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Tiger musky?

Started by Guest_GYRO101_* , Feb 21 2012 12:22 AM

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9 replies to this topic

#1 Guest_GYRO101_*

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Posted 21 February 2012 - 12:22 AM

Is this a tiger musky or just an unusually paterned pike?

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#2 Guest_EricaWieser_*

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Posted 21 February 2012 - 07:42 AM

Based on this website, it looks like it's not a fully grown adult pike.
http://www.fishingfu...muskie-vs-pike/

It doesn't look like the adult pike on this topic either. The adult pike has horizontal spots: http://forum.nanfa.o...__fromsearch__1 It could be some sort of juvenile though; I don't see any pictures of pike the same length as the one you have, and they probably have some different transition pattern in between their juvenile diagonal stripes and adult horizontal spots. Until I see a picture of a juvenile pike, then yeah, I guess it most looks like a hybrid tiger muskellunge (Esox masquinongy x Esox lucius). The rounded tail means it absolutely can't be a pure muskie.

Edited by EricaWieser, 21 February 2012 - 07:52 AM.

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#3 Guest_butch_*

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Posted 21 February 2012 - 12:24 PM

Got a question for you: what is Esox species found in the river?

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#4 Guest_MichiJim_*

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Posted 21 February 2012 - 02:53 PM

Follow up to Butch's question: has your state planted tiger muskies in that body of water? They are pretty much a hatchery product, so if they weren't planted its not likely you would find one. Your state fisheries agency probably posts the location of plants on their web site.

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#5 Guest_GYRO101_*

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Posted 21 February 2012 - 06:25 PM

This is in the upper thames in ontario. I don't know if tiger musky were stocked anywhere or if there are any musky around either. The stripes have really thrown me off because I have caught smaller pike (half the size) and they have had the standard spotted adult pattern. I didn't even notice the pattern untill I looked at the picture.

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#6 Guest_EricaWieser_*

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Posted 21 February 2012 - 09:33 PM

The stripes have really thrown me off because I have caught smaller pike (half the size) and they have had the standard spotted adult pattern.

Ah, okay. Then the only thing left for it to be is the Esox masquinongy x Esox lucius.

I've never seen a picture of a juvenile pike in transition. What do they look like in between their diagonally striped young coloration and their horizontal spotted adult coloration?

Edited by EricaWieser, 21 February 2012 - 09:50 PM.

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#7 Guest_az9_*

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Posted 21 February 2012 - 10:02 PM

Definitely a juvenile northern pike (Esox lucius). I've seen plenty of them.

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#8 Guest_butch_*

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Posted 21 February 2012 - 10:16 PM

I dont know about what length of northern pike lost their juvenile coloration but that pike looks like it has adult coloration already (red fins) and it looks like it is more than 13".

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#9 Guest_MichiJim_*

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Posted 24 February 2012 - 09:39 AM

Sometimes its easier to eliminate what it isn't than tell what it is.

The Thames flows into Lake St Clair, so there is a possibility of muskies. Tigers almost never occur in the wild, but I haver seen them in LSC. Occam's razor says northern pike, but could be a tiger. Without detail of the scales on the cheek or pores on the jaw I can't say for sure.