Traveling fisherman and world record chaser Art Weston is back in Minnesota, where he caught 10,000 fish on a cast alongside local muskie legend Nolan Sprengeler. On Tuesday, shortly before midnight, Weston caught and released a veritable Lake Mille Lacs monster. The 57.5-inch Muskie is expected to set a new all-tackle world record in the length division.

Weston, who already has 39 fishing world records to his creditcontacted Outdoor living about his pending world record catch after submitting the required information to the International Game Fish Association on October 30. He says he traveled to Minnesota specifically to fish with Nolan Sprengeler, who became a local legend after break the state muskie record in 2021. (Sprengeler also caught his state record muskie at Mille Lacs Lake, but neither angler would share details about exactly where they hooked Weston’s pending record muskie Tuesday night.)

“Nolan and I talked about it before we booked (he’s my guide), and our plan was to try to break the record for all tackle lengths,” Weston said. “Nolan is very concerned about the welfare of the muskies, and he appreciated that the length record does not require us to weigh the fish on land.”

In other words, he explains, they didn’t want to kill a giant musky, which is one of the most sought-after trophy fish in the angling world. IGFA Regulations for Length Registrations allow fishermen to quickly release a fish after measuring, documenting and photographing it.

Weston said he met with Sprengeler on Monday. He had decided that their best chance of catching a monster would be at night, so they headed to Mille Lacs Lake that evening. No potential records were caught, but Weston got a crash course in night fishing for giants.

“The reason they come out at night is because the biggest Muskies are the most shy of decoys, either because they’ve already been caught or because they’re smart enough to recognize an artificial,” Weston says. “I had never fished at night before, it was a crazy experience. Casting these massive lures in the dark and deep (was) a little unnerving.

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Weston was ready for round two the next night, and they hit the water around 6:30 p.m. They fished hard for hours, hitting Sprengeler’s go-to spots, and Weston finally found the fish they were looking for just before midnight. The Muskie hammered his Bondy Royal Orba lure 30 meters from the boat.

“It looked like a Mack truck had grabbed my lure and was heading in the opposite direction,” Weston said. “I think I let out an audible noise ‘Oof’ the sound when it hit.

Weston says the grueling battle that followed was very different from other record-breaking fish he’s caught. Instead of playing the muskie and wearing him out, Sprengeler’s strategy was to have Weston cast the monster as quickly as possible. He used a stiff 9-foot-3 Thorne Brothers Stealth rod and an Abu Garcia Revo reel set to the maximum drag setting.

“It all came down to the chances of success, because the more you let the fish fight, the more likely it is to survive,” says Weston. “I did as I was told, just cast as hard and fast as I could, never ‘pumping’ the rod, just a straight reel under a huge drag force.”

Sprengeler, meanwhile, stood ready with the landing net and quickly scooped up the giant musk. Weston believes the fight lasted less than a minute, although Sprengeler told him it was closer to 30 seconds.

“We looked at each other and I said, ‘That’s a long time!’ and of course, Nolan said, “I know!” …and then he said, ‘I think it’s the one.’

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Sprengeler held the net and kept the huge female musky in the water while Weston recorded it with his IGFA-approved measuring device. They recorded a total length of 57.5 inches to the tip of the fish’s tail and 54.33 inches (138 centimeters) to the fork of its tail, which should be enough to replace the record for permanent world. The IGFA requires a minimum increase of 2 cm for a new record, and the current world record for all-tackle length is a 135 centimeter Muskie who was captured in New York.

Working as quickly as possible, they took a few photos of Weston holding the fish out of the water. Sprengeler then resuscitated the musk, holding it upright and letting it recover for a few minutes before releasing it.

“She swam near the surface for a few seconds, then fell headlong and disappeared to live her best life.”

Weston says he’s confident the muskellunge will break the world record and he expects to hear back from the IGFA in about 60 days. If approved, it will be Weston’s 79th record in the IGFA book. About half of these files have been replaced over the years, but 38 still stand. This includes an alligator weighing more than 283 pounds he caught in Texas what is probably the heaviest freshwater fish ever landed in a 6-pound test.