Jim Campbell is the $2,000 winner of the 2025 Fort Kent International Muskie Derby. His fish was 42 ⅝ inches and 21.05 pounds. Emma Castonguay won $500 in the youth category, catching a muskie 42 ⅝ inches and 18.12 pounds.
The Derby began at 9 a.m. Friday and ended at 5 p.m. Sunday. The minimum fish length requirement was 38 inches and scoring length was to the nearest ⅛ inch.
Tournament waters included the St. John River west of Grand Falls and all of its tributaries. The St. John River has more than 225 miles of habitat for prime muskie fishing. Its branches and tributaries include the Big Black River, St. Francis River, Little Black River, Allagash River to Allagash Falls and Depot Stream.
A new opportunity this year for anglers included the Erik Gardner Memorial Biggest Fish competition, which paid $200 a day for the largest fish brought in.
The derby began in 2003 to showcase the emerging muskie fishery. The vast, remote watershed means many sections see minimal fishing pressure.
The St. John River was once renowned nationwide for its native brook trout fishery, with fish reaching five pounds. In 1980, Quebec stocked muskie in Lac-Frontière at the headwaters of the Northwest Branch without installing barriers or notifying Maine agencies.
Muskie quickly spread throughout the system, appearing in Baker Lake and along the entire river. The invasive predators devastated the brook trout population, turning cool summer refuges into feeding areas. Today, few brook trout remain in the main stem or deeper tributaries, while muskie dominate the entire St. John watershed.
Anglers have adapted by embracing muskie fishing. Derby organizers note that removing fish helps prevent overcrowding and protects the remaining forage base, as muskie face no significant predators in these waters.
