25-Year-Old Muskie Hauled In, Oldest Of Its Type Known In Iowa

Catching a big fish is the dream of every angler, but even when you haul one in you almost never know how old the large lunker is. That's not the case with this muskie.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) posted about the fish on Tuesday afternoon, April 20. They say the female muskie was first netted and had a PIT tag, or Passive Integrated Transponder added on April 24, 2001. She was first netted in West Okoboji Lake.

She's A Branded Fish

The muskie also has a freeze brand, identifying her as a member of the 1996 class. The DNR included the photo below of a young muskie that was recently freeze branded. The brand on the fish in the photo below is called the "double carrot."

How Much Does She Weigh?

The 25-year-old muskie (photo below) that was netted earlier this spring weighed in at about 26.9 pounds. She's the oldest known female muskie in the entire state of Iowa.

How Big Can A Muskie Get and How Long Can They Live?

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service says a muskie, or muskellunge, can live up to 30 years and swim up to 30 miles per hour. The heaviest one ever known to be caught weighed 70 pounds and it's not uncommon for them to reach lengths of over three feet. The longest one on record is 72 inches.

What an Amazing Run!

The DNR says the 25-year-old muskie somehow stayed out of 1,996 nets over the last 20 years. She's again swimming the waters of one of the Okoboji lakes in northwest Iowa. Hopefully, she will be for a long, long time.