largest fish by species 2009-2010??

largest released fish by species in 2009
will we beat them in 2010? odds anyone?

walleye 33"
muskie 55"
pike 46"
lake trout 39 1/2
smallmouth bass 23"

Musky- Every year I am wrong but every year I say that this is the year that someone hooks into a 60#class fish and gets it into the net.

Pike- I dont think anyone will beat that 46"

Walleye- Going to go out on a limb here and say that someone will tie it but not beat it.

Lake Trout- ? No idea.

Smallies- I dont thinks so, but i dont really know much about them on eagle.

Good luck all!
Alex

I am going for broke and saying that I will beat all of them in my short 1 week stay the 3rd week in July!

wow, i can try

I am willing to make the firm prediction that every fisherman and fisherwoman who goes out on Eagle Lake this year and pays attention to what is going on around them will see wonders in the air and on the shore and in the water. I remember watching a pair of eagles taking turns going our from their nest and returning with walleyes for their nestlings. Almost every day has spectacular dawns and clouds and sunsets. I can never get enough of seeing the big, varied old growth forest that persists in some areas, and every island is like a Japanese gardener's dream. And at the boat, well, the fish are incredible. I'll let the walleye, pike, bass and trout anglers speak for themselves, but I bet that virtually every muskie fisherman will see fish at the boat that thrill them and maybe scare them. It seems completely possible that somebody will hook up a really big one in the 57-58" class this year, but once that fish starts jumping and diving in the weeds and rolling in the line, all bets are off about whether she gets netted. As Herbie reminds me, the ones that get away stay in our memories at least as vividly as the ones we catch. Aren't we lucky to have such great material for fantasies?
Bill Hedden

I think any betting man would say that for Muskies the largest will be 54-55". I just don't think they get bigger than that very often. Oh sure, there are bigger ones in Eagle Lake, for sure. And in fact, I tangled with one definitely over 54" last year.

There's so much going against getting one bigger than 54-55". First, there are not "numbers" of these fish in the system. Then you have to get them to commit. Then, an awful lot needs to go right for it to be landed.

So, again, I say, sure it can happen. But the odds are that the biggest fish in camp will be 54-55", and 45+lb.

All of this being said, I am glad I had to chance to at least SEE one bigger last year. I am even more thankful to have had it on the end of my line for 15-20 seconds. I am convinced that if I keep plugging away on Eagle Lake, I should have another chance at a fish like that in my lifetime. And, I hope other guests of AML get the chance to experience it as well. I think they will, and one will be boated in the next 5-10 years for sure. Maybe this year, maybe not. But it will happen, of that I have no doubt...

-Dan

Dan is obviously right that the safest bet would be for the biggest muskie to come in at 54-55 inches: that happens almost every year. But if you look at my earlier post saying that somebody could hook a bigger one, notice that is exactly what happened last year. Dan himself tangled with a real monster that rolled up on the line and got off. I had that same fish up at the boat two days earlier and Cal and I saw another one that long, but without the girth. I am sure others may have seen huge fish during the year. Not only are they out there, but they come to play sometimes. So I still choose to believe one or more of us will hook up with a giant this year, even if we don't get her in the net.
Bill Hedden

Bill, I just hope I'm there when you raise her!

I think the Walleye number could be 34"... Danny helped my son get a 32.5" a few years back. That fish is probably about 34" by now, and Danny knows right where she is.