A 58 pound muskie caught in Lake Bellaire, set a world record: Joseph Seeberger

A 58-pound muskellunge caught on Lake Bellaire in northern Michigan has been officially declared the world record.

Joseph Seeberger of Portage landed the musky in October of 2012 on Lake Bellaire, which is 25 miles northeast of Traverse City.

Seeberger said he’d been fishing for small-mouth bass. He wasn’t having luck, so he switched to live minnows and immediately got the musky on his pole.

He fought for the fish for two-hours. ”It was very tiring,” he said. “Actually, I had to pull out probably a good hundred yards of my line off my spool.”

Seeberger’s fish is listed at 58 pounds, 58 inches long, and a girth of 29 inches by the International Committee of the Modern Day Muskellunge World Record Program (MDMWRP).

The MDMWRP is one of many organizations that recognize world-record catches.

“This fish shows that Michigan waters are capable of producing huge fish,” said Fisheries Division Chief Jim Dexter. “Great waters coupled with appropriate management strategies can result in even more record fish.”

Over the past year, the Michigan DNR has changed fishing regulations to protect muskellunge. Starting April 1, anglers can only keep one musky per season. Anglers must also obtain a free harvest tag with their license. This tag must be attached to the muskellunge they intend to keep.

Lake Bellaire is a great fishing lake. There are fish shelters located in this lake as well as nearby lakes. View information on fish shelters.

This area is also one of the best and most beautiful tourism spots in the state of Michigan. View more information about Bellaire, MI.

This article was originally published on 2/26/2013.