MILLE LACS, Minn. — A Minnesota man just got his name penciled into the state records books for catching a massive fish this summer.
But how big was it?
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) certified Eric Bakke's 58.25-inch muskie he caught June 11 on Mille Lacs Lake.
According to a press release from the Minnesota DNR, the state's previous catch-and-release record was a tie for 57.25-inch muskies, both caught on Lake Vermilion over the past three years.
Bakke and his fishing partner caught the massive fish after a couple of minutes of trying to reel it in, the press release said. The anglers measured the muskie, took a picture of it and released it — all in less than a minute.
“In order to catch more and bigger fish you have to put them back: ‘let them go, let them grow,’” Bakke said. “This record should and will be broken in the next year or two if we all make the choice to keep all those big fish alive and swimming for the next person to experience and catch a fish of their lifetime. I’d like to say thank you to all of the people who have caught that fish over the past 20-plus years, took care of her and put her back. She is still out there for all of you to go try to catch again!”
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