An angler in West Virginia has caught a record-breaking muskie at Burnsville Lake, with a catch weighing in at 51 kilos and simply over 55 inches. This smashed the earlier state document, which was set simply final 12 months, by 11 kilos.

After reeling within the large fish and getting it weighed and measured by an official from the West Virginia Division of Pure Sources, Luke King launched the muskellunge (Esox masquinongy) again into the wild.

"I have been musky fishing for round 18 years and I usually get out one to 2 days every week," King informed Newsweek. "She fought very arduous however I had the gear to tame her and the battle solely lasted a few minutes."

muskie west virginia
Luke King along with his record-breaking muskie. Luke King

King shared photographs of himself and an acquaintance holding the large fish. A second picture confirmed the muskie being weighed. In a Fb put up he mentioned the muskie had damaged the state document for each size and weight. "This morning my dream got here true," he mentioned within the put up.

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The muskie being weighed earlier than it was launched into the river. Luke King

Searching journal Area & Stream mentioned Shaw's catch represented the third time the West Virginia state document for muskies had been damaged in simply 5 years. In 2021, Chase Gibson caught a 54-inch, 39.6lb muskie at Burnsville Lake. The earlier record-holder was Joe Wilfong, the journal mentioned. He caught a 53.5-inch, 34.6lb muskie on the Little Kanawha River in 2017.

Muskellunge are the most important members of the pike household, usually rising to round 50 inches. They've massive mouths with sturdy enamel of their decrease jaws and mouth roof. They're present in North America across the Nice Lakes and function one of many high, ambush predators, feeding on different fish species.

Muskies are sought by anglers and are sometimes called "the fish of 10,000 casts" as a result of they're troublesome to catch. In keeping with the Worldwide Recreation Fish Affiliation, the most important ever recorded catch weighed 67lb 8oz. This muskie was caught by Cal Johnson in Wisconsin in 1949.

"I've caught many muskies within the 50-53" vary however by no means one as massive as this," King informed Newsweek. "I am very enthusiastic about releasing musky, they take years to realize their dimension—15-20 [years] most typically—and so they're a really fragile fish. They're the highest predator when within the water however out of the water with out correct care and limiting her day out of the water she would not have made it.

"I all the time return my musky to the water as a result of who am I to take the lifetime of one thing so lovely!"