One of the most common forms of big fish rumors and misinformation are samples done by fisheries biologists.
I've always thought this odd since such surveys are done under the aegis of an official government agency or, at the very least, with scientific methodology. Nevertheless......for sport fishermen, recycling rumors about giant fish that were supposedly sampled and "covered up" by bureaucrats (or some other conspiracy) seems irresistible.
I don't know how many times I've heard stories by locals of giant muskellunge, usually fish in the 70 or 80 inch range, being sampled in trap nets etc. Back in the 80s there was a popular rumor that a 79" (or something like this) muskie was electroshocked in the Raystown spillway.
Fish stories.