The record has fallen and from a place that people don't want to believe. Yes the rumor's of huge walleye in the southern basin of lake michigan are true,and now we have the proof. And the proof is a 14.8# hogg!!! The fish measured 321/4 inches and had a girth of 21inches. This from this end of the lake back up what we been saying that"there are walleye's down here and they are biggggg!!!" The fish was caught 12/11 at around 2:00p.m in the Portage area of Lake Michigan. Good going Scott Great fish!!!

yes indeed a great fish!!!!!!

Picture www.mikenorrisoutdoors.com, click on pictures it is at the bottom.

Congradulations Scott ,Most records are caught a month or so before spawn.What a Walley

Many of us here in Northwest Indiana just knew it was only a matter of time. The big sows which run up the St. Joseph River, the Kalamazoo, and the Muskegon, come out of Lake Michigan. It would be rather naieve, don't you think, to believe that there wouldn't be some big ones at the extreme south end of the lake. Only sad part for us Hoosiers is this guy is not. Maybe there is a full fifteen pounder waiting out there for one of us. There had been a fifteen pounder caught back in summer, unofficial, as that guy didn't want to divulge his location. This new record probably won't last as long as the previous record shared by two fish, one from the Kankakee and one from the Tippecanoe. That record had existed since 1974. Great catch! (in spite of being from Illinois, ha!)

That's a Big Walleye, What a Pig T185

He was a bassfisherman to boot.

Indiana State record walleye disqualified - Anglers question legality of safety and security regs
A giant walleye caught recently from Lake Michigan will not be accepted by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources as a new Indiana state record.

The 14.47-pound walleye was caught Dec. 11 by Scott Hoswell of Frankfort, Ill. while fishing from a boat in the Port of Indiana. The 32.25-inch long fish was about a quarter pound heavier than the standing record walleyes taken in 1974 from the Kankakee River and 1977 from the Tippecanoe River.

In the process of verifying the new record, DNR officials learned from Hoswell that the fish was taken from a boat while fishing inside the Burns International Harbor, commonly known as the Port of Indiana. The harbor is a commercial port facility operated by the Indiana Port Commission. For safety and security reasons, recreational boats are not permitted within the harbor. A DNR public fishing site is located within the harbor for shoreline fishing, but there is no public boat launching ramp at the site and fishing from boats is prohibited.

However, serious questions are being raised about the propriety and legality of establishing a safety and security zone in the Port of Indiana, when there is unrestricted movement by shore anglers in and about the port. The GLSFC is also questioning the economic propriety of killing a first-class fishery that has the potential for establishing other state records and to generate economic benefits for a state that has a $2 billion budget deficit. It's like killing the proverbial goose that laid the golden egg.

We are reminded of another foolish and poorly thought-out regulation (there are many) by Michigan outlawing the use of the drop shot fishing technique. The technique of Drop-shotting is a new method of catching bass first introduced in the southern states, but it’s catching on in the Midwest, too. But it’s not legal in Michigan. Their fishing regulations prohibit snagging in Michigan, and the same regs also makes the drop-
shot rig illegal for fishing in Michigan waters. Michigan is another state struggling with a burgeoning budget.

Most Great Lakes states prohibit snagging, but the drop-shot rig is not illegal. Michigan’s fishing regulations booklet states anglers can not “have a weight suspended below any hook unless the hook is on a dropper line of at least 3" long.”

The drop-shot rig involves tying a hook onto the main line, putting a soft plastic lure on the hook, and adding a sinker to the end of the line, below the lure. The rig is designed to have an angler suspend a lure off the bottom, but Michigan calls it snagging.

"Indiana's record fish entry rules require that a fish be legally taken to be eligible," said Bill James, DNR Chief of Fisheries. "We appreciate Mr. Hoswell's honesty and his skill as an angler. Unfortunately, we will not be able to accept an entry that did not comply with all relevant laws and regulations, including watercraft rules."

DNR conservation officers advised Hoswell of recent changes to the law that restricts boats from venturing past the entrance of the breakwall at the Port of Indiana. No citation was issued. Indiana Port Commission rules do permit private craft, including fishing boats, to enter the Port "as a harbor of refuge." However, the rules specify that "No person shall launch a boat or fish from a boat in the port area."

Despite the disqualifying technicality, James is enthused about the catch and future walleye fishing prospects. "It's a pretty safe bet that this wasn't the only state record walleye in southern Lake Michigan," he said."Sooner or later I expect to see another one landed that will meet all the requirements for a new record."

A photo of Hoswell and his catch is available at: http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/stuff/gallery/recd.htm

Picture www.mikenorrisoutdoors.com (http://www.mikenorrisoutdoors.com), click on pictures it is at the bottom.

I couldn't find the pic of the fish on Norris's website. Looks like he deleted it due to where it was caught.

Juls

Thanks Juls for pointing that out, I was starting to feel a little "unintelligent" for surfing that site looking for the picture and not being able to find it..Phew...Looks like I get a pass on this one..

RJ

the dropshot rig was legalized this year in MI. but thank you whoever wrote that article for going out of your way to jab at the Michigan DNR.... class act.

http://www.great-lakes.org/Wkly_news/01-13-03.html#nz3

OK - why does this thread start in 2002 and then Juls (in 2008) post an article from 2003? Early April Fools or did someone forget they were in the archieves? "grin"

Anyway, I'm kinda thinkin they were two different fish?

P.S. if the link opens at the DQed eye article you can scroll to the top to see the date.

Seems as though the original author needs to check out the facts on Michigan regulations.


"We are reminded of another foolish and poorly thought-out regulation (there are many) by Michigan outlawing the use of the drop shot fishing technique. The technique of Drop-shotting is a new method of catching bass first introduced in the southern states, but it’s catching on in the Midwest, too. But it’s not legal in Michigan. Their fishing regulations prohibit snagging in Michigan, and the same regs also makes the drop-
shot rig illegal for fishing in Michigan waters. Michigan is another state struggling with a burgeoning budget.

Most Great Lakes states prohibit snagging, but the drop-shot rig is not illegal. Michigan’s fishing regulations booklet states anglers can not “have a weight suspended below any hook unless the hook is on a dropper line of at least 3" long.”

The drop-shot rig involves tying a hook onto the main line, putting a soft plastic lure on the hook, and adding a sinker to the end of the line, below the lure. The rig is designed to have an angler suspend a lure off the bottom, but Michigan calls it snagging."