spawn

[mtreno]

is it normal for carp and muskies to spawn in the same area at the same time? they could have been redhourse not carp but way bigger than suckers - 20 - 40 lb class.

rocky creek bed with the muskies seeming to stay in the middle on the rocks and the carp all over but mostly in and out of the cattails around the edges.

[CommonSense Guy]

Probably were not muskies

[mtreno]

why would you say that?

[Stratosman]

Muskies spawn at water temps between 50 and 60 degrees, so it is very likely that they were muskies as northerns are typically done a couple weeks prior to the muskies starting. It shouldn't be hard to tell the difference between a carp and a muskie

[Random guy]

This can actually get a bit confusing. Musky will spawn in water temps of 49*-60* and Pike will spawn in water temps of 39*-52* so you will have a bit of a overlap in some years. Hence the creation of the Tiger. What does happen and can mislead poeple to believe Musky are in full spawn is Musky as Pike will stage or place themselves in spawning area before the temps are high enough to spawn. These fish will swim side by side and make an appearance of spawning but it is truly just a warm up session. Plus in shallow water dark bottom bays these water temps may rise quickly during good conditions triggering those fish to begin spawning before fish in a deeper breaking area in another part of the lake.

So yes we may have muskie up in the shallows thinking it time to go on one lake and another the fish have not even began to stage yet.

I had reports from a close friend that said the pike were in the creeks spawning the week of 9-15 in the Baudette area, musky tend spawn two weeks after pike. So if the pike spawned in the northern most region of the state a week and a half ago the musky should be getting serious currently with the weather conditions we have had.

Mtreno more then likely came on to a couple of spawning musky that got crowded by carp that just like to be up shallow eating freshly laid eggs and hanging out in warmer temps. If my memory is correct carp do not spawn until the first few weeks of may. They were just being carp.

[fishingmike0770]

my buddy lives by a little creek where the norhterns of their lake go and spawn. It happens very early in the season, as soon as the water rises and is still pretty cold

i think this was about a 15lb fish

[Lals]

It is going to be an interesting opener as the Muskies should be in full eating mode since they will have had probably a month to recover from spawning.

[mtreno]

interesteing - i guess the thought that the carp were just there being carp never really crossed my mind - we had water temps in this area that were 53.8 - 57.5 - 60.2 on friday saturday sunday strech in this part of the lake we were on. not only was this end of the lake much warmer but it was also much clearer. it had been cold and rainy the day before we got out but the next three days were all in the 70's and sunny