Dave Curtis has seen a lot of big muskies while fishing and guiding on the St. Lawrence River, but none bigger than the giant his wife, Doris, caught Saturday, September 5.

Dave Curtis first released the 59-incher caught by his wife, Doris.

The Curtises, of Inverary, Ontario, were fishing near Gananoque, Ontario, when Doris caught a 59-inch musky on a black perch jointed DepthRaider. The couple were trolling along a deep breakline in about 35 feet of water when the fish struck at about 2 p.m.

“It was a massive strike and the fish did everything — runs, headshakes and jumped,” Dave Curtis recalled. “It came right to the net the first time we tried.”

Given the heat of the day, Curtis kept the fish in the net, cut the hooks and measured it in the water. “It released well, or so we thought,” Curtis said. “An hour later we saw it floating. We tried to revive it to no avail, and the heat and humidity didn’t help matters. This really upset both of us, as we don’t like to kill muskies.”

Since the fish died, they officially measured it on an IGFA bumpboard. The fish weighed 48 pounds even on a certified scale on Wednesday, September 9.

The DepthRaider that caught the fish has been used by Curtis since the lure was introduced more than 25 years ago.

Curtis was fishing with Bill Barber when the latter caught a 58-incher, and guided Avery Knapp to a 57 3/4-incher. Both catches were featured in Musky Hunter magazine. “This one was the fish of a lifetime, and the biggest I have ever boated, or witnessed,” Curtis said.

But the captain wasn’t finished there. On Tuesday, September 8, his guests caught muskies measuring 56 and 55 inches. “Today’s 56 was heavier than the 59-incher,” Curtis said. “Fortunately, both released successfully.”

Doris and Dave Curtis pose for a photo with the 59-incher after they found it floating.