A 69-pound muskie caught in northern Wisconsin's Chippewa Flowage in 1949 is still the world record, no matter what anyone says. The National Fresh Water Fishing Hall-of-Fame of Hayward made that decision in January 2006. A group in suburban Chicago tried to splash some water on the whole fish story, but the Hall's Board rejected that challenge from a group called the World Record Muskie Alliance. Members argued the fish caught by the late Louis Spray couldn't be any heavier than 55 pounds, and they used photos to try to prove their claim.

The group accused Spray of filling the muskie with something before he weighed it. The Alliance called the record a fraud of historic proportions. But after reviewing the complaint, the Hall's board said the group's evidence was inconclusive at best. Director Emmett Brown said that if anything, Spray's catch was further validated by the review, so there!

The fish was 63 inches long, with a total weight of 69 pounds, 11 ounces. Brown says the Hall's review should settle the matter, but don't bet on it. Rich Delaney, who heads the Alliance, said the Hall showed its bias toward northern Wisconsin and the record will continue to divide muskie enthusiasts. And the mystery lives on.