Ralph Loos: Rare catch of 50-inch muskie in Illinois reminds us that they’re out there

For a few years now, I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to borrow a calculation involving muskies shared by retired Illinois DNR fisheries biologist Frank Jakubicek.

Duane Landmeier, an avid angler from Hinckley, just gave me one.

But first, the calculation: “If a muskie is stocked when your child is entering kindergarten, they will graduate high school before that fish reaches 50 inches in length and becomes an angler’s trophy-of-a-lifetime,” Jakubicek wrote in 2022, the year he retired from a long and productive DNR career that included work on Lake Michigan and with DNR’s muskie program.

Landmeier, who’s been a supporter of the state’s muskie program since its inception, finally accomplished a lifelong goal. He landed a 50-inch muskie in Illinois.

“I’ve been chasing muskies in our state for like 44 years,” Landmeier noted in a Facebook post announcing the catch. “I have caught and netted 50-inch muskies all over Canada, but never in Illinois.”

Until his big catch, Landmeier’s biggest Illinois muskie was a 47.75-incher.

The 50-inch muskie has long been a dream of most in the state’s muskie fishing circles. Few anglers ever see that dream become reality. And that’s not because there aren’t 50-inch muskie swimming in many of the state’s four dozen muskie lakes. DNR fisheries biologists have long contended 50-inchers are out there.

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One reason to believe there are indeed 50-inchers in play is that, as a top predator, the only real threat to an Illinois muskie are Illinois fishermen. At the same time, the reason few 50-inchers are caught is a fact that can’t be disputed – giant muskies are tough to catch.

Dream catches do show up from time to time. In May 2024, a 50-incher was hooked by Richard Wren at Kinkaid Lake, the southernmost muskie lake in the state. In 2023, up at the other end of the state, Matt Sopron caught a 50-incher on the Chain.

The story of Landmeier’s 50-incher comes with an impressive photo of the angler and his catch. Which Illinois lake provided the dream catch is still unknown. I plan to interview the angler to hear the story of the catch, and, hopefully, where it was caught.

Meanwhile, hats off to Landmeier – he certainly has put in the time and effort.

“I cannot think of 10 people that I know personally that have caught one 50-inch muskie in Illinois,” he offered. “It is like a needle in a haystack, a hole-in-one or a 30-point buck. I am so proud of this muskie because it is in our home state and Muskies, Inc. chapters throughout the state work so hard at making Illinois a great muskie fishery.”

In a classy moved, Landmeier thanked his fishing partner, Rick Clark, who was in the boat to net the fish of his dreams.

ralph@outdoornews.com