Potential walleye world record?

Almost six years to the day of a world record ice-fishing catch, another record may have been set.

On Jan. 5, Tim Geni of Wilcox, Saskatchewan, caught a 33 3/4-inch walleye with a robust 19 3/8-inch girth. The fish was released, making it a candidate for the Catch-and-Release Ice Fishing Rod and Reel world record. The previous record was 32 inches – because the fish are released, catch-and-release records through the ice are judged by length instead of weight.

“These big fish are way too special to kill,” Geni says. “I feel really good that she’s back and healthy in the water. Catching a pending world record is awesome, but knowing it’s still alive down there – that’s even better.”

The world record in the Ice Fishing Rod and Reel category was caught from Tobin Lake in 2005 by Reverend Mariusz Zajac. The fish weighed 18.3 pounds.