Most of us fish for the fun and the challenge of it -- meaning we don't head out on the water looking to break a record.
Yet records are broken all the time. Hopefully, it is done by someone who is a dedicated angler and is deserving of breaking someone else's best-fish mark. Fishing records are sort of like winning the fishing lottery. You go out on the water one day and come home famous.
Typically, these matters are decided in a prescribed manner with the organizations who keep records on the various sportfish species. Usually there is no controversy, the catch either breaks the record, or it doesn't. Well, that is how it is supposed to go. A controversy has flared up regarding a muskellunge caught by the late Arthur Lawton of Delmar. Lawton caught a muskellunge purported to weigh in at 69 pounds, 15 ounces while on a fishing trip to the St. Lawrence River in 1957. The muskie catch was no fluke. Apparently Lawton had a reputation for catching big muskies, and frequently came home with muskellunge from his weekend fishing trips.
Lawton, realizing the fish was huge, entered it into a records contest held by Field & Stream magazine. Everything was chugging along correctly until an accusation was made that the fish was possibly not caught by Lawton, but rather given to him by Native Americans who were allowed to net muskellunge.
The rest of the story reads like a detective novel, and in fact did include detectives. The folks at Field & Stream at one point hired the Pinkerton Detective Agency to look into accusations against the Lawton muskellunge being a legitimate record. Apparently, although the results of the Pinkerton investigation are not public, they must not have found proof the record was not legitimate because they published an article declaring the fish the new world's record muskellunge in 1958.
The story did not end there, however. In 1992, the National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame withdrew the Lawton muskellunge as a world record based on an investigation conducted by a Mr. John Detloff. One of Detloff's contentions was that the photo of Lawton with a muskellunge which appeared in Field & Stream, showed a fish which would not have met the measurements Lawton's record fish should have had.
Detloff also cited statements from eyewitnesses to the fish being weighed, including a Mr. Walter Dunn, as being contradictory.
Larry Ramsell, a noted muskie angling historian, has done an investigation of his own, and it is his contention that the Hall of Fame did not consider some information which would have vindicated the Lawton muskellunge as being the bona fide record. Among other things, Ramsell surmises that Field & Stream may not have been happy with the quality of the photo of Lawton with the record fish, and used another photo of Lawton with a muskie for their story.
In addition to the plausible explanation for the photo, Ramsell's investigation has also produced eyewitness accounts to the fish which were unavailable at the time the record was withdrawn in 1992.
Ramsell is lobbying the Hall of Fame to review the documentation and reinstate the Lawton record. Given the complexity of the case and the amount of legal material, including affidavits from various witnesses, the IGFA Hall of Fame is going to need the Supreme Court to figure this one out. The moral of this story is that if you are out fishing and you feel something huge on your line, be prepared for some drama. Mr. Lawton's controversy ended up being handed down to his family and friends, along with historians like Ramsell.
It is very difficult to determine the truth in a matter which took place almost 50 years ago, particularly when several of the main players are no longer available.
If you suspect you have a record fish, document it well. Get the fish weighed on a registered scale, and get written documentation signed by several credible witnesses, preferably a local lawyer, local minister, judge, police officer, or someone else of unquestionable credentials. You will need to document their names, the date and time, and have them sign their name as well.
Having plenty of photos is another good idea, preferably taking a photo of the weight on the scale, and the length and girth measurements as they are made. Use a film camera, too.
While the controversy of the Lawton muskellunge continues, one question lingers. What if Arthur Lawton had it all to do over again? Would he simply let the fish go?
Rob Streeter is an outdoors columnist for the Times Union. You can reach him at robertstreeter@sprintmail.com, or send items to 961 Stoner Trail Road, Fonda, NY 12068.
Yet records are broken all the time. Hopefully, it is done by someone who is a dedicated angler and is deserving of breaking someone else's best-fish mark. Fishing records are sort of like winning the fishing lottery. You go out on the water one day and come home famous.
Typically, these matters are decided in a prescribed manner with the organizations who keep records on the various sportfish species. Usually there is no controversy, the catch either breaks the record, or it doesn't. Well, that is how it is supposed to go. A controversy has flared up regarding a muskellunge caught by the late Arthur Lawton of Delmar. Lawton caught a muskellunge purported to weigh in at 69 pounds, 15 ounces while on a fishing trip to the St. Lawrence River in 1957. The muskie catch was no fluke. Apparently Lawton had a reputation for catching big muskies, and frequently came home with muskellunge from his weekend fishing trips.
Lawton, realizing the fish was huge, entered it into a records contest held by Field & Stream magazine. Everything was chugging along correctly until an accusation was made that the fish was possibly not caught by Lawton, but rather given to him by Native Americans who were allowed to net muskellunge.
The rest of the story reads like a detective novel, and in fact did include detectives. The folks at Field & Stream at one point hired the Pinkerton Detective Agency to look into accusations against the Lawton muskellunge being a legitimate record. Apparently, although the results of the Pinkerton investigation are not public, they must not have found proof the record was not legitimate because they published an article declaring the fish the new world's record muskellunge in 1958.
The story did not end there, however. In 1992, the National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame withdrew the Lawton muskellunge as a world record based on an investigation conducted by a Mr. John Detloff. One of Detloff's contentions was that the photo of Lawton with a muskellunge which appeared in Field & Stream, showed a fish which would not have met the measurements Lawton's record fish should have had.
Detloff also cited statements from eyewitnesses to the fish being weighed, including a Mr. Walter Dunn, as being contradictory.
Larry Ramsell, a noted muskie angling historian, has done an investigation of his own, and it is his contention that the Hall of Fame did not consider some information which would have vindicated the Lawton muskellunge as being the bona fide record. Among other things, Ramsell surmises that Field & Stream may not have been happy with the quality of the photo of Lawton with the record fish, and used another photo of Lawton with a muskie for their story.
In addition to the plausible explanation for the photo, Ramsell's investigation has also produced eyewitness accounts to the fish which were unavailable at the time the record was withdrawn in 1992.
Ramsell is lobbying the Hall of Fame to review the documentation and reinstate the Lawton record. Given the complexity of the case and the amount of legal material, including affidavits from various witnesses, the IGFA Hall of Fame is going to need the Supreme Court to figure this one out. The moral of this story is that if you are out fishing and you feel something huge on your line, be prepared for some drama. Mr. Lawton's controversy ended up being handed down to his family and friends, along with historians like Ramsell.
It is very difficult to determine the truth in a matter which took place almost 50 years ago, particularly when several of the main players are no longer available.
If you suspect you have a record fish, document it well. Get the fish weighed on a registered scale, and get written documentation signed by several credible witnesses, preferably a local lawyer, local minister, judge, police officer, or someone else of unquestionable credentials. You will need to document their names, the date and time, and have them sign their name as well.
Having plenty of photos is another good idea, preferably taking a photo of the weight on the scale, and the length and girth measurements as they are made. Use a film camera, too.
While the controversy of the Lawton muskellunge continues, one question lingers. What if Arthur Lawton had it all to do over again? Would he simply let the fish go?
Rob Streeter is an outdoors columnist for the Times Union. You can reach him at robertstreeter@sprintmail.com, or send items to 961 Stoner Trail Road, Fonda, NY 12068.