Giant, record-class walleye caught and released near Dryden, Ont.
A doubtlessly record-breaking walleye obtained the break of its life final weekend.
On March 10, Robert Monty of Vermilion Bay, Ont., caught and launched an enormous walleye that he stated was record-book calibre. The skilled angler had no concept when he began on the water close to the northwestern Ontario metropolis that day, it will finish with such a bang.
“We went for crappies within the morning,” stated Monty. “We by no means had an excessive amount of luck, so we headed her again to the walleye spot.”
Monty was fishing along with his spouse Donnalee, his buddy Gilbert Grandbois and Grandbois’ accomplice, Sheila Sjodin.
Monty stated the spot they fish is close to a creek mouth and is understood to carry walleye in March. He stated the walleye fishing is normally finest within the night.
“We obtained there about 3 o’clock,” Monty stated of their sizzling spot. “It was about eight toes of water, and we arrange our traces.”
He added that when the solar began “heading down the bushes,” he started to work his two jigging rods. Each had been baited with a jig and a minnow. Monty stated he had simply left one gap and was going to a different one when Sheila cried “Robert, you’ve got obtained a fish!”
The angler then grabbed the rod and set the hook. “It ran about two or thrice on me,” Monty stated. “My buddy was taking a look at me and I stated ‘I believe we have now one thing massive right here.'”
Monty stated he might hear the eight pound take a look at line rubbing on the ice and feared a break-off. “I stated ‘I am unable to get his head up,'” he stated.
The walleye’s head slipped into the outlet and crammed it, Monty stated, including that Grandbois then leaned down and barely obtained two fingers within the gill plate.
When the large walleye was pulled out of the outlet “my eyes popped out,” stated Monty, including that the fish measured 36 inches (91 centimetres) in size from nostril to tail.
He stated he did not measure the girth however it was one very fats walleye.
“When [Grandbois] pulled it out of the outlet, we had a tough time and he had a tough time,” Monty stated. “The walleye was scratching the outlet … it was an enormous woman.”
Monty stated after a couple of footage had been taken, he launched the fish again down the outlet.
Close to a file
In accordance with the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters fishing registry, the current Ontario file walleye is 36.5 inches lengthy (nearly 93 centimetres) and had a girth of 21 inches (53 centimetres).
That fish was caught on Might 26, 1943 and weighed 22 kilos and 4 ounces.
Monty, who stated he guided walleye anglers for a few years on the English River system in northwestern Ontario, stated till final Saturday, his private finest walleye was 30 inches (76 centimetres).
Regardless of the rarity of his catch, Monty stated he has no regrets about releasing the walleye and doesn’t plan to get a duplicate made.
“Only a image and a reminiscence,” he stated. “There’s all the time an even bigger one on the market. However that is my greatest.”
