[scorpion_bsk]

Does anyone know if tiger muskies are any good to eat? I have always fished them for the thrill and released them. Now I am wondering if they are good or if it's a not advisable to eat them.

 

[stuccoman01]

Never have eaten one myself, but i would think they taste about the same as pike.

 

[abomb]

Scorpion, if there is any fish in colorado that should be released every time and never eaten it would be a tiger muskie. They are a sterile hybrid that can't reproduce. Being half muskie/half northern I assume that yes they would taste much like pike, but catching one to eat would be much like eating a bald eagle ie why would you do that to a precious resource??? ??? Please Please Please release these when caught and if it's a trophy take a few pictures and and measurements and go get a fiberglass mount made. Fiberglass mounts look better and last longer anyway.

Again please understand that these fish can not reproduce. It is impossible. They only occur naturally is in lakes that have both northern pike and true muskie, which we do not have here in CO. And they are expensive to stock, take a long time to grow big, and are rare enough as is without being killed by fisherman wanting to try something new. If you want to learn more there is a muskies inc chapter here in CO.

 

[epic]

Abomb havent you learned anything from watching Jurassic Park, NEVER say "It is impossible"

Tiger Muskie are breeding in the Kawartha Lakes (Ontario) and have basically eaten the lakes clean.

 

[Nawanda]

ePic:

Uh-OH! Now I'm getting curious.

What I had read in my studies on the competition in nature between Pike vs. Muskies, was that when they share waters, the pike soon becomes the predominant species and the Musky population shrinks.

So, does your knowledge of the Ontario KAWARTHA lakes indicated that the Tiger-Musky HYBRID, having "...eaten the lakes clean" are dominant over natural Pike also?

[and yes, for those who don't know, there is a tiny proportion of less than 1% of "hybrid" species that are NOT sterile and these will, miraculously, reproduce...]

 

[Walking Eagle]

Tiger Muskie are breeding in the Kawartha Lakes (Ontario) and have basically eaten the lakes clean.

That got me interested, so I did a fairly extensive internet search trying several different combinations of search terms, but couldn't find anything on that. Could you point me to a reference?

I did find out that both musky and pike occur there, so maybe the tigers are the result of natural cross breeding. Also that there seems to be a decline (or at least a perceived decline) in walleye population, but nobody agrees on the cause.

Another thing - the Kawartha Lakes appear to be part of a river system that connects up with the Great Lakes. How does that affect the situation?

Regards, W. E.

 

[Neal/CO]

I caught one at Quincy that was only 28" and it was injured very badly. If I could of kept I would of! Because I am sure it died later?

I fish Quincy alot in the summer for them but haven't had much luck ??? I thought since I was a pretty good pike fisherman that would carry over? Boy was I wrong! I have had several huge fish follow my lures to my feet, but I just can't close the deal?

 

[scorpion_bsk]

Scorpion, if there is any fish in colorado that should be released every time and never eaten it would be a tiger muskie.

Yes, I do know that they are a sterile hybrid, and as I have said, I have never kept one. I was asking because a friend at work and I have a disagreement on this topic. He is telling me that they are not good at all to eat and my opinion is they would be good, being they are part pike. That is the reason I asked. I guess I should have been more descriptive with my question.
Anyway thanx for the replies that I have received.

 

[Nawanda]

Scorpion,

I just cannot imagine how a combination of 2 good tasting species can produce a poor tasting fish? You might volunteer to taste one though. If it doesn't kill you, I'll try it!

 

[epic]

Well, I'm looking for the original article I read about it happening but I cant seem to find it. The article I believe said it was happening in a river system in Ontario, when I did a search when I read this post I found this site: http://www.ontariowalleye.ca/muskie.htm which is why I posted the Lake. I also found an article, but my computer crashed and cant remember what I searched for that said they have caught Tiger muskies that were producing sperm but the article also said if they were to reproduce they would probably do it with a parent species not a female Tiger Muskie. The article also said that female eggs were probably absorbed back into the body. Its bugging me I cant find these articles again, I never save anything that I end up wanting in the future.

 

[Nawanda]

"Tiger Muskie are breeding in the Kawartha Lakes and have basically eaten the lakes clean. "-ePic's quoted article

Well that just about says it. the Tiger Musky, becomes dominant over Musky and Pike both.

 

[NeWcS]

Epic,

Are you saying that a 'man made' Tiger Muskie is breeding or a pike and a muskie bread on their own and their off springs are breeding? Ive heard of this with Saugeye.


-Jay

 

[long lost]

hey neal/co, are you finishing your retrieve with a figure 8. if they are comming up to your feet on a chase that is a good tech to try and finish the deal.

 

[Nawanda]

Jay, that's what it means.

 

[abomb]

[
Yes, I do know that they are a sterile hybrid, and as I have said, I have never kept one. I was asking because a friend at work and I have a disagreement on this topic.

I figured this was the case, just wasn't sure. I hope I didn't come off like a jerk or anything. . .By the way if you are consistently catching tigers you are a way better fisherman than me LOL They are a very hard fish to catch and to be honest I have never caught a tiger only pike.

hey neal/co, are you finishing your retrieve with a figure 8. if they are comming up to your feet on a chase that is a good tech to try and finish the deal.

Good point. I remember one time wading chest deep pike fishing with my brother in law and he was almost finished reeling in, he turned to look at me and was just pulling his lure out and a big pike came out after it, missed , but made a loud splash and scared the crap out of him. Pike are funny about following lures and you are right that figure 8 will seal the deal. Probably the most exciting way to catch a pike too.

 

[scorpion_bsk]

Abomb, in no way am I consistently catching Tiger Muskies!!! I sure wish I was tho!!!!Lol

 

[Kadiya]

From what I've gleaned in my short conversation with Dan Narsete (he's on ESPN I guess, I don't watch ESPN much tho) Tiger Muskies can be caught pretty easily, it's just that the mass majority of CO fishermen/women don't fish for them usually what happens is that someone's fishing for trout and as they're reeling it in the muskie goes for the trout they've caught. As long as you have the right equipment and are in good waters for muskie you should be able to catch one.

And sorry Abomb but you're wrong there are actually a lot of lakes and resevoirs in colorado with Pike and Muskies. The problem is that Muskies are expensive to raise and if they're introduced in a system with an established predator then they'll get killed off, such as what happened at Chatfield I guess, there's a thread going on about that on muskiesinc: http://www.coloradomuskies.com/messageboard.shtml in that case it was b/c the walleye were already established and were eating off the newly introduced muskies. They should be released however, unless it's like the new state record, then I think you have to bring it in or just give up that glory for someone else... personally I don't think I could do that if I caught a record breaker.

As far as eating them I heard they're good, but REALLY bony, I guess they have a crapload of y bones. You could filet them but there's basically no meat left then and if you don't it's extremely hard to eat them without choking, perhaps their last vengeful act?

The best places to catch them in CO according to Dan is Gross resevoir or Evergreen. Brett and he think the next state record's gonna be at Gross.

 

[Kadiya]

OOPS! Sorry Abomb I guess you were right, there aren't any bodies of water with muskies and pike in it in colorado. I could have sworn I saw on this fishing map that there were several places with both of 'em. Oh well...