What would you do?

[dakids]

I'm out muskie fishing and hook a 50 incher.  After I set the hook, she launches herself skyward and does a little tail dance.  I get her to the boat and my spinner bait is in her mouth.  She makes another run.  I get her back to the boat again.  BIG PROBLEM!!  The hook is now in the middle of her back.  We try and net her again.  She takes off like she is shot out of a canon.  15 minutes later we get her in the net.  She is wiped out.

It is my understanding that you can't keep a fowl hooked fish.

Do you keep her or release her?

[dakids]

Pat I could not attach the picture.  I sent you the picture. Can you please attach it?

[Spinach]

Done

[repoman]

I'm out muskie fishing and hook a 50 incher.  After I set the hook, she launches herself skyward and does a little tail dance.  I get her to the boat and my spinner bait is in her mouth.  She makes another run.  I get her back to the boat again.  BIG PROBLEM!!  The hook is now in the middle of her back.  We try and net her again.  She takes off like she is shot out of a canon.  15 minutes later we get her in the net.  She is wiped out.

It is my understanding that you can't keep a fowl hooked fish.

Do you keep her or release her?

id contact the local dnr and ask them

[Spinach]

From what you have said, the fish was originally hooked legally, so I don't think the DNR would give you a problem. 

[dakids]

I released her.  It took a very long time(15-20 min) for her to swim off on her own, but she did swim off upright very slowly.  It felt great when she started to swim away.  I really didn't want to kill her and have to spend the money at the taxadermists.  My wife is still mad about my deer head.

[HD]

I would'a done the same, I would have released her too.
VERY nice fish!
I don't think the DNR would have balked about the hook thing either, they would check the fish and they could tell by looking at the mouth for the original hook set.


Sounds like my wife.......She has a problem with my deer heads too, after 25 years I finally got the OK to put one.....and only one.....of my mounts in the living room.


Hunter

[deadeye]

Tough call but If I really wanted a mount, I would have taken lots of pix and measurments and then released it.  Regardless, I would call it a "caught" fish.  Congrats on a great catch!

[repoman]

nice fish