Michigan Angler Takes HUGE Chinook Near Manistee

Larry Raney, who owns a guide service and should know a big fish when he sees one, shocked himself when he reeled in a monster this week. According to MLive, Larry was float fishing the Big Manistee River on Monday, when he caught a 42-inch long chinook salmon. Larry estimated that it weighed 40 pounds, but couldn't accurately tell you because his scale only goes up to 30 pounds - and he released it after catching it. He says it's the biggest chinook he's ever seen. The state record, caught in 1978,  measured 43.5 inches and weighed 46 pounds.

Two great things about this story. Larry released the fish, saying the thousands of eggs it was carrying will mean more fish for everybody in the future (coming back to that same spot on the Big Manistee River) And he just helped himself out by showing he knows where the big ones are and how to catch them.

Plus, the DNR is giving him a Master Angler patch. And his story made it to this website, which I'm sure is the thrill of a lifetime.

Here's the whole story.