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The Official Website of the State of West Virginia

New West Virginia record muskie caught and released

5/10/2021

A new West Virginia state record muskellunge, aka muskie, has been caught, and the big fish has been released to be caught another day.  The muskie measured 54 inches long and weighed 39.6 pounds. 

Guide Chase Gibson caught the new record at Burnsville Lake.  The reservoir is located just off I-79 between Clarksburg and Charleston.  

“I was fishing a timbered cove with a lot of crappie suspended on the timber,” said Gibson as he described the catch. “I caught it on a Musky Innovations Dyin’ Dawg.” 

Gibson says the fish put up a tremendous fight, but he was able to get it to the boat, and another angler onboard netted it. 

“She was barely hooked with one treble in the corner of her mouth.” 

Gibson knew his fish might be a new record, so he called the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources to certify the catch.  WVDNR Biologist Aaron Yeager is one of the people who manages fisheries at Burnsville.  He responded and certified the muskie as a new West Virginia State Record.  Then the huge fish was tagged and released. 

“Think how cool it would be if another angler hooks that fish in the fall and sets a new state record,” said Yeager. 

Catch the rest at WFXRtv.com