This absolute pig of a muskie destroys a Svartzonker Giant McRubber TwistTail right at the boat. The Shimano Tranx 500 - (TRX500HG) reel is in a class of its own in temperatures below freezing, as is the St. Croix Legend Tournament "Big Nasty" (LMC90HF) rod.
This beast may appear to be extremely resilient, but the reality is that a fish of this size/age is incredibly fragile. I decided to show the unedited unhook and photo process to help educate interested muskie anglers on being prepared to handle a muskie of any size.
A large, pen style net is essential for allowing the fish to rest under water, after the fight. The Frabill Big Kahuna is ideal for this.
There will be many times where a long, needle nose pliers can remove treble hooks, but in this case, the fish had a very large, 7/0 treble, piercing multiple gill arches. For this, it is ESSENTIAL that any muskie hunter carries a bolt cutter in the boat. Knipex is the best and can cut any hook. When in doubt, cut it. Hooks cost $1/irreplaceable memory.
When the fish is fully unhooked and it is laying in the net, head under water, take your time coming up with a plan to get a measurement and photos in UNDER 1 Minute. Get the camera queued up and discuss angles and photos beforehand. If you decide to measure on a bumpboard, wet it first.
Try to keep the fish horizontal at all times and always squeeze hard with your gill hold. Their organs struggle when they are removed from the atmospheric pressure they normally experience, below water.
With practice/communication, this all becomes second nature. You will notice in the video that without a word, we are both prepared to get good photos and measurement of the fish. This is a result of practice and discussion, before the fish comes out of the water.
It's extremely easy to get excited about a muskie of any size and being well prepared ensures the fish's health, as well as a properly preserved memory for the angler.
Disclaimer: I did not weigh this fish, but modern calculations put it right around 50lbs. Relax.