A Disturbing Response from the Hall

          Hayward, Wisconsin is wonderful place. It is typical of Northern Wisconsin. It is an area of large, clear lakes, an area of towering pines, birches and poplars, an area filled with a panoply of wildlife, an area of big fish.

          In Hayward, you’ll find the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame, an institution filled with mounts, history, antiques, memorabilia and lore, housed in a building that looks like a musky that is a half-block long and four-and-a-half stories high.

          On the Chippewa Flowage, one of the area most venerated waterways, you’ll find the Indian Trail Resort. The Indian Trail is a typical Northwoods resort featuring well-used wood-sided cabins filled wit well-used furnishings. The Indian Trail even has a “bunkhouse,” dormitory-style sleeping quarters, bare bones accommodations for serious fishermen on tight budgets. You’ll find the typical boat dock, sand beach and children’s play area. Yes, the Indian Trail is standard Northwoods stuff.

          Inside the Indian Trail, you’ll find the Little Red Bar, a typical Wisconsin drinking establishment. You’ll find locals and visitors playing the bowling machine and pumping coins into the ten-cent jukebox while sipping Wisconsin lager or the ever-popular stingers or old fashioneds.

          Behind the bar on many nights is an unassuming gentleman named John Detloff. Detloff, who owns the bar and resort and often guides fishing parties during the day is no more distinguishable than any man waiting on a Chicago street corner for his daily bus. Detloff looks like the “average Joe” and doesn’t normally raise his voice loud enough to call attention to himself. By the way, Detloff also serves as the President of the national Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame.

          Under this veneer of calm and normalcy lies the biggest controversy in fishing discussion and debate to have arisen in many years – the war over whether Louis Spray’s world record muskie is legitimate.

          Today, the streets of Hayward are walked by people who cross the street when seeing someone coming in the opposite direction for fear of starting an argument over the Spray fish. Former friends are now angry enemies as they take sides in the musky debate.

          I have previously written about the World record muskie alliance and their challenge presented to the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame regarding the validity of the record fish. I have written about the Hall’s steadfast refusal to dismiss the Spray fish. I have discussed how some of the mathematicians enlisted by the Hall are now recanting their findings and claiming that the Hall misled them. I have written about how muskie historian Larry Ramsell has turned up evidence to prove that Detloff was less than honest in his efforts to disprove Art Lawton’s fish, a previous record holder. It seems that this issue will not die.

          My solution was for the Hall to establish dual records; historical and modern day, allowing the Spray fish to stand as a historical or legendary record and having a modern day record awarded to a fish measured with modern day technology. I thought this was simple and that all parties could walk away with pride intact and some feeling of satisfaction. Please note that I do not claim to have invented this dual-record concept, it has been bandied about for years. I just thought it was the fairest solution and presented it to John Detloff and the Hall of Fame for a response. I wrote, in part, “I believe your only solution to saving the Hall's credibility, without having to dismiss the Spray fish is to institute historical and modern day records. Please consider this. I look forward to you gracious response.”

          I received Detloff’s response via a 45-minute phone conversation that took place this week. The following selected comments well-represent John Detloff’s response to my request for dual records.

          “It is the Hall of Fame’s responsibility to make sure that history is not diminished. People want to know facts. Our decision to uphold the record, amongst people who want to know facts was met with congratulatory response. They thanked us for keeping history in place to the best of our ability. History must be accurate.”

          “The decision to not allow the WRMA’s challenge was done with much discussion and attention to detail. We read every part of their challenge many times, looking for proof with open minds and we couldn’t find any.”

          “I was surprised to see that they came up with that bit about the fins being in different places on the photo of Spray’s fish and the mount of the fish. Then I looked at some of my mounts and the pictures. Then we looked at the Hall’s mounts and compared them o the pictures. It seems like many taxidermists move the fins around and this is not out of the ordinary, so we had to discount that theory.”

          “I am proud of the board and their work. They took every question and looked at it with science and logic. We have the ability to discuss things logically. We worked hard to keep accurate records. History must be preserved. There is a lot of smoke and mirrors being used by these guys trying to confuse people and get them to think that Louis’ fish was smaller than it is. There is a lot of jealousy over Spray’s fish because if someone can’t catch a fish that big, then the fish just can’t be real. The bulk of the people are satisfied with the Hall’s decision.”

          “There          will be no modern day record. There is only one record fish and that is that. It is not our job to take the easy way out and do things to make people happy. It is our job to keep accurate records – period. If we established what you call a “modern day record,” how many years will it be before you ask for a “modern-modern-day record” and so on. History must be accurate. The Louis Spray fish is the world record muskie and that is where it will stand.”