That’s a big fish: Minnesotan reels in 57-inch muskie while fly fishing

[h2ofwlr]

That’s a big fish: Minnesotan reels in 57-inch muskie while fly fishing

November 11, 2015 By Melissa Turtinen, BMTN

Photo and links: http://bringmethenews.com/2015/11/11/th ... y-fishing/

Robert-Hawkins-muskie
(Photo: Bob Mitchell's Fly Shop, Facebook)

A Minnesota man caught what could be a record-setting muskie – while fly fishing.

Robert Hawkins, who owns Bob Mitchell’s Fly Shop in Lake Elmo, posted on the shop’s Facebook page that he hooked a 57-inch muskie while fishing with friends on Mille Lacs Lake Monday, using a fly he made himself, KSTP notes.

The fish had a girth of nearly 27 inches and weighed more than 50 pounds, which could set a world record for the largest muskie caught while fly fishing, WCCO reports.

The largest muskie caught in Minnesota weighed 54 pounds and was 56 inches long with a girth of 27 3/4 inches. The fish was reeled in on Lake Winnibigoshish in Itasca County back in 1957, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

After taking a few photos, Hawkins released the giant fish back into the water, KARE 11 says.