Blade Fishing Report: Record muskie swims again
May 19—The best angling information from area experts.
—Documented & released: Guide Chase Gibson caught the West Virginia state record muskie recently, quickly contacted a nearby DNR biologist to certify the catch, and then the beast of a fish was tagged and released so it can be caught again someday, and likely set the record higher. The fish weighed 39.6 pounds and measured 54 inches when Gibson wrestled it out of a timbered cover on Burnsville Lake, a 968-acre flood control reservoir in the central part of the state. "Think how cool it would be if another angler hooks that fish in the fall and sets a new state record," said WVDNR biologist Aaron Yeager, who certified the record muskie. The current Ohio record muskie is a 55.13-pound behemoth that measured 50 1/4 inches and was caught by Joe D. Lykins, in April of 1972 on the 2,270 acre Piedmont Lake, about halfway between Cambridge and Wheeling in southeastern Ohio. Michigan has two muskie records — the Great Lakes muskie subspecies record is a monster 58-pound, 58-inches long fish that has also been certified as the world record muskie. Joe Seeberger of Portage caught that muskie in October of 2021. The Northern muskie subspecies record in Michigan is a 49.75-pound fish that measured 51 inches and was caught in Thornapple Lake in Barry County in 2000.
—Lake Erie: Netcraft owner and tournament angler Bob Barnhart reports that walleye fishing on the big water has been on fire lately, continuing to serve up walleye in both size and numbers. Barnhart said bringing in 30 to 40 fish per day on a recent weekend was not out of the norm, with the best fishing found east of Toledo in the area between Lorain and Avon Point. Barnhart said the lake has been serving up walleye in depths from eight feet of water to 45-foot depths, and everything in between, to trollers working all types of crankbaits. Barnhart said Deep Bandits, custom painted with transparent paints over a chrome base, worked exceptionally well in the very clear water, with pinks and chartreuse the hot colors. Further west, the fishing remains strong around the reef complexes, west of the Lake Erie Islands, and east of A-can. Drift fishermen are reporting very good catches around first light and in the low-light hours of the evening.
—LEWT event: A five-fish bag that weighed in at 44.81 pounds and included an 11.33 pound big fish of the event won the Lake Erie Walleye Trail tournament in Huron on Saturday for Tyler Berthold of Colombia Station and Jeremy Lisy of Akron. The duo had the heaviest catch of the seven bags that weighed over 40 pounds. Since they collected a bonus for running a Ranger boat and the big fish bonus, the pair collected $15,840, the largest payout in the history of LEWT events. There were 73 two-person teams competing for $24,000 in cash and prizes.
—Maumee River: The mayor of the waterway, Joe Roecklein, reports that the serious white bass fishermen are harvesting fish by wading out into the river and throwing Twister Tails, spinners, or any bright minnow-imitation into the flow. Anglers are avoiding the faster water near Jerome Road, but the areas of the river near Orleans, White Street, Sidecut, and along the Towpath are all producing fish. Roecklein still believes that the bulk of the white bass spawning run is yet to come. He also expressed some frustration with the groups of anglers who are down at the river but show little evidence that they have paid attention to the best tactics and approaches to use during the white bass run. With a little foundation and education, the river in May can offer an exceptional angling experience.
—Sandusky River: This northwest Ohio waterway has earned a reputation over the years for its prolific white bass spawning runs each May. The Sandusky is living up to its press clippings this year, puffing out its chest, and flexing its muscles. The photos don't lie, and on the Facebook page for Bernie Whitt's Angler's Supplies bait shop in downtown Fremont, the images are a bit overwhelming. Fishermen straining to lift a stringer filled with chunky white bass, kids grinning as they hold open the lid of a cooler loaded with so many white bass there is little room for ice, and anglers from Pennsylvania showing why it is worth the 3.5-hour drive and the out-of-state fishing license as they display a mess of white bass and white perch that they likely still preparing for the freezer. The river has settled down after a surge following the recent rains, the water temperature has bumped up to 68 degrees, and the clarity is steadily improving. The fishing sites throughout the downtown and up through the parks area have all been good, with areas displaying current producing some of the best action. Twister Tails in white, chartreuse, and sparkle patterns have been strong, and live minnows fished under floats continue to fill the coolers.
First Published May 19, 2021, 9:55am
