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Which Pike/Pickerel?

Started by Guest_Ghopper_* , May 11 2012 03:35 PM

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12 replies to this topic

#1 Guest_Ghopper_*

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Posted 11 May 2012 - 03:35 PM

I caught this today in Elkhorn Creek in central Kentucky. At first I thought it was a Northern Pike but I didn't think they lived around here. I have never caught a fish in the Pike family and after trying to do some research I still have no idea which member of the family this is. You can see in the picture that the fins have a light reddish tint to them (can be seen best in the anal fin over my arm although all had the same tint). Thanks!

Attached Files

photo 1.JPG 236.05KB 7 downloads

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#2 Guest_blakemarkwell_*

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Posted 11 May 2012 - 03:40 PM

Looks like a Northern Pike (Esox lucius) to me. They're not native to Kentucky, but we've been pretty efficient at extirpating their bigger cousin, the Musky, which are native to the Southeast.

Edited by blakemarkwell, 11 May 2012 - 03:48 PM.

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#3 Guest_farmertodd_*

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Posted 11 May 2012 - 03:51 PM

I'm pretty sure that's a musky. The lower part of the cheek is looking pretty smooth.

Todd

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#4 Guest_panfisherteen_*

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Posted 11 May 2012 - 04:13 PM

Muskellunge, they always have dark markings on a light colored body. Nice catch.

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#5 Guest_blakemarkwell_*

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Posted 11 May 2012 - 04:25 PM

Dang. And here I was thinking I saw a patch of scales on the lower cheek region.

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#6 Guest_Ghopper_*

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Posted 11 May 2012 - 04:27 PM

I have a picture of the face, I will upload it

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#7 Guest_blakemarkwell_*

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Posted 11 May 2012 - 04:29 PM

Muskellunge, they always have dark markings on a light colored body. Nice catch.

You're right. I should've known as I just spent some time with these fish in the Kankakee --
http://gallery.nanfa...ke 409.JPG.html

Light marks on a darker body for E. lucius indeed!

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#8 Guest_Ghopper_*

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Posted 11 May 2012 - 04:33 PM

here it is

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pike.jpg 26.22KB 3 downloads

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#9 Guest_Ghopper_*

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Posted 11 May 2012 - 04:40 PM

thanks everybody. I never thought I would catch a Musky in Elkhorn Creek, makes me wonder what else is in there to surprise me.

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#10 Guest_Skipjack_*

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Posted 11 May 2012 - 06:57 PM

If Elkhorn is in the Ohio river drainage, which the Kentucky river is part of, It could be an Ohio musky, which is native.

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#11 Guest_steve_*

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Posted 12 May 2012 - 08:35 PM

If Elkhorn is in the Ohio river drainage, which the Kentucky river is part of, It could be an Ohio musky, which is native.

It does look a lot like an Ohio Muskie to me too.

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#12 Guest_smbass_*

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Posted 13 May 2012 - 09:47 AM

Definitely a muskellunge. You can eliminate any pickerel species right away by the spots on the fins, only muskelunge and northern pike have spots on the fins and then as others have said the muskellunge has the dark spots on a light background and the northern pike is the opposite with light spots on a dark background.