Angler Catches 57-Inch Muskie on Lake Mille Lacs

GARRISON (AP) - An angler is reeling from the 57-inch muskie he caught using a fly pole on a central Minnesota lake.

Robert Hawkins, owner of Bob Mitchell's Fly Shop in Lake Elmo, set out on Lake Mille Lacs early Monday morning with two other experienced anglers. He says the muskie hooked on to his custom-made foot-long fly around 10:30 a.m. and his companions helped him net the fish.

Hawkins says the trio measured the muskie's girth and length, took some photos and then released it back into the lake without weighing it.

The state's record muskie was 54 pounds. It was 56 inches long with a girth of nearly 28 inches.

Hawkins' muskie was 57 inches long with a girth of more than 26 inches.