On Monday, Nov. 22, 2021, Noah Sprengeler of Minnetonka, Minn. and friends Kevin Kray and Zack Skoglund had the evening of all evenings to remember in fishing while out on Mille Lacs Lake. Sprengeler landed what will likely be the new state record muskellunge weighing 55 pounds, 14.8 ounces. The fish measured 57 3/4 inches long with a 29-inch girth.
Here is what Sprengeler posted on his facebook page about the catch:
“The rumors are true,” said Sprengeler. “On Nov. 22nd, I set out on the last trip of my season with Kevin Kray and Zack Skoglund to chase the queen. At about 9pm, I felt that tap on my Thorne Bros 9’6” XXH I’ve been searching for all fall. After a quick battle and a few ridiculous head shakes we had it in the bag. I didn’t realize how giant this fish was until I pulled it out of the net and immediately called Kevin over to assist with the buddy pictures.
“It measured an incredible 57 3/4 inches in length with a 29-inch girth. The next hour or so was spent trying to get her to release. Eventually we realized this was not going to happen and made the decision to bring it to a certified scale and crush the Minnesota State Record.
“She weighed 55 pounds, 14.8 ounces. Huge shout out to Austin Tausk and Kyle Dorr for helping me find a place to get her weighed and helping with that process. Also Randy at the UPS Store was the man for being so cool about weighing it for us. I’m so incredibly blessed to be apart of this journey with my best friends.”
If the record is approved and certified, it will best the previous 64-year-old record set at 54 pounds from Lake Winnibigoshish in 1957. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources officials have reviewed his submission and say all of the paperwork along with witnesses and notarized signatures seem to be in order for him to claim the record through the approval process.
The world record for muskellunge still stands at 69 pounds, 11 ounces and was caught in 1949 on the Chippewa Flowage in northwestern Wisconsin by Louis Spray.
Check out more pics of this once in a lifetime fish!
