As someone who loves to fish myself, let me tell you about Brad Lila's incredible catch that landed him in the state record books! In January, Lila was fishing on Mille Lacs Lake in northern Minnesota when he hooked a massive northern pike. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources certified the catch on January 22, and it measured in at a whopping 46 and ¼ inches. That ties a record set by an Illinois fisherman in 2021.
Lila recounted the exciting catch, which took about 30 minutes to land with the help of some nearby anglers. He set the hook and immediately knew it was a huge fish because it was peeling out his line with no signs of stopping. After a tough fight, he realized he needed assistance to land it. When the fish finally emerged from the water they knew they had a record fish on their hands.
Despite the challenging conditions, Lila was able to quickly measure the fish and release it back into the water. Lila said, “It was so satisfying seeing her swim away. I am so very appreciative of the state of Minnesota for supporting a catch and release [record fish] program. It’s great to know that she’s out there passing along those incredible genes and that someone else may have a chance of landing her someday.”
Photo: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources