Reported by Mlive: The world record muskellunge caught by a Portage angler in October, 2012, has been selected as an entry in the first ever International Game Fish Association Angler’s Choice Contest. Joe Seeberger’s muskie is one of 10 huge fish of different species selected by the group as one of the 10 most impressive catches in a contest featured in the January-March edition of the International Angler magazine, according to a letter the group sent to Seeberger.
Seeberger was fishing for bass, with a minnow as bait, on Lake Bellaire in Antrim County when he caught the Great Lakes muskellunge– 58 pounds, 59 inches long, and with a girth of 29 inches.
It took nearly two hours to land the fish, with the help of two friends.
The state record was verified by Patrick Hanchin, a DNR fisheries biologist at the Charlevoix Fisheries Research Station and Conservation Officer Steve Speigl.
Last February the fish was listed as a world record holder by the International Committee of the Modern Day Muskellunge World Record Program.
During the month of March, the public will vote for Seeberger’s fish or one of the other nine entries to determine the first ever recipient of the IGFA Angler’s Choice Award to be presented in April.
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