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Pickerel or a muskie?

Started by Guest_leongy_* , Jun 25 2009 04:00 AM

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10 replies to this topic

#1 Guest_leongy_*

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Posted 25 June 2009 - 04:00 AM

Hello guys, need your help identifying this fish. Not sure if its a pikerel or a juv muskie. I've looked thru many sites and im still confused.

Thank you!

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#2 Guest_tglassburner_*

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Posted 25 June 2009 - 08:14 AM

Hello guys, need your help identifying this fish. Not sure if its a pikerel or a juv muskie. I've looked thru many sites and im still confused.

Thank you!

It's definitely not a pickerel. BTW - Those killies seem too nice to sacrifice as feeders.

Edited by tglassburner, 25 June 2009 - 08:16 AM.

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#3 Guest_choupique_*

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Posted 25 June 2009 - 10:10 AM

Looks like a juvenile northern pike. When it gets to be around a foot long those light bands will break apart into the typical cream colored spots of an adult northern. With proper feeding this could happen in a few months...

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#4 Guest_keepnatives_*

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Posted 25 June 2009 - 06:19 PM

Why wouldn't this be a grass pickerel? How big is it? Where is it from? Have any less blurry photos? Is there anything we can't see from the photo?

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#5 Guest_Dustin_*

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Posted 26 June 2009 - 09:29 AM

I agree that it is not a pickerel. The body pattern and snout are wrong for a grass pickerel. It is either a musky or a pike like Ray said.

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#6 Guest_smbass_*

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Posted 26 June 2009 - 03:06 PM

I also agree it's not a pickerel, looks like a N. pike to me.

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#7 Guest_keepnatives_*

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Posted 26 June 2009 - 07:32 PM

I agree that it is not a pickerel. The body pattern and snout are wrong for a grass pickerel. It is either a musky or a pike like Ray said.

I'm not saying it is a pickerel I just get very confused with IDing pike /pickerel from photos. As soon as I think I got it figured out I see a photo with the same attribute labeled something else. I really liked the spotted fin characteristic from Smbass but can't see the fins that well as to spottedness.

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#8 Guest_smbass_*

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Posted 26 June 2009 - 09:44 PM

I have to admit a lot of iding pickerel vs N. Pike for me is just getting a feel for them after seeing quite a few of them often in the same area. I will again say the spots on the fins thing works quite well but is harder to see on really small pike or musky. These seem to be most easily observed on the tail and do fade in and out with the mood of the fish.

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#9 Guest_NateTessler13_*

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Posted 27 June 2009 - 06:26 AM

At this size, you'd be able to go on scale pattern on the cheeks and operculum. I know it's not possible from this photo, but if the fish has scales on the cheeks, but not on the operculum...it's a Northern Pike. If the cheeks are scaled and so is the operculum...you've got a Grass Pickerel.

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#10 Guest_MultispeciesTamer_*

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Posted 27 June 2009 - 12:12 PM

Like said On MFK this is a juvi Tiger Musky. A young pike has a small black line under the eye like pickerel do.

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#11 Guest_Ajohnson_*

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Posted 29 July 2009 - 02:22 PM

I'd definetly say that its either a tiger muskie or a pure muskie(barred) I fish for muskie quite often, and I know several people with small muskie like that in there big aquariums. very cool fish though!