Muskellunge

The muskie, a member of the pike family (Esocidae), is a top predator in freshwaters of the Great Lakes region. The natural range of the muskie spans from north to south from Tennessee to mid-Ontario, and from east to west from New York to Minnesota. Muskie can reach lengths of over 50 inches and weights of over 50 pounds. Their appearance is streamlined, with their dorsal fin located directly above the anal fin, and their mouth is equipped with sharp canine teeth (Trautman 1981). Muskie generally fall into one of, or a combination of, three distinct color phases: spotted, barred, or clear (no markings)

Muskie from the upper Mississippi watershed and Great Lakes, including Lake St. Clair, are generally spotted, with most inland muskie in the Midwestern United States falling into the barred or clear phases. As with most species, though, color and markings are not the best way to identify the muskellunge. Northern pike (Esox lucius) is a closely related species in the pike family that reaches similar sizes as muskie, and could easily be confused with muskellunge. To distinguish between northern pike and muskie, the head must be closely examined. Muskellunge have six or more pores on the underside of their jaws and the upper half of their cheeks are scaled, while northern pike have 5 or fewer pores and entirely scaled cheeks. A final anatomical feature to check is the tail, with muskie tails being more deeply forked and northern pike tails being more rounded off. Hybridization between muskie and northern pike is possible, with the resultant tiger muskellunge displaying characteristics of both parents. Tiger muskie generally have both bars and spots, making it appear more like a muskie than a northern pike, but the tiger muskie tail is usually rounded like the northern pike (Figure 1). For more thorough anatomical descriptions see Trautman (1981).