Trophy Muskie -tough question

[charlesn]

Out of curiosity, what would the potential world record musky be worth? Like in the tens of thousands? hundreds of thousands? millions?

 

The last couple amounts are literally life changing sums of money (to most average citizens) and I'd think you'd have to be crazy not to seriously consider it. After all, giant specimen or not, it's just one fish and if it is like other species, once they get to that size, their days of successfully passing along their genes are gone and almost certainly it is near the end of its life cycle so you might be releasing it to be turtle food anyways.

 

Scrutiny aside, if it was legit and done on the up and up and you could provide a better lifestyle for your family, how can you pass that up?

 

Also, why do boat manufacturers not design a musky sized livewell? I know my bass boat certainly would not fit even a decent sized musky unless I could somehow fold it in half. But a giant livewell might keep the fish alive for inspection, weighing, scale samples, etc. and still allow for a live release.

 

Charles

[lew]

But if I caught one that I thought had a good chance as a record, I'd definitely keep it. It'd be neat to tell the grand kids I had a world record!

 

It'd be even neater if you told your grand kids that you caught the biggest musky in the world, then let it go to become even bigger, and explained to them that it's not always necessary to kill things just because you have the power to do so.

 

Course that's only my opinion............

[capt bruce]

Was gonna type an answer , BUT LEW beat me to it , WELL SAID Lew , (and his answer comes from someone who has a good chance at catching it )

[largemouth]

Nope, the grandkids would be able to see and touch my record muskie. if/when i catch the world record muskie or world record any species I would keep it, no question! thats why i fish, to chase and hopefully catch the record. I'd even keep a personal best muskie or any species of fish for the wall even if it wasn't a record, as long as it is within the law of course. but i don't frown upon those who release their fish.

[fishinggeek]

To each their own, I suppose. This is all hypothetical, as I'll never catch it, but I would keep it. It would be the only muskie I'll ever keep. Keeping any sport fish, including muskie, is not sacreligious. That's why they aren't on the endangered/protected/extinct list and that's why there are possession limits. And I don't think killing one fish, muskie or otherwise, teaches children to kill because one can. If that were true, that argument could be made for consuming meat, leather, or other intentional acts of killing. Keeping any fish, in my opinion, is not harmful to children in and of itself, including the killing of a mess of perch or a world record muskie. Plus the grand kids would see me in newspaper!

 

And Charles, I'm not sure how much a world-record muskie is worth, but I'm guessing not much. I mean Ken O'Brien lucked out by catching his with a Rapala, one of the biggest fishing companies out there. I'm not sure how much he made, if any, but my gut feeling is not enough to be life changing. I certainly wouldn't be doing it for financial gain.

[Gerritt]

A world record fish could be worth MILLIONS advertising contracts, product spots etc... Would I keep a world record fish when we are talking about that kind of money?? Yes I would..... But only if I was sure it was a world record fish... The likely hood of that happening? Next to nil.

 

G

[Raf]

I mean Ken O'Brien lucked out by catching his with a Rapala, one of the biggest fishing companies out there.

 

Catch a WR muskie and I'd let the highest bidder dictate what I caught it on.

[darsky]

Raf-I know someone who just may catch it AND he has that same view

[fishinggeek]

Catch a WR muskie and I'd let the highest bidder dictate what I caught it on.

 

Hah! Never thought of that. Maybe Ken didn't use a Rapala after all!

[capt bruce]

Maybe ken didnt catch it atall , maybe it was floating on the surface maybe maybe It will all be questioned when as Irish said they get around to him . It may be worth millions to the tackle industry but I dont think Obrien got much maybe a free box or two of shad raps ,

[OhioFisherman]

Charles, actually Crestliner used to or maybe still makes one. I think the model was CMV or something like that, had a 54 inch livewell and was sort of designed for muskie fishermen. It was the model I was interested in before illness caused me to change plans.

 

Seen some guys with them on the Muskie lakes around here, and at boat displays, 18'3" rated for like 150HP.

 

LOL stick a lot of bass in that livewell!

 

http://www.boattrader.com/listing/2006-CRE...V-1850-91926907

Edited April 11, 2008 by OhioFisherman

[irishfield]

I could probably flood my boat to the floor line and use the rod storage locker !

[tonka-toy]

well big D, all you have to do is be there when i catch her,snap a picture(carefull with the background),and let me take care of the rest.should be around first week of sep prior to the full moon.

[Roy]

It'll be fine. Pics are nice, especially when you hold them up right for bounty fishing. You might even win $200. I think that these folks who catch fish in one Province and enter them in another are really honest people too. The list of names of 'save our muskies" folks who are members there is astounding....including some very good guides and some writers of "help our fishies" folks.

 

Getting tired of the rhetoric.....blow it out your ear.

 

I'm sure that the banner will disappear from our web community very soon.

[setomonkey]

Not worth it to me. I'd get more satisfaction from having the photos and being able to tell the story than killing a trophy fish like that. Not just muskies, I'd feel the same way about any species.

 

But that's my feeling about it, it's up to the guy who catches that world record. Long as it's legal within the regs, I've got no business telling someone else what to do.

 

Mike

[2 tone z71]

well big D, all you have to do is be there when i catch her,snap a picture(carefull with the background),and let me take care of the rest.should be around first week of sep prior to the full moon.

HAHA I like the handle fits well,thats a sweet ride for sure Big W,im looking so forward to getting out got a few new rods/reels and a hugh beckman net to land her lol,just got back with DBs ATV pike and walleye opens in 2 weeks doing any

[mepps]

I'd let her go for sure. I dont hold much faith in the old musky records anyway. I'd possibly keep a record bass though.

 

heres some pictures of some of the biggest musky on record

Cal Johnson, 67 lbs

 

Lawton, 69 pounds 15 ounces and Spray, 69 pounds 11 ounces

Edited April 12, 2008 by mepps