Here's a picture I have saved on my work computer of a PA fish caught out of a Western Pa lake. Close to a 40#er. I don't know the angler, hence the blocked out face.
That fish has some serious girth! Gotta be 40# unless the guy is 3 feet tall.......
I remember a big fish (from last year maybe) that was caught the opening day of trout season and it was HUGE....maybe 51 or 52 but fat...came from somewhere in the Central part of the state.
Anyone remember it?
Last edited by Red Childress; 02-25-2009 at 12:51 PM.
Your correct about that 47pounder,Red.I believe Mr. Pavlicks two biggest fish that I'm aware of were 42 pounders,one from a lake and one from a river.I also recall seeing a 51 pounder caught out of pymatuning in the mid 1970's.And then there was another pymatuning fish caught in 1988 that was 46 pounds,both these pymatuning fish were caught on nightcrawlers!In 1991 there was a 45 pound muskie caught out of east branch lake in elk co.These fish as far as I know were documented by the Fish and boat commision.Howard Wagners Allegheny fish just a couple of years ago is worth mentioning.And one documented fish from out east was a 49 pounder caught in lake wallenpaupack in 1985.
Here's the Central Pa fish from Canoe Creek Lake, caught on a trout this fella was reelin in on opening day. It was something like 42 pounds I believe.
I reference to Howard's fish, he has stuck some real studs over the years. His river fish impress me the most since there are not hundreds of them swimming around like in other parts of the US. Anyone who will go to the extremes that he does to catch a big fish deserves lots of credit........he definitely has some "sweat equity" in those river fish.
That is a serious musky guys. Its like a football the shap and structure of the fish looks like a lake fish. I think that was confirmed?? the Pa record came in 1924 53 pounds . How would they determin pymatuming if one came out of there wich is just a matter of time there would be alot of debate . I think that it has the ability to provide it. I just do not think that a river system would provide such a fish because of current. I know Red and Steve we all like the rivers ,I like them the best .but from the west branch of the susquhanna were I come from I do not see nor have I seen a fish that could break that barrier.I have spent half my life on it and I have seen them over 50 only by 1 or 2 icinch but never to amount to 53.1oz wieght. 40 lbs is the biggest I have caught on the west branch I have caught fish that were 30 to 33 . I am still searching as we all are What do you guys think about were the next big things coming from ? heres a susky river musky 49 1/2 40lb 25inch girth its from years ago but I thought I would share it with you guys if it loads.thanks for the great discussion its been very informational .
I think there are big fish in both lakes and rivers. Now that we have no closed season, things could get very interesting if the timing is right (pre-spawn) for some lucky guy.
I have seen a legit 54.5/44lb. river fish and another that could have been larger........I just did not get to see her depth but very wide across the back......also in that middle-50" class.
55x30 is my guess to break the record. PA fish over 56" is something I have not heard of before (excluding the 1924 fish) so I am banking on the girth to set it apart from the rest.
My 2 cents.
Do you guys think there is a 30-inch girth swimming around in PA??
Last edited by Red Childress; 02-27-2009 at 07:58 PM.
holy crap !! a 30 inch girth fish ? That is a hard one to swallow in pa but I think you are right though I think right on the moneyto. I look at it this way it happend once it can happen again . It would be just hard for a river to provide the wieght I think I know there are big river fish but it does not cater to the fish like a lake does. What I want to know how they would figure out if it was pa or not on pymatuming that gets split right ? I geuss they would have to have witnesses ? I do not know
Logical thinking would have me agree with a 30-inch girth being more likely coming from a lake but the heaviest caught and released North American fish (in decades) came from a river......
Do you know were? I was just wondering? but Pa biggest musky came from Coneaute lake . Are refering to the st. Lerance whalers ? If so you are not kidding they are some monsters even back in time of Louis Spray that is best known ,but now they are caughting some big creatures also .Do you think that there is a river that is able to harbor a fish of that greatness in PA ? I just think there is too many factors to consider, but I want to believe because of my love for the rivers.
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