Syracuse.com - St. Lawrence River muskie possible new 'Catch and Release' world record (see video)

[HuntingNY-News]

<p>

"We did everything that was asked. When they saw the picture we sent them, they said it looked like we had the record," said Walters. "Who knows? I'll be great if we get it."

</p>

<p><br />A 54-inch muskie caught on the St. Lawrence River last week stands a good chance of getting into the International Game Fish Association's record book as a world record under the "Catch and Release" category.</p>

<p>The fish was landed by Matt Forjohn of Ambler, Pa. on Dec. 2 . He was aboard a charter boat, Water Wolf Charters, with Capt. Bob Walters, of Skaneateles Falls.</p>

<div id="asset-13917309" class="entry_widget_large entry_widget_right"><span class="adv-photo-large"><img src="/static/common/img/blank.gif" class="lazy" data-original="http://media.syracuse.com/news/photo/2013/12/13917309-large.jpg" class="adv-photo" alt="2012-12-10-bigmuskie2.jpg" /><span class="photo-data"><span class="caption">Forjohn caught his fish on a 12-inch, Swim Whizz lure, which was painted to resemble a small walleye.</span><span class="byline">Courtesy of Bob Walters</span></span></span> </div>

<p>The fish was measured using an official IGFA device. Per IGFA rules, it was measured from the front lip to the "v" of its tail (not the outer part of the fin). Using that technique, it measured 130 centimeters (51.18 inches). That's two centimeters longer than the current record set in 2011 by an Illinois angler fishing in the Ottawa River in Canada.</p>

<p>Forjohn caught his fish on a 12-inch, Swim Whizz lure, which was painted to resemble a small walleye. The fish hit while Walter's 31-foot Cherokee boat was trolling near a shoal at Carleton Island, which is about where the river begins on Lake Ontario.</p>

<p>Once the muskie hit the lure, Forjohn was the only angler to handle the rod. Darryl Raate, the boat's first mate, netted the fish after a brief battle. <a href="http://www.stlawrencemuskiefishing.com/2013/12/matt-forjohns-54-inch-musky/">Walters noted the catch, measurement and release was captured on video.</a></p>

<p>Walters said the fish was caught on 65-pound test Tuf Line with an 80-pound test, Seguar fluorocarbon leader.<br /> <br />Walters said bigger muskie have been caught and released in the river and elsewhere. He noted, though, that IGA rules require an official measuring device, pictures and the proper paperwork to be filled out before it's declared a record.</p>

<p>"We did everything that was asked. When they saw the picture we sent them, they said it looked like we had the record," said Walters. "Who knows? I'll be great if we get it."</p>

<p>The IGFA's All Tackle world records are determined by weight instead of length. The <a href="http://wrec.igfa.org/WRecordsList.aspx?lc=AllTackle&cn=Muskellunge">All-Tackle record for a muskie </a>is currently held by Carl Johnson. It weighed 67 pounds, 8 ounces and was caught in 1949 on Lake Court Oreilles in Hayward, Wisc.</p>

<p>Walters estimated that Forjohn's muskie weighed nearly 50 pounds.</p>

<p>The charter boat captain said after the pictures were taken, the muskie was put back in the water and "swam away with vigor. "<br /></p>

View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog