51-plus-inch DL pike???

[1pingonly]

wow... I bet his heart started pounding when he got his first look at that thing coming in...and thanks for not holding it out at arms length to make it look bigger...(jeez i hate that). this is a true monster fish. nice job

 

[shadow]

Cool! So cool he let it go, that a boy, you have a seat in my boat anytime!!!

 

[luvcatchingbass]

Wow, that is impressive. good on him for releasing cause I know I would have kept it for the wall especially on a fly rod

 

[shorthairsrus]

Nice fish nice pic.

 

[espringers]

I would like to find fault in throwing back a fish that may have smashed the nearly 40 year old state record. But, I can't. And I honestly won't be surprised if one of them catches another in the near future. They have been at this for a few years. But, that's a short time in a fisherman's life.

 

[raider]

COOL = "ya i threw it back... ain't nothin but a thang..."

 

[SerchforPerch]

Dam, the bar has just been raised, that fish which will be appreciated by any hardcore Esox Angler. I don't think Ive ever seen a pic of 50+ pike from Canada, MN, WI, etc. A 45"er is an epic fish by Pike standards.. Keep pumping out fish like that and the Musky guides next stop will be DL (not to be confused with Detroit Lake)

 

[Up Y'oars]

And to even THINK it would butt up against a state record, and release it anyways!! Oyyyy, What would I do in that very instance? A good possibility of a state record that could be on the books for 50yrs...

It's not like others haven't caught onto a 50"+ pike before, they just didn't know it because the brute snapped 18,000 lines before the day he landed up on shore. That ol' girl has pushed a ton of lures through her sphynter, not?? LOL

 

[nxtgeneration]

What a fish. Good for him to release the it. I honestly don't know what I would have done in that situation. That is a fish of a lifetime and I couldn't fault anyone for keeping it either. I would image he has lots of pictures/measurements and could get a replica done?

 

[Captain Ahab]

My guess is he knew it wasn't quite the state record as it was probably spawned out already. He'll be after that girl again when it is bulkier.

 

[guywhofishes]

That fish is most likely dead now. Those old gals die easily after being worn out from a fight. :;:stirthepot

 

[Duckslayer100]

That fish is most likely dead now. Those old gals die easily after being worn out from a fight. :;:stirthepot

So much wasted pickling....sniff, sniff....

 

[guywhofishes]

It is really impressive that he released that fish though. Thumbs Up

 

[Captain Ahab]

It is really impressive that he released that fish though. Thumbs Up

Agreed

 

[camoman]

My guess is he knew it wasn't quite the state record as it was probably spawned out already. He'll be after that girl again when it is bulkier.

Agree. That's a giant fish, but in my opinion she doesn't have the belly to make 37 and change. I don't want to take anything away from the fish, because I would be MORE than happy to catch it, but I too think she'd have come up shy of the record.

 

[Kurtr]

I would have kept it with out a second thought.

 

[Captain Ahab]

Depending on his tippet strength it could be an IGFA line class record, but I think you need an actual weight for those as well.

 

[Auggie]

The Ontario DNR fish weight calculator says that brute weighs 39.03lbs.

 

[Taylorman55]

That fish is insane. When I first saw the picture, immediately thought 35 lbs. A true, true brute. A great picture of the fish at that angle also, it really shows how big the fish is.

Simply kick ass.

 

[Captain Ahab]

The Ontario DNR fish weight calculator says that brute weighs 39.03lbs.

http://www.northernpikefishing.ca/pike-weight-calculator.htm

I guess this is the one I punched in. It said 33.52lbs. It's an epic fish of a lifetime either way. Congrats to the pike master!

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BTW, I would have kept it in a second and would have had a big taxidermy bill.