Muskellunge/Muskie

The Muskellunge fish goes by a variety of names, such as: Muskelunge, Muscallonge, Milliganong or Maskingonge. However, it is often abbreviated to “Muskie” or “Musky”.

The Muskie is relatively uncommon freshwater fish that is native to North America. It is the largest member of the Pike family. The common name comes from the Ojibwa word “Masshkinoozhe” meaning “Ugly Pike”.

The Muskie has a close resemble to their cousins the Northern Pike and the American Pickerel in both appearance and behaviour with the elongated body with a flat head and dorsal, pelvis and anal fins set far back on the body. Typical of an ambush predator.

Muskie’s are typically 71-122 cm (28 – 48 inches) long and weighs 15 – 36 pounds. Some have reached up to 1.8 metres (6 feet) in length and almost 70 pounds. The largest Muskie on record was by caught on July 24, 1949 weighing 30.61 kg (69 lbs. 11 oz.) and was 161.29 cm (63 ½”) in length. Their average life span is 20 years and reach the age of reproductive maturity by 4 years for males and 5 years for females.

Muskie’s are a light silver, brown, or green, with dark vertical stripes on the flank, which may tend to break up into spots. In some cases, markings may be absent altogether, especially in fish from hazy waters. The white or cream-coloured belly often has brownish or grayish spots, in contrast to northern pike, which have dark bodies with light markings. The duckbill-shaped jaws have long sharp teeth. The cheeks and gill covers have scales only on the top half. The underside of the jaw has sensory pores of seven or more per side, while the Northern Pike never has more than six. The lobes of the tail fin in a Muskie come to a sharper point, while those of Northern Pike are generally more rounded.

Muskellunge’s are found in freshwater rivers and lakes that are often very clear, well oxygenated, cold waters. These waters have low algal production with low to intermediate levels of productivity. They are native to the North American waters and are most common in cold regions underlain by resistant igneous rocks such as granitic bedrock with beds of submerged aquatic plants and low to medium levels of nutrients. Muskie’s favour the clear water and cannot adapt to water that stays hazy most of the time or endure fast current.

They prefer clear waters where they lurk along weed edges, rock outcrops, or other structures to rest. Several studies have shown that Muskellunge seldom leave their home range, except to spawn. The larger the body of water the larger the home range. They prefer shallow, weedy waters in less than 20 feet deep during their early years in life and has they grow larger, they spend more time in the deep cool waters.

These elusive fish are often at the top of the food chain in their respective body of water and they will eat larger prey than most other freshwater fish. With rows of razor sharp teeth and an anatomy build for speed, muskies have no issue eating what they want, and when they want. That is exactly what gives musky anglers the most headaches when chasing these fish. However, Muskie fishing offers a thrill that compares to no other type of fishing. You just never really know if you're going to experience a relaxing day of fishing or set a new world record. Everything in the water is potential food to this massive beast, so you must figure out how to make your bait it’s dinner.

Although Muskie were thought to be loners because they are difficult to catch, research has shown that they sometimes swim in loose packs consisting of small numbers of individuals. Muskie depend strongly on sight to find food. Their eyes are highly mobile, enabling them to track fast swimming prey and to see in practically any direction. Muskie’s also have incredible night vision, but they do not fare well in low-clarity waters. Almost as important as vision is the lateral-line sense. The lateral-line system includes lengthwise rows of pores along each side, as well as pores scattered over the body and head including those on the underside of the jaw. Slight vibrations on the water, such as those produced by swimming baitfish, activate tiny hairs inside the pores. The hairs in turn stimulate nerves inside and enables the Muskie to hone in on its prey, even in murky water or under dim light conditions.

Muskies are ambush predators who will swiftly bite their prey and then swallow it headfirst. They eat all varieties of fish present in their ecosystem including other Muskie, along with the occasional muskrat, rat, frog, or duck. They can eat prey up to two-thirds of their body length due to their large stomachs. In the spring, they tend to prefer smaller bait since their metabolism is slower, while large bait is preferred in the fall in preparation for winter.

When’s the best time to fish these powerful predators? Usually after the season opens in June and again in September when the water temperatures begin to cool. The key times during the day include morning and evening when baitfish activity peaks.

The best spots to find Muskie’s are in lakes and rivers with good habitat and structures such as; sunken islands, points, saddles between visible islands, bottlenecks in current flows and weed beds all hold promise if they’re within casting distance of deeper water. Look for Muskie to hold in transition zones at drop offs.

Effective lures for Muskie are large surface or diving lures, spoons and bucktail spinners. They also like live bait such as suckers and chubs. (Please note that the Lakes in Zone 4 Fishing in Northern Ontario have special regulations on some of the lakes in the region, for example on Big Vermilion Lake only artificial lures are allowed. Please check with the fishing regulations for updates and changes.) Bucktails are arguably the most popular bait used for Muskie fishing, as it produces attractive vibrations and can swim at various depths depending on reeling speed. The most popular are double 9 blades and double 10 blades.

Common myths and misconceptions of Muskie

1. The muskies in my lake are eating all the other gamefish.

While muskies eat some gamefish, they are not numerous enough to have a significant impact on other gamefish populations.

2. I’ve seen the same Muskie in the same spot many times.

Although they have a small home range they move about quite a lot. A certain piece of cover may hold a Muskie most of the time, but it may not be the same fish.

3. The muskies you see suspended just beneath the surface are sick.

For some unknown reason, Muskie seems to enjoy “Sunning” themselves. On calm, sunny days, they often lie motionless with their backs almost out of the water. These Muskie are healthy and sometimes catchable, if approached without being spooked.