Pregnant Woman Sets Md. Fishing Record With 32-Pound Muskie

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A Washington County woman has set a new muskellunge (muskie) nontidal state fishing record, according to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

Tessa Cosens, 26, caught the fish, which was 32.5 pounds, 49 inches long and had a 24-inch girth, May 6 along the banks of the upper Potomac River in Washington County.

A relative newcomer to muskie fishing, Cosens – who is several months pregnant and had been feeling under the weather – snagged her record catch after a 15-minute struggle.

"All the guys around me stopped fishing and looked at me," Cosens told DNR officials. "There is no other fish that fights like a muskie."

Muskies are one of the largest freshwater fish in the state. Cosens' catch broke the previous Maryland record of 31.75 pounds, set by Kenneth Files in 2011.

To help determine the age of the fish, Cosens is donating a sample of the muskie's scales and cleithrum – a large bone above the gills – to DNR for further analysis.

DNR maintains state records for sport fish in four divisions – Atlantic, Chesapeake, Nontidal and Invasive – and awards plaques to anglers who achieve record catches. Fish caught from privately-owned, fee-fishing waters are not eligible for record consideration.

Anglers reporting a potential record catch should call 443-569-1381 or 410-260-8325. The fish should be immersed in ice water to preserve its weight until it can be checked, confirmed and certified by the department.

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