Muskellunge Esox masquinongy

Mitchill, 1824

ESOCIDAE FAMILY
Also called maskinonge, muskallonge, muskie, musky, 'lunge, silver muskellunge, Great Lakes muskellunge, Ohio muskellunge, spotted muskellunge, barred muskellunge, great muskellunge, great pike, blue pike, etc. Occasionally, it is referred to as a “jack” in some areas.

It is endemic to the northeastern United States, throughout the area of the Great Lakes south to Georgia, and north to Quebec (St. Lawrence Seaway) and Ontario in Canada. It has been introduced into Manitoba west of Lake Winnipeg. It rarely ventures far from cover, and prefers shallow, heavily vegetated waters less than 40 ft (12 m) deep, usually along rocky shorelines in slow moving streams and larger rivers.

At one time, it was believed that there were at least four species of muskellunge, but these “varieties” are now considered to be one species, Esox masquinongy. The exception to this is the tiger musky, which is a hybrid, a cross between a muskellunge and a northern pike (E. lucius).

The musky and all other species belonging to the Esox genus have a distinctive body that is long and sleek with a single dorsal fin located very far back near the tail. The pelvic (ventral) fins are located relatively far back on the belly, about half way between the pectoral fins and the tail, instead of directly under the pectoral fins. The mouth is large with the maxillae reaching back at least to the middle of the eyes, and broad, like a duck's bill, but full of teeth.

It can be distinguished from the pike and the pickerels by several factors. It may be barred, spotted, or have no markings at all, but any markings that do occur will be darker than the background of the body. The northern pike, by comparison, has light colored, oblong spots against a darker body, and the chain pickerel (E. niger) has a unique chain like pattern on the sides. The redfin and grass pickerels (subspecies of E. americanus) look much more like the musky in their markings, but they only grow to about 15 in (38 cm) long. Another distinction occurs in the number of pores under the lower jaw. In the musky there are 6 9 along each side (rarely 5 or 10 on one side only). In the northern pike there are 5 along each side (rarely 3, 4, or 6 on one side only). In the pickerels, there are 4 along each side (occasionally 3 or 5 on one side only).

This is a very popular game fish, and many anglers dedicate themselves almost exclusively to its pursuit. The musky is very elusive, and is not a common catch, even for those who constantly seek it out.

The flesh is white and flaky and of excellent quality, but many caught by anglers are either mounted or released

Muskellunge, tiger Esox masquinongy x Esox lucius

ESOCIDAE FAMILY


The tiger musky is a hybrid produced when a male northern pike (Esox lucius) fertilizes the eggs spawned by a female muskellunge (E. masquinongy). Consequently, it is conceivable that one might find a tiger musky anywhere that both muskellunge and northern pike occur together, though it is not a common fish anywhere. They may also be found in areas where they have been introduced, but such populations are naturally self limiting since the tiger musky is sterile and cannot reproduce.

It should not be confused with the true muskellunge which has long been called tiger musky in Minnesota. In most respects, notably in size and appearance, the hybrid is very much like the true muskellunge and anglers universally hold it in equal, and often higher, esteem than the true musky because of its rarity, its beautiful markings and its game nature. It differs from the true muskellunge most noticeably in the markings on its sides. The true musky may have either bars or spots on the sides or no markings at all, but it is rarely as strikingly beautiful as the tiger musky with its wavering tiger stripes.

For many years the tiger musky was believed to be a separate species until scientists succeeded in crossing a northern pike with a muskellunge to discover its true origin. Today it is one of the most prized freshwater catches that an angler can make. Most tiger muskies are either released or mounted, but some are also eaten

Pike, northern Esox lucius

Linnaeus, 1758

ESOCIDAE FAMILY
Also called great northern pike, great northern pickerel, jack, jackfish

This is a holarctic species, meaning that it occurs around the world in northern, or Arctic waters. In North America it is found in the Atlantic, Arctic, Pacific, Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins from Labrador to Alaska and south to Pennsylvania, Missouri and Nebraska, USA. In Northern Eurasia pike are found from France to eastern Siberia and south to northern Italy.

Like the muskellunge, Esox masquinongy, and the pickerels, E. niger and E. americanus, it is a long, sleek, predatory fish with a broad, flat mouth resembling a duck's bill, and a single dorsal fin located on the posterior portion of the body. In body shape the members of the pike group are all identical, but the northern pike can be distinguished from its relatives by three main features. Most noticeably the greenish or yellowish sides of the fish are covered with lighter colored oblong horizontal spots or streaks, whereas all other species have darker markingsthan the background color. The second distinction is the scalation pattern on the gill cover and cheek. In the northern pike the cheek is fully scaled, but the bottom half of the gill cover is scaleless. In the larger muskellunge, both the bottom half of the gill cover and the bottom half of the cheek are scaleless. In the smaller pickerels the gill cover and the cheek are both fully scaled. The third distinctive feature is the number of pores under each side of the lower jaw; usually 5 in the northern pike (rarely 3, 4 or 6 on one side), 6 9 in the muskellunge (rarely 5 or 10 on one side), and 4 in the smaller pickerels (occasionally 3 or 5 on one side only).

It is considered a delicious food fish. The flesh is sweet, white and flaky, but like other members of its genus, it sometimes has a “weedy” or “muddy” taste during the summer months. This taste is probably due to the skin mucus and can be eliminated by removing the skin prior to cooking. It has considerable commercial value and is an excellent sport fish. Pike are usually taken by trolling with large spoons, plugs or natural baits, but casting and still fishing are also frequently successful

Pickerel, chain Esox niger

Lesueur, 1818

ESOCIDAE FAMILY
Also called eastern pickerel, eastern chain pickerel, lake pickerel, reticulated pickerel, federation pickerel, mud pickerel, green pike, black chain pike, duck billed pike, picquerelle.

It inhabits the eastern United States and Canada, from Nova Scotia southward through all of the Atlantic coast states and most of Florida, and westward through Georgia, Alabama, and Louisiana to as far as the Navasota River in eastern Texas. From Louisiana, it extends northward in the Mississippi River drainage through eastern Arkansas to southeastern Missouri and southwestern Kentucky.

All members of the genus Esox look very much alike, especially when young. The chain pickerel can be recognized by its markings. The sides which are yellowish to greenish (almost black when young) are overlaid with a reticulated, or chain like, pattern of black lines. Also, the pickerels (including the redfin and grass pickerels), have fully scaled cheeks and gill covers. The northern pike usually has no scales on the bottom half of the gill cover, and the muskellunge, E. masquinongy, usually has no scales on the bottom half of either the gill cover or the cheek.

The flesh is white and flaky, and very tasty during the winter months. In summer, however, the taste is not as good. Removing the skin before cooking may remedy this