World’s Largest Muskie Sculpture: world record set in Hayward, Wisconsin
HAYWARD, Wisconsin, United States--The 143-foot long and 4 stories tall leaping muskie which is the centerpiece for the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame and Museum in Hayward, Wisconsin, has an observation deck where people have even gotten married and sets the world record for being the World's Largest Muskie Sculpture, according to the WORLD RECORD ACADEMY.
"Enter through the door in the tail and work your way up to the muskie’s gullet to see the 6-acre “Sea-of-Fishes” sculpture garden," the WhooNew.com reports.
"It’s not just the world’s largest muskie sculpture, it’s a shrine to the world record fish of North America, with thousands of charter members’ names lining the walls.
"It has an observation deck where people have even gotten married! Enter through the door in the tail and work your way up to the muskie’s gullet to see the 6-acre “Sea-of-Fishes” sculpture garden."
The muskellunge, often shortened to muskie, musky or lunge, also nicknamed "the fish of 10,000 casts," is a species of large freshwater predatory fish native to North America. It is the largest member of the pike family, Esocidae.
The Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame is an American hall of fame in Hayward, Wisconsin, dedicated to promoting freshwater fishing. Approximately 100,000 visitors tour the museum each year.
The 143-foot-long (44 m) muskie sculpture is the world's largest muskie.
"And while the interior exhibits are amazing, the real highlight of the museum is the Shrine to Anglers, a fiberglass muskie measuring half a city block long and 4 1/2 stories tall atop an 88,000-gallon pond."
"The big muskie is made of concrete, steel, and fiberglass, which was painstakingly hand-sculpted into the likeness of a leaping muskie," the Only In Your State reports.
"The spacious observation deck can accommodate up to 20 people and boasts a wonderful panoramic view of Lake Hayward and the museum's grounds."
"Standing 143 feet long and 41 feet tall, the muskie holds names of world record-holders in fishing across the world – over 3,000 entries," the State Trunk Tour reports.
"You can check out the names and climb the steps to show yourself from the muskie’s mouth, 4 stories off the ground."
TESTIMONIALS from Trip Advisor
"I don’t fish, but still enjoyed looking around this museum. Lots of interesting displays and stories. The park is very pleasant to walk around and anyone with kids would have a great time here with all the giant fish models onsite."
"My wife and I do not fish, but nonetheless enjoyed the exhibits and the gardens. A visit to the museum take less than an hour, but it is an hour worth spending."
" The exhibits are plentiful, more than I would ever expect to see, and are well-maintained and instructional. I wish I lived close by so that I could volunteer at this amazing place. My daughter, who is 13, found it to be a perfect spot for some Instagram photos. Well-worth the price of admission, and I consider it to be one of the treasures of northern Wisconsin."
"Being a Wisconsinite my whole life, I've seen photos of this place. It's more than just the big plastic fish. It's a great museum of fishing history and equipment.
"Rooms full of lures and old outboards, record setting mounts and much to see and learn from."
"No trip to the Hayward area is complete with a visit to the Big Musky and the fishing hall of fame. I last visited as a youngster in the 1980s and was pleased to take my teenage daughter for a visit. 30+ years later some things remain the same and some things are new.For example the grounds are beautiful to look at and ware ell maintained, the big musky and other large fish outdoors are a thrill for young children and the angler can find numerous gear and mounts to study and dream about."
Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame
Address: 10360 Hall of Fame Dr, Hayward, WI 54843, United States
Hours: Opens 9:30AM
Founded: 1960
Related WORLD RECORDS:
The GUINNESS WORLD RECORD for the Largest pike; the largest caught specimen measured 161.29 cm long, weighed 30.61 kg and was hooked by Louie Spray in the Chippewa Flowage at Hayward in Wisconsin, USA, on 24 July 1949 – as verified by the International Game Fish Association (IGFA).
GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS also recognized the world record for the largest freshwater fish (specimen) is a female giant freshwater stingray, aka whipray (Urogymnus polylepis) collected by fishermen in the Mekong River in the Stung Treng region of Cambodia on 13 June 2022. Assessed by international scientists from the US-Cambodian “Wonders of the Mekong” project (funded by the United States Agency for International Development), the stingray weighed approximately 300 kg (661 lb) and measured 3.98 m (13 ft) long (including tail) with a disc width of 2.2 m (7 ft 2 in).
