Famous Question: Pike or Muskie?

[greylynx]

Are they fairly common to catch?

Are pike muskie spawning periods at the same time of the year?

[catnthehat]

I have cought tiger muskies and that one does not seem to look like one.
however, they can be very different in colouring at times, because they are a hybrid.

If you count the pores on th eunderside of the jaw however, this will give you a diffinitive answer.
The musky ( and the tiger as far as I know and have been told )has at least 6 per side, the pike will only have 4 or 5
That, and Cal's explanation!
Cat

[Cheerseh!]

Again, thank you everyone for your comments. I'm now convinced it's a pike and I've learned a thing or two from you experts. I've discovered a great site for people who love to catch. I'm now HOOKED.

Cheers Eh!

[Backbay]

Originally Posted by greylynx

Are they fairly common to catch?

Are pike muskie spawning periods at the same time of the year?

I wouldn't describe them as common, particularly as they are sterile.
In the Moon River area of Georgian Bay where I fish, I have not heard of one being caught. They are somewhat more common in the lakes around Kawarthas area, and I have heard, Lake St, Clair.
In the mid-west and western US States, it seems there are more of them. I understand they've been stocked in the past, but have never understood why. Stocking actual Muskies would have made more sense.

Muskies spawn later, in pretty similar shallows.
Muskie season in Ontario opens about 6 or 7 weeks later, depending on the zone.

[TyreeUM]

Originally Posted by Backbay

I understand they've been stocked in the past, but have never understood why. Stocking actual Muskies would have made more sense.

They have been used in fisheries management plans in lakes where no large preditors exist and are prone to overpopulation and stunting. They are also stocked in lakes where nusiance introduced species occur. With tiger muskie, you can introduced a predetor that can be easily managed (ie there population is drectly controlled by stocking densities) that will help control the populations.

[Cal]

Originally Posted by TyreeUM

They have been used in fisheries management plans in lakes where no large preditors exist and are prone to overpopulation and stunting. They are also stocked in lakes where nusiance introduced species occur. With tiger muskie, you can introduced a predetor that can be easily managed (ie there population is drectly controlled by stocking densities) that will help control the populations.

A few of the reasons I have heard for stocking tiger muskie that havnt been mentioned are

1. they grow to a catchable size faster

2.Being sterile they canot cross with existing muskie stocks, according to one study I read the suplimental stocking of lakes with existing muskie populations can be counter productive. Apparently in some lakes the muskie populations are very highly addapted to best survive in their specific eco system, tiger muskies can be stocked to supliment existing fish stocks without messing with the gene pool of the fish native to that lake.

So pretty much the same reasons we stock triploid trout these days.