Wabigoon or Lac Seul situation on our hands here. Same for Vermilion.
I venture to say that if the biggest fish in Pelican Lake kept getting killed, Mr. Worrall might feel a bit more strongly about this right to kill the biggest fish in the system.
Jclymer, and other worried to speak up, it's making me sick, too.
Guest | |
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Posts: 32890
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | 'I venture to say that if the biggest fish in Pelican Lake kept getting killed, Mr. Worrall might feel a bit more strongly about this right to kill the biggest fish in the system.'
Where did I say that? You misrepresent what I said, and what Josh said, and do so badly.
I never said it was 'OK' to kill the biggest fish in the system. Did you read my above post? I said the guy reported he tried to release the fish and it was belly up. You, Josh, NO ONE has the right to abuse the guy. If you don't understand that, move on, there's plenty of other boards where the 'train wreck' mentality is acceptable.
I think I also pointed out a few times that the largest fish in Pelican WERE being killed, over 90 in one year in fact. That's why I supported Norm and Mike in an effort to get the lake changed to a 50" limit. We got that done, too, and I aint real popular with quite a few Pelican Lake folks as a result. So lecture someone else or do better research, one or both.
And, I got some news.
It isn't 'shame' in many cases, it's disdain for what so many of us 'stand for' and avoidance of what some feel is extremism..... CPR of even the largest trophy fish. Ask yourself why that might be, and take a hard look in the mirror. I know, I heard it all during the fight to get 13 lakes up here to 50". We lost, big time, ( in fact we got our collective fannies handed to us, and we had the support of the Biologists, too) because of a general perception by the 'other anglers' and businesses that we were self absorbed zealots. Heard it again at the Lake Association meeting where I presented Mike and Norm's proposal at Pelican Lake. A few comments were pure poison (sort of like yours), designed to anger and rattle. And, surprisingly, a few were from long time Pelican lake Muskie anglers I considered friends.
Mike and Norm had done a ton of leg work in advance educating, encouraging, and then educating some more.
We reacted positively, politely held our ground stating fact and backing that up with more facts. We were accurate, reasonable and allowed that others would be angry and untoward, answered their objections honestly and let the Association take it to a vote.
We won. | |
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Posts: 699
Location: Hugo, MN | Congrats to Joe what a Fish!!
To those who wish to criticize . . . Grow Up and quit whining the regulations in Minnesota allow any angler to keep a legal fish. This is not going to stop big fish from Growing in Mille Lacs and it's 132,500 acres. The DNR does a great job managing the resource getting all bent out of shape and being a Muskie Nazi about people keeping fish does nothing to help. | |
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| Where can I get one of these - I am going to MN fishing next week??
He was using a cream-colored, 15-inch-long lure called a Heli Dawg
Steve | |
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Posts: 3149
| I dont have a problem with the guys keeping the fish at all
I do belive the BEST thing that could happen to Mille Lacs is for someone to harvest a 60inch high 50lb class fish and have it documented and media exposed,,,,then people wouldnt be wondering should I or shouldnt I see if this is the biggest ever??? it would save alot of stress on fish in the end knowing they had a much bigger mark top overcome,I know of people who have the tools with in case they do catch a state record and it dies take extra time | |
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| "I would love to hear Hammernick, Ronnstrand, Thomas and Jonesi post the number of fish they have caught and let us all know the number of fish they killed" -jclymer
I've met a couple of these guys, and ALL are great Muskie fishermen. Truthfully though, they might account for dozens of dead Muskies every year. I've read reports stating that the number of fish who expire from delayed mortality could be as high as 20%. As carefull as we all are, if you catch 100 Muskies per year and they all swim off briskly, I strongly doubt all are still alive the next week. There is simply no way to know for sure.
I didn't get out much this year, but I fished a few times. I had 4 bites, and caught 4 Muskies. All 4 were released, but are they still swimming? Who knows. A friend of my brother's caught a 54.5x27 last week and let it go. I'm sure they dealt with it quickly, as my brother catches dozens of fish every year, but there is no possible way to know if that fish is still alive or not. I think that no matter how well you handle the fish, the plain truth of it all is that some will die. If every fish survived, eventually they'd overpopulate the waters and burn through their food sources. Looking at fish like the one in the article that came from Mille Lacs, it looks like they're doing just fine for now. Awesome fish. | |
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Location: New Berlin,Wisconsin,53151 | I got to give the guy credit for putting in the report what he did with the fish knowing the flack he was going to take. I stuck with a fish for over an hour and it's a sick feeling to see them die, but get over it fish die! His fish couldn't be saved its better than what we been hearing about all the big fish taken spearing or gill netted.
Congrads on a big fish,
Bruce | |
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Posts: 31
Location: Syracuse, New York | "It was also hungry. Another angler had recently caught and lost the fish because Kiritschenko found a small Rapala lure stuck in its mouth."
Just be glad this fish ended up in the hands of a musky guy....sounds like it was nearly caught and fileted by some unknowing bass/walleye guy
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Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | That Bass/Walleye guy may have been a solid CPR advocate for Muskies, many are these days. | |
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Posts: 457
| Great fish, yeah its' a shame that it is dead. So be it.
I don't understand the vile aggression people have against those who keep a fish. Just don't get it. I would venture to guarantee you that every single one of us has killed at least one (likely more) fish. It might be known, it might be unknown, it happens. Plain and simple.
The attitude that "you can do no wrong" makes me sick, really. It disgusts me that you treat someone in that manner. It sounds, truly, as though you think you are better than someone else.
This isn't directed at any one person, it is directed at anyone that it might need to be directed it. Step back, think about it. You've got no room to judge. | |
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Posts: 406
Location: Stones throw away...finally!! | Guest - 10/31/2007 3:22 PM
I'm in complete agreement with Jclymer on this.
If I were going to kill a big fish and wanted to avoid as much flack as possible, I would tell everyone that I tried to release the fish and it died.
Yes, it's just a fish, but guess what? There are many big fish being killed around this state that you never hear about on the internet due to the shame involved. How much longer till we have a Wabigoon or Lac Seul situation on our hands here. Same for Vermilion.
I venture to say that if the biggest fish in Pelican Lake kept getting killed, Mr. Worrall might feel a bit more strongly about this right to kill the biggest fish in the system.
Jclymer, and other worried to speak up, it's making me sick, too.
Guest
Point to ponder:
If your point is that a resource is being destroyed, why don't people make a fuss about a 200" whitetail being harvested? Obviously, it is one of the biggest around. I think it is funny how muskies are held at such a higher level than all other "game" animals. If the guy says that he tried to release him, get off your soapbox and cut him a little slack. | |
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| if some of you are so bent out of shape that fish are being kept on Mille Lacs why don't you harness some of your energy, rally your troops and get the size limits raised instead of bashing someone who has every right to legally keep one if he chooses to do so....
I won't keep a fish but also won't ridicule a guy to the extent some of you have...he has a license i presume and is well within his right...get off your high horses and go do something constructive like getting the size limit raised to 54 or 55...
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Posts: 3149
| BN
Im a rep in the MMA,, we wanted 54 on Mille Lacs, Vermillion,Leech and Cass, but it was the the DNR's recomendation that we not make such a big jump from 40 to 54 they told us we would probbably not get it and be back to square one at 40,,their advice was to make the move to 48 then in a few years push for 54'
however there have been a number of big fish harvested this year maybe we can seize the moment and push for 54,,our meetings start in dec
Edited by happy hooker 11/1/2007 7:41 AM
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| I would suspect you would get a lot of support from fishermen in WI/IL etc that fish those lakes quite a bit...with the size fish in there it just makes sense to try and get it now...go for it! I hope you succeed!
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Posts: 1291
Location: Hayward, Wisconsin | Guys:
With lures like the bulldawg he caught the fish on, they often times get taken deep. A muskies heart is just below its tongue and if a hook hits it its a dead fish...regardless of the size of the fish! I've had it happen on a 17-incher and a clients 43-incher. Hated it both times, but if you hook/catch enough muskies it is going to happen. FYI, gill damage, regardless of bleeding, isn't normally fatal and if released they have a better than average chance to make it.
The point is well taken on having the proper release equipment handy and in multiples, and thanks to Steve Jonesi for his thread on the proper tools. I hope everyone read it and took it to heart. As an aside, Knipex cutters are expensive, but are a MUST for easy cutting of hooks. Muskies are too valuable to use inferior equipment and these cutters are only the cost of one or two lures...and EVERY muskie fisherman I know has WAY TOO MANY of those "expensive" items!!
Congrats to the angler on a very special fish. Do you realize just how few 50-pound and over muskies have been caught and verified in the history of our great sport? An average of just over one per year over the past 122 years (pgs. 362-365 Volume II of my 3rd Edition "Compendium")!!
Edited by Larry Ramsell 11/1/2007 8:04 AM
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Location: Mauston, Wisconsin | Wow! Joe- Very nice fish, congrat's!
Joe said he tried to release it! Yet people call him a liar. What the heck is the matter with you? Have you caught a fish of this caliber by yourself? I'll bet not! This is another classic case of envy. If he wanted to, he could have bonked it so hard you could have heard it where you live, and he would have been perfectly within his rights to do so. Just because he's emotional and say's things that are misinterpreted as that he intentionally killed it! Yeah, "Papa" probably would have been overjoyed to see Joe catch this fish. That doesn't mean he intentionally killed it. The story is abreviated- so don't let that lead you down a path where your own motives are in question.
Joe- That's one helluva a fish, don't appologize to anyone for not letting her slide to the bottom of the lake as crayfish food.
Al
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Location: The desert | Wow, I almost hope I never catch a big fish. If my fingernails are too long I'll probably get criticized for not trimming them and how by not doing so I removed enough slime coat to kill the fish. Is it possible to post a picture of a big fish anymore? If you do the fish wont be the size that you measured it at, people wont like how you held it, people will be jealous because you caught it on 'their' water and they havent caught one that big in all the time they spent on that water, its almost become a lose-lose situation if you catch a big fish.
If I ever am fortunate to catch a big beast I dont plan on sharing it with many people mainly because of how ridiculous some people out there are, which is truly sad because we all enjoy looking at big fish....flip through the LAX reproduction contest, some great specimens in there!
One other question I have about Mille Lacs is, How many small fish are you guys seeing out there? Obviously we only really hear about the beasts that come out of there, I'm just curious as to the number of small fish you guys are seeing/catching out there. | |
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Location: Elk River, Minnesota | I'm sorry guest and for anyone on this board who thinks the guy is lying about it......BUT WERE YOU THERE?!!!
"people complain about others of things they don't like in themselves." Hmmm...that is a very true statement for the most part in life , and I feel especially true for those who cannot be happy for this man and his catch. I have not even come close to a fish of that size, but I hope to someday...
man..whatever happened to just being happy to catch muskies of any size? It's NOT about size in this sport. If anyone thinks it is, I think the boat has truely been missed. What bothers me here is that we have some who are total CPR and that is great!! We have others who wish to keep their trophy...that is great too!! BUT...when people try to degrade or condemn anothers actions which are legal, it really says alot about the integrity(or maybe better stated the lack thereof) of the accuser...ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY DONT' KNOW THE WHOLE STORY AND ARE UNWILLING TO ACCEPT THE INFORMATION THAT IS THERE.
When you point a finger at someone...remember....3 point back at you...
Steve
Edited by VMS 11/1/2007 9:46 AM
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Big Mille Lacs Fish