A gigantic catch in Minnesota should stand as the new state record musky.
Fitting one last fishing trip in before the cold weather sets in is a common practice for all anglers. Catching a state record on that last trip of the year is far less common, but was likely accomplished earlier this month.
Nolan Sprengeler of Plymouth, Minnesota shared news and photographic proof of his 55-pound, 14.8-ounce muskie caught on Mille Lacs Lake, and it should beat out the 64-year-old record for the heaviest fish of its kind taken within the state's borders.
The previous Minnesota record muskie weighed 54 pounds and was set in 1957 on Lake Winnibigoshish.
The outing almost didn't happen, with cold temperatures and icy conditions hampering efforts to get a boat launched. Once they finally did, it proved to be a meaningful day. Sprengeler took to social media to share news of the big catch, and had this to say:
The rumors are true! On November 22nd I set out on the last trip of my season with Kevin Kray and Zack Skoglund to chase the queen. At about 9pm I felt that tap on my Thorne Bros 9'6" XXH I've been searching for all fall. After a quick battle and a few ridiculous head shakes we had it in the bag. I didn't realize how giant this fish was until I pulled it out of the net and immediately called Kevin over to assist with the buddy pictures. It measured an incredible 57.75" in length with a 29" girth. The next hour or so was spent trying to get her to release. Eventually we realized this was not going to happen and made the decision to bring it to a certified scale and crush the Minnesota State Record. She weighed 55 lbs and 14.8 oz. Huge shout out to Austin Tausk and Kyle Dorr for helping me find a place to get her weighed and helping with that process. Also Randy at the UPS Store was the man for being so cool about weighing it for us. I'm so incredibly blessed to be apart of this journey with my best friends.
Sprengeler told KARE 11 News that when the fish was hauled into the boat after a relatively short fight, he didn't think it was all that big. When he tried to lift the muskie and couldn't, that's when it began to set in. After taking a few pictures and placing it on the measuring board, the group realized it was of record proportions.
Because he was aiming for the catch and release muskie record, Sprengeler tried for an hour to revive the fish and set it free, but the hook was set too far inside its mouth. The decision was made to get official weights and measurements to qualify the fish for the state record, then have a mount made.
After struggling to get the boat out of the lake and failing to find an adequate scale, Sprengeler and fellow anglers Kevin Kray and Zack Skoglund found a UPS Store in Golden Valley, where operator-owner Randy Holst was more than happy to help weigh the fish. From there Sprengeler went to the DNR fisheries office in Shakopee to complete state record paperwork, and then drove five hours to Lax Reproductions in Conover, Wisconsin, a reputable fish taxidermy operation.
The catch-and-release record is still on Sprengeler's list of goals, even after an accomplishment of this kind.
"It's more than a hobby," he told KARE 11. "It's my life's driving passion."
The recognized world record for muskie is a 69-pound, 11-ounce fish caught in 1949 in northwestern Wisconsin.
NEXT: THE ANGLING JOURNEY: 5 STAGES OF BEING A FISHERMAN OR WOMAN
