Old Outdoor Life article about Kinzua muskies

[Red Childress]

Not exactly sure when this was written but it appears to be sometime during the early to mid-80's. I never knew PA had a 48-inch size limit either. Standard musky gear has certainly evolved as well.


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[HD Fatboy]

Standard musky gear has certainly evolved as well.
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"To get the muskie into the boat, they first had to dispatch it with an oar. Them they slipped there net around its head and a rope around its tail"

LOL I am glad the musky gear has evolved!

[Ivan]

The way they have it worded, it looks like the author is saying "legal net" size is 48"s. Look at the stocking numbers back then. Probably fry and not fingerlings though.

[Red Childress]

Yep, I see it now after re-reading it. I will re-state it: I never knew PA ever had a 48-inch limit for nets either. :)

[ppalko]

I think the 48 inch limit is an error. I seem to recall a 30 inch limit at that time.

Funny how the Fish Commission is quoted as saying they did not manage the lake as a trophy fish spot. Rather large shame since proactive management strategies would have halped the population now. This is the same group that responded to a letter I wrote in the early 90's that the river below Kinzua had no trout and should not be managed as a trophy fishery as a result.

[Ivan]

48" is a maximum net diameter in PA. I looked up the regulations yesterday. I use a Frabill Big Kahuna net and its hoop measures 40x44". I think that's about the biggest net made, so anything you have is probably legal.

[ppalko]

OK, so he is talking net size! I seem to recall some pretty good fishing on Kinzua in the 80's and early 90's. Caught my best northern back then on a tiny rooster tail using 4 lbs test fishing the flooded creeks in Sugar Bay. I did not do much musky fishing at the time but we caught more than a few while fishing for bass and walleye. I wonder what it would have been like to actually have been targetting them. Got to laugh at the oar up side the head approach to landing one!