53.5 inch - 40+ pound Musky on Korducky Spinnerbait

Tonight while guiding clients from New Hampshire we boated the fish of a lifetime, definitely the largest to date in my boat.

The evening started out just as any perfect musky fishing evening should, it was overcast with a slight rain and a nice chop on the water. It didn't take long for us to have action. We were on the water less than half an hour when Claude had a strike on a Korducki topwater bait (a Sputterduck) but unfortunately the fish missed the bait. We worked around the area a little bit and moved off. About 45 minutes later we returned back to the location where we moved the fish on the Sputterduck when wham a nice fish boiled on Brett’s bait (a Korducki Spinnerbait). Fish on fish on I hear as Brett yelled out. I ran to the back of the boat there is a nice fish rolling on the surface he fought the fish for about 30 seconds and we slid the Frabill under her. A nice fat 40 inch fish no laid in the het. High fives and a few photos and Brett released his first musky.

A quick note as Brett prepared to release his fish it started putting up a big struggle and instead of dropping the wriggling fish he held tough only to have his hand slide up into the mouth of the fish and end up slicing his thumb wide open pretty good. At that point he started to let the fish down and as he did it swung around and took a swipe at Claude. When it did it latched onto Claude’s jacket side and bit down thrashing back and forth. I had to literally pry the fish from Claude’s jacket before we could release it. Boy what a mean fish!

After that episode we moved off to another location where we had strikes from the same fish 4 different times only to have the fish miss the bait each and every time. Each time the fish took a swipe at the bait it either came completely out of the water or it rolled up on the bait only to miss it completely. The fish must have been blind. By the way all four times it struck at was at four different baits.

Moving on we decided to try one last location before heading in. We moved up to one of my big fish spots and started working it thoroughly. We pounded the water hard for about half an hour and I was just telling the guys that it was time to go when Brett said ok one last cast before we go. He threw out his bait (a Korducki Spinnerbait) and about half way back a monster erupted from the water. I saw the boil and immediately knew it was a good one. The fish bore down hard thrashing and diving for deep water only Brett held strong. The fish made several great runs but after about what seemed forever she slid into the awaiting Frabill. A giant! We just sat there staring amazed at the size of her. Both length and girth - What a pig! We got our wits about us and removed the hooks and quickly took a couple off photos. Then as we released her to the river we threw the tape on her and it read 53.5 inches! Wow!!! This was definitely the largest musky that I had ever had in my boat much less my hands, it was well over 40 pounds.

It was better than a perfect end to a perfect day.

Congratulations go out to Claude and Brett on a superior job today!

WOW! Congrats to Phil and his clients for thier fish of a life time! We all know how rare those 50 inch plus fish are, let alone one over fourty pounds...
To catch and release a trophy like this is a feeling like no other, and a sign of the true sportsmen they really are!

Congradulations guys!

Thanks John it really was an unbelievable catch.

A fish of a lifetime is right, Awesome fish ! Great job guys.

Awsome job. That thing's a monster!

Adam Rasmussen

Thanks Adam.

I am still thinking about it!

Special thanks to Phil on an unbelivable night. That fish is going to live in my memory forever. What an experience. I want to give a shout out to the Korducky Spinner folks as that was the hot bait. Very effective lure. I know nights on the water like THAT don't happen very often and I can honestly say that it is a "fish of a lifetime". The fish fry at the end of the night was a special touch and just reiterated that Hooksetters is about the whole experience. Great bunch of guys!!!! Can't wait until the next trip.

So I am the other guy in the picture. I too want to thank Phil for a lifetime memory. It was a great evening. This was our second trip with Phil, which says something. Brett and I just enjoy fishing with Phil. He is not only a great guide but a good teacher letting you know what you are fishing with and how to fish what you're after.

If you are this site looking for a guiding service you can not go wrong with Hooksetters. To give them one of the highest praises from a New Englander they are "Good people".

As I think other sportman will agree that being with a good friend while they get a fish like that is just (maybe, but I'm not sure) a notch below being the guy at the end of the line.

Thanks again.

Claude Langlois

Wow what a beautiful catch and release!! Congratulations to Brett Caldon on the musky of a lifetime, and releasing it as well--good sportsman. Congrats to Phil too! Phil is a fantastic guide and guy--and Brett and Claude now know this first hand. I'm thrilled that it was caught on a Ducktail Lure "Weed Warrior" spinner bait! Because like Claude said--I'm almost as happy as the guy Ihat caught it! Thanks for using our bait and congratulations to all on this great catch and release!

Jim Korducki

This was a fish of a lifetime for anyone and I am happy that is was Brett that caught it. Congrats on a job well done and special thanks to Jim Korducki for producting the bait that took the monster musky.

Nice Fish True Sportsman Congrads