Local Angler Six Months Pregnant With Twins Catches Two 50-Plus-Inch Muskies

Angler Megan Patterson met and surpassed her fishing goal this season, catching two muskies over 50 inches long while six months pregnant with twins.

Photo courtesy of Megan Patterson.

Her two muskies measured 52 in. (4.33 ft.) and 54 in. (4.5 feet) and were caught on the St. Lawrence River.

Joining the 50-inch club is a feat that all muskie anglers pursue. Patterson has been muskie fishing for the past six years and has netted over five of her husband’s 50-inch catches. She made it her goal to catch her own.

“Every season I have come up short,” she laughs. “In my first season, I caught a 49-inch muskie. I was so close to that 50-inch mark.”

Her social media following has tagged along for fishing trips ever since she started in the sport. Muskie season runs from June to mid-December in the Kawarthas.

Her first catch of the season was an impressive 46-incher from Chemong Lake. Photo courtesy of Megan Patterson.

“My goal was to be a big momma catching a big momma,” Patterson said. “I really wanted to go out with a bang by catching a big fish this year.”

Not only did she reach her goal of snagging a 50-plus-inch muskie but she also reeled a second, all while being pregnant with twins. Patterson recalls her surprise when her husband netted the catch and saw how big it was.

“It comes up onto the bump board and it lays so much past the 50-inch mark,” she said. “To this day that was still one of my best days on the water of my whole life.”

Patterson thanks the ‘two little good luck charms’ in her belly.

“It’s such a fun story that we’ll be able to tell our babies,” she said. “That all four of us were on the boat when we caught this 54-inch muskie.”

Although the couple may have to retire the 12-hour fishing trips to take care of the babies, Patterson says she’s excited to take Charlotte and Carter out on Chemong Lake and share her passion for the sport of muskie fishing.

“I’m really excited to be raising my babies fishing, having the twins out on the boat with us and catching their first muskies,” she says. “We’re so lucky to live in the Kawarthas where we have such amazing class fish even right in our backyard.”

Carter and Charlotte, born Nov. 17, 2022. Photo courtesy of Megan Patterson.

Patterson is a member/ambassador of various fishing organizations such as Shimano, Mustang Survival, Musky Maniacs, Muskies Canada and the Ontario Women's Anglers Association.

She operates under a catch-and-release method through her muskie fishing, ensuring the fish is out of the water for no more than two minutes before reviving and releasing the catch. Paterson urges anglers catching any species or class of fish to be prepared with the proper release tools in their boat.

“Conservation is such a big part of this sport. We use incredible releasing tools to make sure that we are putting these fish back into the water almost the same way they came into the boat,” Patterson said.

Those wishing to follow along with Patterson’s muskie fishing adventures can find her at @meganpattterson on all social media applications.

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Kawartha Wildlife Centre Seeks Local Fishers To Help Feed Birds In Their Care

Kawartha Wildlife Centre (KWC) has put out a call to local fishers asking for fresh, locally caught fish.

Photo by Kawartha Wildlife Centre.

Recently KWC took a young osprey found in Ennismore, just off of Chemong Lake into their care. The female is severely underweight from an overload of parasites.

According to a social media post, osprey are ‘notoriously fussy and difficult to feed in captivity.’

Currently the juvenile is on a supportive hand-fed diet as staff at KWC treat her infestation, but in order to regain strength and weight she will need whole prey.

The wildlife rehabilitation centre hopes that local fishers can donate fresh fish to help get this osprey back to health.

They noted that fish of any size will help and they have a heron in their care that may appreciate a fresh catch as a treat.

Those interested in donating are asked to message Kawartha Wildlife Centre on Facebook or send them an email.

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Norwood Man Catches Top-Prize Fish "Walter" At 33rd Annual Fishing Derby

Norwood’s Justin Desbarbieux is $1,000 richer after catching ‘Walter’ the rainbow trout at the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters 33rd Annual Under the Lock Fishing Derby on Wednesday afternoon.

There were 3,000 fish dumped into the canal last Wednesday to launch the 33rd Annual Under the Lock Fishing Derby. The event was postponed for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Desbarbieux caught the prized rainbow trout — weighing roughly eight to 10 lbs. — around 1:45 p.m. directly across from Liftlock Golf Club on the north side of the canal on Ashburnham Drive.

The Norwood mason said his battle with Walter was long and hard-fought.

"It was probably two or three minutes long," said Desbarbieux. "I could see him instantly belly up and he started swimming and doing circles.

Desbarbieux’s day started off on the wrong foot as he accidentally broke his fishing rod by closing the car door on it. His day was made up after catching the grand-prize fish.

"My adrenaline was pumping and I was trying to run down here and to show everyone," he explained. "I can buy another fishing pole from the money."

Desbarbieux has been participating in the fishing derby since he was a child. He has two sons that participated in the youth event that began on Saturday morning.

The Norwood local is walking away with the grand prize of $1,000 cash and gets to keep Walter.

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