What is this Fish?

[loebs93]

I may or may not have caught my first musky this weekend. I was on Sugar Lake Sunday morning casting a ten inch Suick when a fish hit it. At the time I thought it was a tiger musky but after looking at different pictures of them it looked very little like one.

The fish was about 27 inches long and had round spots on it. It was definitely from the Esox family. Whether it was a pike, musky or tiger musky I am not sure.

I am getting the picture developed today, but because I used a disposable camera and held it myself, I am concerned that it won't be enough evidence to decipher what it is. I would be delighted to hear that it is some kind of musky. Any thoughts on what it is?

I’ll post the picture later today.

[markkstanley]

Muskies can be spotted. Tigers and northerns can't. So you caught yourself a musky. Muskies can be spotted, barred or without markings.

[Ralph Wiggum]

I've never caught a northern without spots

[VMS]

The question really comes down to the color of the spots. Obviously, if the spots are white on a very dark, almost bluish/black background you got yourself a northern.

Other things to look at: fins. Are they pointed or rounded? If they are rounded, it will be a northern or tiger at best.

The BEST method to tell is to count the pores on the underside of the jaw...up to 5 pores...northern. 6 or more...muskie.

looking forward to seeing the pics.

Steve

[Deitz Dittrich]

I'm with Mark on this one.. it was a Spotted Muskie. I have a pict of a spotted somewhere.. I'll see if I can find it.

Found my pict

[loebs93]

[loebs93]

When brown trout meets Esox

Hey it turned out better than I thought.

Sorry about the size

[RuKiddingMe]

Cool looking fish, I like the clearity of the markings they realy tend to show up nice in smaller fish. Definetly a pure strain musky in my opinion. Though we can't tell from your pic, an easy way is to look at the tail fins. Generally Nordern Pike and Tigers have rounded tail fins where a pure strain musky will have pionted fins.

Again that is one pretty fish and a pure strain in my opinion.

RU

[LEECH21]

Dark spots on a light colored body...a definate sign that it is a musky. Spotted phase to be exact. Congrats on number one!

[Random guy]

Check out this thread from a ways back. Look at the pic of AWH's fish, it's a twin.

http://www.fishingminnesota.com/forum/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=621724&page=2&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1

[loebs93]

All right then...I have officially caught my first musky. It wasn't a giant but it sure was a pretty thing. I'm just happy I got over that hump. The good thing is that it's probably easier to get a bigger one for number two.

I have to add that it sure was nice to have a mini bolt cutter in this case for a fast and safe release.

Thanks for all the input

[AWH]

Congrats on number one! If you're like many of the rest of us, it won't be long and these fish will be all that you think about!

Aaron

[loebs93]

Oh, I'm already there. From checking this forum several times a day, watching the two musky videos I own often, reading magazines and online materials every day to sharpening hooks in my nonfishable downtime and even having dreams of musky fishing at night there is no doubt I am there. My girlfriend gets annoyed with of all the musky talk I'm constantly jabbering about. It’s hard for me to concentrate in class when I know that when Friday rolls around its time to go musky fishing for the weekend.

To top off this past weekend my dad and I also found a bunch of nice walleyes.

[AWH]

Yep, sounds like you're already a lost cause. Welcome to the group!

Aaron

[RuKiddingMe]

I think "lost cause" is putting it lightly. The mighty Musky will consume all normal thoughts you used to have, and the biggest killer is the off season, it drives me nuts waiting for June to come back around. When the opener comes near I'm like a little kid waiting for X-mas...

Good luck and welcome to insanity...

RU

[MuskyMark]

I gotta say, that is one beautiful fish... little or not. I know the smaller Mississippi strain fish have distinct spots... but those are the darkest, biggest spots I've seen on a small fish. The other photo of AWH's fish (from the link) is another beauty with similar features. Really cool.

Mark

[markkstanley]

Those spots are really distinct on smaller fish and tend to fade out as they get some size. Too bad because that is one really cool looking musky. Welcome to the musky club. Like the Hotel California you can never leave.

[killer68]

yep, my buddy caught one just like that on pike bay, they are pretty.