Don Mickel, a guide based out of Bemidji, Minn., tied into a huge walleye while fishing the Rainy River on April 4. After a brief fight, Mickel netted the fish, which measured just over 35 inches with a girth of 24 1/4 inches.

Mickel reportedly caught the walleye vertically jigging a Northland Fire-ball jig tipped with a rainbow minnow on Bionic fishing line in 12 feet of water.

On an inexpensive scale, the fish unofficially weighed 17.9 pounds. The current record walleye is 17.8 pounds and was caught May 13, 1979 in the Seagull River in Cook County. That fish was nearly 36 inches long but its girth was only 21 1/3 inches.

Because the walleye was a catch-and-release fish, it had to be released and couldn’t be recognized as a state record. The Rainy River is open to walleye fishing until April 15 and many fishermen flock to the area to get an early start on the season. However, the daily limit is two walleyes but neither can be larger than 19 1/2 inches.

Mickel also contacted the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame in Hayward, Wis. Officials there asked for a line sample plus details of the fish and the catch. Mickel heard back from the Hall of Fame this week and the correspondence included congratulations and a certificate for landing the 4-pound test line world record walleye.