Tiger or Barred Variaton Muskie??
Michigan Fishing
Feb 19, 2023 14:10:51 #
After diligenty fishing summers and winters trying to catch my first muskie, last night I scored. Though small, I still celebrated mostly because this is a small lake and has large pike and muskie in rather good numbers.
-so can this be a tiger muskie or the barred color variation muskie? There are two strong giveaways for a Tiger. One, the unbroken bars. Two, the rounded fins and tailfin similar to northern pike. Our Michigan DNR says it is rare but possible and occuring for a Tiger to result with a natural mating of the two species. I’m guessing this rare occurence would have an increased possibility in a very small lake.Note: the DNR shut down the Tiger muskie planting program 32yrs ago. Definately not a plant.
Here is the catch from last night. Watched it on camera circle bait and tease me for an hour before snapping at the shiner:
-so can this be a tiger muskie or the barred color variation muskie? There are two strong giveaways for a Tiger. One, the unbroken bars. Two, the rounded fins and tailfin similar to northern pike. Our Michigan DNR says it is rare but possible and occuring for a Tiger to result with a natural mating of the two species. I’m guessing this rare occurence would have an increased possibility in a very small lake.Note: the DNR shut down the Tiger muskie planting program 32yrs ago. Definately not a plant.
Here is the catch from last night. Watched it on camera circle bait and tease me for an hour before snapping at the shiner:
Feb 19, 2023 14:23:40 #
Feb 19, 2023 15:08:03 #
Feb 19, 2023 15:52:07 #
Feb 19, 2023 16:47:02 #
You have the patience of Job! What an awesome fish that finally fell prey to natural instincts and grabbed a meal right in front of your camera! Congratulations on a beautiful catch!
Feb 19, 2023 17:04:01 #
fishyaker wrote:
You have the patience of Job! What an awesome fish that finally fell prey to natural instincts and grabbed a meal right in front of your camera! Congratulations on a beautiful catch!
Thank you! What a thrill. But then, it’s that surprise we all get when ice fishing!
Feb 19, 2023 17:55:57 #
Feb 19, 2023 21:43:00 #
Feb 20, 2023 08:05:33 #
Ryp Hankins wrote:
After diligenty fishing summers and winters trying... (show quote)
Nice catch Ryp! First Muskie I have heard of caught thru the ice…
Feb 20, 2023 09:13:05 #
Feb 20, 2023 09:46:43 #
The Outcast wrote:
Nice catch Ryp! First Muskie I have heard of caught thru the ice…
Thanks! Muskies break all the rules. One guy I spoke with lost a 45”+ at the hole because he was set up for bluegill with a jig, small jigging pole and 4# line. He showed me a video taken by a bystander with the loss. Said he fought it for 2 hours. This was on one of our several muskie lakes. I don’t expect anyone to believe it and I didn’t when first hearing of it last year. Then I met him 2 nights ago when I caught the little one.
Feb 20, 2023 14:06:01 #
Ryp Hankins wrote:
After diligenty fishing summers and winters trying... (show quote)
Beautiful fish Ryp. Congratulations.🎉🎊🍾
Hack 🇺🇸🍺
Feb 20, 2023 16:55:26 #
HHenry
Loc: Pt Loma CA
Indeed to all of the above-
To me it looks like a Pike, with Tiger Stripes...which I have never seen! So Green! Stripes instead of spots...My only Muskie Experiences (in Ontario), and lake Charlevoix Mi., were distinctly Bronze/Gold and striped, but less defined, exclusively summer, and exclusively Surface Explosions...tough for Ice Fishing...As they Co-exist, Breed on same season, and are biting/kissing cousins, who knows what Hybrid mates were/are created in the Great White North...I was hooked at about age 12, when I caught my first Northern who discreetly followed my classic Daredevil until about 6 inches from shore, at which time it exploded out of nowhere and almost hit my foot, scrabbled back in and almost broke my Zebco...But I got him...
To me it looks like a Pike, with Tiger Stripes...which I have never seen! So Green! Stripes instead of spots...My only Muskie Experiences (in Ontario), and lake Charlevoix Mi., were distinctly Bronze/Gold and striped, but less defined, exclusively summer, and exclusively Surface Explosions...tough for Ice Fishing...As they Co-exist, Breed on same season, and are biting/kissing cousins, who knows what Hybrid mates were/are created in the Great White North...I was hooked at about age 12, when I caught my first Northern who discreetly followed my classic Daredevil until about 6 inches from shore, at which time it exploded out of nowhere and almost hit my foot, scrabbled back in and almost broke my Zebco...But I got him...
Feb 20, 2023 17:27:32 #
HHenry wrote:
Indeed to all of the above- br To me it looks like... (show quote)
Love your pike intro, very similar to mine. My first pike through the ice was less than 3ft of water but seriously lit me up in my senior year. I have since 1975 dreamed of catching muskie and now with a late start. Fascinating fish. Lake Charlevoix? I live close to the lake here in Boyne City.
Feb 20, 2023 17:28:47 #
hacksaw wrote:
Beautiful fish Ryp. Congratulations.🎉🎊🍾
Hack 🇺🇸🍺
Hack 🇺🇸🍺
Thanx Hack!
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