Minnesota Angler Hooks World Record Muskie!

It looks like a new record has been set in Minnesota by an angler who knows how to catch world record size fish.

The giant muskie was caught on October 29th in Garrison, Minnesota on Lake Mille Lacs by Art Weston, a prolific angler known for catching record fish. According to Wired2Fish.com, Weston currently holds 39 records, and has accumulated 79 total records during his lifetime.

How Big Was The Muskie?

The International Game Fish Association is the organization that tracks these records, and they posted a photo of Weston and the 54.33-inch long muskie, which they say, once verified, will be a new all-tackle length division record.

What Was The Previous Record Muskie?

The previous record was set in November 2022, Derek Balmas caught a 53.15-inch muskie from the Saint Lawrence River. The all-tackle weight record for muskie hasn't been broken since 1949, when Cal Johnson caught a 67 pound, 8 ounce muskie on Lake Court Oreilles in northwest Wisconsin.

The International Game Fish Association says that Weston measured the monster muskie with the official IGFA measuring device, and that the record is currently pending and under review before it's made official. Once the fish was measured and photos were taken, the fish was set free.

Minnesota DNR Also Tracks Record Breaking Fish

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources also tracks record-breaking fish caught in the state, no word on if this catch was also submitted to them. The Minnesota DNR offers a certified weight program, that obviously tracks the weight of fish, and a catch and release program that tracks length and girth of fish.

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Currently, the Minnesota DNR recognizes records for 51 species in the certified weight category, and 26 fish species for the catch and release category. In case you're curious, the heaviest fish on record with the state of Minnesota is a Bigmouth Buffalo, the largest "sucker" species found in North America, it tipped the scales at a whopping 41 pounds, 11 ounces, and was caught from the Mississippi River in 1991.