# Sixty-plus



## njsimonson (Sep 24, 2002)

Got word that the Detroit Lakes/Pelican chain produced three muskies in the DNR nets this spring between 60 and 62 inches. Any one else hear that? My bro saw one this weekend that was "as big around as a basketball."

He boated two last night around sunset. He hooked a 51-incher on his second cast and then figure-eighted a 48-incher about 20 minutes later. No doubt, he's the Simonson muskie master, his big brother is jealous, but also very proud. Here's the 51.


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## BrianLucky13 (Aug 8, 2005)

The DNR has NEVER netted a 60 plus incher in the D.L. area!!! I work with the DNR and I know most people that work there!!! The longest fish netted isnt even close to 60 inches!!


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## Shu (Oct 21, 2003)

Nice fish!


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## HUNTNFISHND (Mar 16, 2004)

BrianLucky13 said:


> The DNR has NEVER netted a 60 plus incher in the D.L. area!!! I work with the DNR and I know most people that work there!!! The longest fish netted isnt even close to 60 inches!!


So then what was the longest fish netted?

Nice fish Nick!


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## BrianLucky13 (Aug 8, 2005)

In a 30 mile radius of D.L.??? 53 inches!!


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## njsimonson (Sep 24, 2002)

Hmmm...

It stands to reason that there should be some sixties though if a 59 was caught two years ago.

Brother's buddy boated a 46 last night. They've been on during this new moon period, they've had tons of follows, lots of quality fish, all coming on 13" flashabou bucktails. Heard from a guide friend of ours that one guide on the V packed it up for the summer and was headed to DL to finish out the season there.


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## njsimonson (Sep 24, 2002)

> In a 30 mile radius of D.L.??? 53 inches!!


If you're at the DNR, can you get us creel numbers for DL/Pelican this year?


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## BrianLucky13 (Aug 8, 2005)

When was a 59 incher caught??? There has only been 3 "TRUE" 55 incher caught on D.L. Every year there is someone on the internet saying there was a 62 incher caught. Its BS. For one thing Big D could never put out a fish 60 inch fish. There is WAY to many 50 incher hanging on the walls for that. The lake just isnt big enough too. Every 50 inch fish in that lake has been caught multiple times(and many by me and friends.) The more they are caught the more stress gets put on them and they just cant handle that much stress!!! Im on the lake more then anyone and I know for a fact that I have only seen 1 fish that would have been close to 55. It was close because it was caught the next day by a guy I know and it was 54.5!!

I talked to taxidermist last summer and he said that he had around 30 muskies in his freezer from Big D. With that many fish being kept its hard for them to grow to their TRUE potential.

As far as the Creel numbers, have you checked the MNDNR website yet??? I dont know if they did them this spring but I dont think they did because they did it 2 springs ago and they normally wont do it back to back years. I could be wrong though and I'll find out sometime next week.


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## njsimonson (Sep 24, 2002)

> As far as the Creel numbers, have you checked the MNDNR website yet??? I dont know if they did them this spring but I dont think they did because they did it 2 springs ago and they normally wont do it back to back years. I could be wrong though and I'll find out sometime next week.


See that's what I was thinking, since you work there, you might have some inside track. I haven't seen any muskie survey numbers on the DNR site for DL, but was thinking maybe you as this forum's local man-about-the-area, you had some idea what they were for DL and could confirm/debunk what I had heard.

The 59 I refer to is the one on the wall at the BP on the intersection of Hwys 6 and 59, isn't that the lake record that was caught out of DL a couple of years ago, that was the story I was told.

You really don't think that the interconnected nature of the DL/Pelican System lakes helps the proliferation of big fish? Particularly with the redo of the dam at Dunton Locks, that really opens up the water they can use. I think looking at the whole shebang, the water system is large enough to produce a 60" someday, and probably soon.


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## ruger1 (Aug 16, 2006)

BrianLucky13 said:


> *I talked to taxidermist last summer and he said that he had around 30 muskies in his freezer from Big D. With that many fish being kept its hard for them to grow to their TRUE potential.*


In this day and age of quality replicas it just kills me to hear that one taxidermist has 30 Muskies from one lake alone.


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## BrianLucky13 (Aug 8, 2005)

The fish at the gas station is little!!! Only 50.5 or 51 inches!! I know the guy that caught that fish.

That was one taxidermist. I know for a fact that the other few taxidermist in the area have that many if not more in their freezer!! And no I dont work for the DNR, I'm just there a couple times a month!! You can always call there and see what the scope is. The guy in charge now is Tim W.

As far as a 60 incher, it wont be coming out of Big D. There is 2 lakes in the area that have and will produce 55 inchers every year. People say they catch a 55 or 60 but they really don't. People lie and the length of the fish get longer!! If you do, you better have a bump board and a pic cuz know one will believe you!!! I've seen many pics of "so called" 55-60 inchers a year and none of them look real unless they are from Mille Lacs, Vermilion, or Canada(for the most part.) There is some lakes that will put out 55s but I wont talk about it on the web!!


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## njsimonson (Sep 24, 2002)

Yeah, it's 52 inches, my bad. Seemed big a few years ago, LOL.

Didn't get your thoughts on the Dunton Locks connection, don't you think that helps the chances of finding more upper 50s, or even a 60 in the future? That what, doubled or tripled the water available to the fish stocked in that area. What impact will that have.

Edit: Hey, just got pics of the other fish my bro and his buddy got on this week. Here's his 48 and his buddy with a 46. Maaaan, wish I was out there, but am consoled by the fact I'm heading to LOW with some family for eyes, good casting!


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## BrianLucky13 (Aug 8, 2005)

First of all, the fish from Pelican cant go upstream because of Buck Mills!!! So everything that is released into Pelican can only go as far as Buck Lake. They can go down stream where there is a TON of water and NO pressure!! And they do go downstream but the chances of someone hooking into a 60 incher is 1 and a million!!

Now the fish that are released into Big D can go downstream from Big D and all the way downstream but once they get to Buck Mills they cant go back upstream.

Pelican has A LOT of open water and if you wanna find a 60 incher thats where you might wanna start!!! Or go to Canada!!


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## njsimonson (Sep 24, 2002)

Yeah, Buck's really stacks 'em up in the spring. There were 7 muskies under the culverts there prior to opener this year, just milling about, getting ready. Not to mention just gobs of walleyes.

Man, imagine if they converted that lowhead to a flowdown like at the Hatchery. That'd really open things up then. Seems like a steeper drop than at Dunton, but if it did, it sure would be sweet.

Brian, have you bumped into a Sturgeon yet while fishing DL? I haven't seen one, but don't really fish walleyes there and figure that an accidental catch comes up when people do. Any reports on those re-introduction stockings?


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## BrianLucky13 (Aug 8, 2005)

I have seen the sturgeon!!! Seen one over 40 inches ice fishing this year on Big D.


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## bretts (Feb 24, 2004)

--great pics & nice fish!--


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