Muskie catch and release.

[Muskie Hunter]

I was up fishing the Chipawa floage this week and cought a 31 pound muskie. We took pics and revived her back. She swam away good aft we revived her. Come to find out a half hour later some guy from Illinois finds the fish swiming on her side and he nets it and trys to revive it and then decides to keep it. I would like to have the fish back if you know this person. Is it legal to net a fish and then keep it?

[cisco]

To net fish, NO. Tough call here, though, because the fish may not have been able to swim away -- it could easily have been about done. Grey area.

[bigfish1965]

If the place you speak of is in Ontario, it is illegal to take a musky by any other means than a rod and reel.

[esoxcpr]

It is illegal in Wisconsin to take a musky by any other means than hooked in the mouth. The guys who allegedly kept the fish did so illegally and should be reported if you ever find out who they are. It would also be illegal for you to keep the fish once it was released and swam away. If you find a dead fish you have to let it lay. A warden or taxidermist under the supervision of a warden could recover the fish and donate it for education or research, but not for personal use.

[Mattman]

What was the length of the fish and what is the legal length limit where you were fishing? Could very well be some problems there.

[jonny]

He said it was 31 pounds. That's a fish well over 40 inches. No worries about a size problem there.