Excerpt

Due to the massive amount of new information that makes up our sport’s history, this revised, updated & expanded 3rd Edition will consist of two volumes. Volume I, which you are about to peruse, deals only with the largest documented historic muskellunge, including the sanctioned world records and a number that weren’t sanctioned. Detailed completely will be the world record wars, containing everything you wanted to know including a considerable amount that has never been shared with the general public.

You will find tons of new information contained herein to not only correct the errors of the past but reveal a considerable number of recently obtained historic photographs among the over 200 to be enjoyed.

Readers of “Compendium” 3rd Edition, will discover that some of the fish of the past two editions have been upgraded to their rightful place in world record history and that there are several new additions to my Chronological List of World Record Muskellunge, as well. As was the case with my first two editions, my sole purpose for this 3rd Edition is to set the record straight...again. I do it as a “Labor of Love” and a desire to gather our sport’s history in one place for all to enjoy.

Information on fish caught prior to 1911 is sketchy at best. In 1911, Field & Stream magazine started an annual fishing contest to recognize the heaviest catch of several sport fish, including muskellunge. Soon, the heaviest fish of each species sanctioned by Field & Stream were recognized as world records.

In addition to Field & Stream’s records, the National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame (NFWFHF) established a freshwater angling records program in 1970. More comprehensive than Field & Stream’s annual contest, the NFWFHF records program provided anglers with additional opportunities for recognition. Eight years later, Field & Stream gave its costly and time-consuming annual freshwater fishing contest to the International Game Fish Association (IGFA); salt water angling’s record keepers since 1939. Importantly, both the IGFA and the NFWFHF independently utilized and became stewards of Field & Stream’s records.

Muskellunge world records have long been both a source of enjoyment and controversy for muskie anglers. Large muskellunge have made news since the mid 1800’s but prior to Field & Stream’s Annual Fishing Contest in 1911, there was no official program to list and recognize them.

Formal world records became an offshoot of Field & Stream’s Annual Fishing Contest. Although record keeping was not the original intent, the annual contest results recognized a new record whenever a catch at year’s end exceeded the previous top contest fish by weight. Only the largest fish entered in the Field & Stream contest made the world record list even though several times multiple fish beat the previous listed record in a given year. For example, even though Percy Haver’s June 29, 1939 Field & Stream fishing contest entry exceeded the weight of the standing world record, and Louis Spray’s July 27, 1939 entry exceeded the weight of Haver’s, only John J. Coleman’s October 3, 1939 muskie, which exceeded the weight of both the Haver and Spray fish, made the world record list. Fish that were not entered in the Field & Stream contest were not evaluated or considered as records, even though they may have been legitimate and in many cases were.

In the late 1930’s, the American Museum of Natural History became involved as the official record keeper for both fresh and salt water catches. In 1939, the IGFA took over the duties of keeping salt water records. After the American Museum bowed out of record keeping, Field & Stream continued to list world records for freshwater catches and when a previous best was beaten in their contest, it was written about in the magazine.

Field & Stream turned their freshwater angler record program over to the IGFA in 1978. In 1970, the NFWFHF introduced an independent world freshwater angler records program. In 1980, the NFWFHF and IGFA merged the two programs but differences arose and the NFWFHF began their program anew in 1981 under the direction of NWFHF founder, Bob Kutz. Notably, both the IGFA and the NFWFHF accepted the world records sanctioned by Field & Stream and independently became stewards of historic records in addition to sanctioning new records.

My Chronological List of Muskellunge World Records is based on archival reports, Field & Stream contest records, IGFA and NFWFHF records, correspondence, affidavits, discussions with anglers and their friends and ancestors, interaction with record stewards and the perusal of popular and technical literature. The list of world records, including fish sanctioned by the record stewards, is largely predicated on angler honesty. Although the record stewards had rules for record application, they were often difficult to implement and at times cost prohibitive to completely document, particularly in the “early” years of record keeping.

One does not “write” a book of this type, rather one attempts to compile the multitude of facts, photographs and information into some semblance of order...ENJOY!