Had To share "Big muskie Pigeon July 2022"

I saw this on Instagram, I have no idea who it is but the fish was measured at 48.5 "
Supports my theory that for "Muskie" Pigeon is still the Kawartha King!

Yes in my opinion the Kawarthas will break the Ontario record someday. Somewhere out in the deep water there is a 58 or 59 or even 60 inch muskie hiding. I have caught a few monsters on Sturgeon, but Balsam was lucky for me for my two biggest. Last fall reelingmachine caught his biggest muskie when a few of us were out fishing Balsam as well. A couple of my friends fish Pigeon for muskie and that is their favourite lake to catch them.

48.5!!! That is a Kawartha trophy. I’m sure there is 50”rs. But… would love to see one.

Someone get that kid a new tape measure, that's a low 40s in fish at best.

I know a person personally who have caught a 53” in Pigeon.
They will never ever break the Ontario record though as they do not have the girth needed to do so.
Kawartha strain Musky are distinct from the Strains that live in the Great Lakes and GBay. The Great Lakes strain grows about the same length but has massive girth.
That’s a nice Musky for sure though. My biggest is 47” out of Scugog many many years ago.

Kawartha fish don't have the food source to compete with the heavyweights out of the St.Lawrence or GBay. You're not going to get 50+ lbs eating bullheads and perch. There's a reason why big water produces big fish.

Love the Kawarthas though, lots of fish, usually willing to bite, great colours on them.

I have to agree the Kawartha strain of Muskie is different, they are long and more slender than Gbay Muskie. Also from what i have been told the issue with pike in the Kawarthas is that this strain of Muskie ,has not had to coexist with pike so it puts them to the test. Gbay strain can and do exist with pike. I am not a muskie angler but i have fished for them my personal best came from Gbay 51” 25” girth 45lb once in a lifetime fish. I believe the Gbay strain was used to in the restocking program on simcoe for the reason of coexisting with pike and this is why they chose not to use the Kawartha strain so i understand

I would say the kids tape measure works just fine. And Pigeon and Balsam both have produced 50+ inch muskie. You guys are right about the big lakes having more monster muskie than the Kawarthas, that's obvious. But don't be surprised when my prediction comes true. My friends have caught huge muskies on Pigeon and the same with Balsam. Balsam is also famous for monster night muskie, that's when I fish, and that's when I have caught a few of my biggest. Fishing at night for walleye and crappie the muskie are doing the same thing as I am. And RM caught his biggest on Balsam at night last fall fishing with myself and a couple other friends. Now a Kawartha muskie will never be as heavy as a big lake muskie that's obvious as well. But it will reach that 58, 59, 60 inch record someday. Maybe this fall.

If your basing your prediction on total length there is a chance but records are based on weight.
I have no doubt a 60” Kawartha’s Musky can exist. I think we are talking different things “record weight” vs “record length”.

Cool stuff. That's a nice musky on any water.

Its not a musky discussion without a contentious world record debate

YUP.....Just talking the length of the muskie like the original post said. I do not understand why they just have a weight record for fish. There should be both length and weight. They have tallest horse and heaviest horse. Tallest man and heaviest man. To set a record by weight of a fish is too inconsistent. There are to many variables involved. Time of year the fish was caught affects the fish weight. Whether the fish has another fish in its stomach, or is the stomach empty, this affects the weight. Prespawn or post pawn this affects the weight of the fish. Whether or not someone added some artificial weight to the fish which happens sometimes. Weight record has way too many inconsistent factors. Weight fluctuates in a fish all the time. The first thing I do when I catch a huge crappie, walleye, bass, pike, or muskie is guess the length. Then I measure it to see how close I was. Sometimes I weigh fish after the fact but really only care about the tape measure accuracy. As this applies specifically to this conversation, the DNA of a Kawartha muskie is slightly different to that of a Georgian Bay muskie. Don't even get me started on Hybrid fish, that's another theory completely. Hybrid fish grow faster and are stronger fish pound for pound. Having both units of measure for a complete reference would just be more of a constant.

That's the game though and that's why it's so addicting. You know that 50 you put up in June has now packed on the lbs. The fall feedbag and egg weight turn big fish into super tankers. That's why guys are out in Gbay fishing until the Dec 15th close. Because they might just run into the next world record. Look at McNairs fish from the St.Lawrence, 57x33! That fish is what dreams (And nightmares) are made of lol!

https://www.mykawartha.com/community-story/...-muskies-time-/

dont like promoting it but there are big musky in the kawarthas - friend of mine just got a 48 Tiger in one of the lakes. We have also each caught a 50+, just one each but there are there for sure. now lets not talk about this anymore

Rice lake giant!