World Record Musky History

[Red Childress]

After continually being asked about the current world record musky, I decided to post the following links to better help newcomers understand the controversy surrounding it.

Draw your own conclusions as I am merely the messenger of information. :)



http://www.worldrecordmuskiealliance.com/history.html

http://muskie.outdoorsfirst.com/articles/02.22.2006/1012/Did.Former.Muskellunge.World.Record.Holder.Art.Law ton.Get.A.Fair.Shake.When.His.Record.Was.Disqualif ied?/index.htm

http://www.worldrecordmuskiealliance.com/sprayrecord.html

[dawgfn78]

I went to Hayward, WI last August on vacation, and it's quite the hot button issue up there. I met several people there who were more than willing to get irate about where the biggest fish hailed from.

The records aside, what an incredible US fishery. It wouldn't suprise me one bit if another record came out of there. It's a 16-17 hour drive from Warren, but well worth the trip. I didn't see your thread on where to go for a fishing vacation in time, but I would definitely recomended the Chippewa Flowage, Treeland Resorts, and Ty Sennett as a guide.

I don't really have a side in the arguement, but it was a nice opportunity to think about my Hayward trip again. :D

[Muskiekid]

Quite interesting info. Thanks.

I saw an interview of Lawton in which he admitted to adding weight to his fish. He "came clean" at the end of his fishing days about this. Whether he (or his wife) holds the record(s) or not, this fellow was one heck of a fisherman.

As mentioned, Louis Spray shot his fish which is one of the reasons his fish has now never been recoginzied by the IFGA. This was common practice in those days. Perhaps this should be like Roger Maris *** home run record? I would also like to mention that Spray (although a guide himself) was fishing with a guide at the time of his catch and that he was usiing a sucker as bait when he caught the Muskie.

This new World Record Musky Alliance includes Larry Ramsell, John Detloff and others that are experts not only as fishermen, but in the history of Muskellunge records. These guys genually care about the sport. Generally speaking, the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame is considered the real record keeping agency for Muskies with many people.

Then there's Robert Malo's 70# fish!!!!

Is it worth it to submit a fish as a state or world record? Just ask those that have done it. To have a fish verified for either, it's 99% kill rate of the fish in most places. I have a friend that has taken a state record fish and only turned it in because he could not revive it (he has cpr'd larger fish). He has been the subject of personal attacks on the internet, calls at home, etc. Then there's Tony Grant's (Kentucky) fish or Radke's fish (some are records). Is it really worth the exposure and criticism of others to submit a record fish?

Many of us say: "I woud CPR a record fish," but until you've been there.....we really don't know what we would do.

Rather than focus on "is the record real?," perhaps more info should be developed and published as to how these great fishermen caught fish. We could all learn from it.