Help Settle A Debate 2024
clayton86 reply :
Caught this guy last Monday I say tiger Muskie my buddy and avid fisherman says pike or pickerel. If it is a Muskie it's my first ever and completely unheard of in the waters I caught it that's why he says pike. But it was in a creek fed by Lake Ontario so it's possible.
Catch 22 reply :
I say juvie tiger musky.The light color stripes may be to the water color it came from..
Def not a chain pickerel and pike don`t have connecting spots.
I read that St Clair has them so why not the big O.
I never have seen one like that.
C22
retiredbosn reply :
Juvenile tiger musky, pickerel have horizontal connecting spots like a chain, hence the name. They also have a distinguishing vertical black stripe under the eye. The vertical stripes on your fish distinguish it as a tiger musky. Tiger musky are rare as a natural specie, it is a hybrid of, typically a male pike and a female musky, they are typically stocked as they're infertile. Do they stock them in the area?
Matthew2000 reply :
Muskie. No doubt in my mind,
Scott F reply :
As a rule, pike have dark bodies with light markings. Muskies and tiger muskies have light colored bodies with dark spots. Juvenile pike often have connected spots that can be horizontal or vertical. I think it's a pike
5 Dollar Fishing Game reply :
Muskers!!!!!!!! :-)
Little fella.
Catch and Grease reply :
I say pike....
MassBass reply :
That is a very strange looking pike if it is one. The spots on that fish are more like vertical bars of a musky. I say musky. but I would also consider that it could be a freak hybrid of some sort.
retiredbosn reply :
Tiger musky can be the same color as either parent. I've seen olive green with dark stripes and pike green with yellow stripes and everything in between. Seems that the more stained the water the more green it stays. One clear defining characteristic is the mouth wide like a musky but more duck billed looking, where a pike has a sharper snout.
clayton86 reply :
On 5/4/2015 at 12:43 AM, retiredbosn said:Juvenile tiger musky, pickerel have horizontal connecting spots like a chain, hence the name. They also have a distinguishing vertical black stripe under the eye. The vertical stripes on your fish distinguish it as a tiger musky. Tiger musky are rare as a natural specie, it is a hybrid of, typically a male pike and a female musky, they are typically stocked as they're infertile. Do they stock them in the area?
Not stocked in the area that I know of but it was caught in johnsons creek which is fed by Lake Ontario I was about half a mile from the mouth. If anyone follows the WFN fishing town last years winner or the year before I can't remember which but that town is the town I fish and grew up in and where this lil guy was caught while I was hammering some slob small mouth I got a a jack perch a 3lb smallie and then this guy in 4 casts same spot.
clayton86 reply :
2013 ultimate fishing town winner I just looked it up
retiredbosn reply :
Being that close to lake Ontario, it is possible that it could be any of the species suggested. Tiger musky do occur naturally, just go catch another one lol. I know you already stated that its unusual for them to be in the creek, and that is a rarer fish anyways, you probably have a better chance of winning the lottery. 
clayton86 reply :
When I first caught it I just snapped a pic unhooked and threw it back thinking pike. After looking back on it I started thinking something isn't right I catch tons of pike and pickerel I know the difference between them and Muskie doesn't even cross my mind in this creek that's why wen looking back at it I got to thinking. I went back and looked at all the pics of fish mostly the toothy ones over the past few years a ton of pike out of the creek not many pickerel they all come from inland lakes it seems but I don't have a single pic of a pike like that which is what led me to look into it being a Muskie.
gulfcaptain reply :
Either way, it looks like a finger biter if you're not careful. They won't let us have those in CA. 
OntarioFishingGuy reply :
It's a Tiger Muskie, and a beautiful one at that. Nice fish!
everythingthatswims reply :
On 5/4/2015 at 7:25 AM, gulfcaptain said:Either way, it looks like a finger biter if you're not careful. They won't let us have those in CA.
Could you imagine a frenzy of muskies when the trout get dumped in?
Ratherbfishing reply :
changed my mind. May be a tiger musky.
CRANKENSTIEN reply :
for sure a hybrid musky. I know it is to late for this fish, but a musky has 6 or more pores underneath the jaw and a pike has 5 or fewer.
clayton86 reply :
I'm actually kinda disappointed it's a Muskie because I've never caught one and it was one of the last "game fish" NY offers that I haven't caught yet and once I do it was a baby. All I have left now is hybrid bass and lake trout.
Scott F reply :
You should show the picture to a DNR guy or a county biologist. I've caught a lot of muskies and pike and I've never seen or heard of a muskie or tiger musky with a dark body and light spots.
retiredbosn reply :
On 5/7/2015 at 6:33 AM, Scott F said:You should show the picture to a DNR guy or a county biologist. I've caught a lot of muskies and pike and I've never seen or heard of a muskie or tiger musky with a dark body and light spots.
Here are a few
slonezp reply :
pike
Scott F reply :
On 5/7/2015 at 10:35 AM, retiredbosn said:Here are a few
I guess it's how you look at it. To me, all 3 of those fish have light colored bodies with dark markings. Which to me would make them all muskies.
retiredbosn reply :
On 5/7/2015 at 10:41 AM, Scott F said:I guess it's how you look at it. To me, all 3 of those fish have light colored bodies with dark markings. Which to me would make them all muskies.
Yes all tiger musky point being, two are definitely green and yellow like Clayton's catch. I go by the color of the head, green head green fish, don't know why lol
Guess it's like the zebra black with white stripes or white with black?
wuchr20 reply :
99%- 9% sure that it is a tiger musky. Cool looking fish!!!
SPEEDBEAD. reply :
My guess is pike.
As was said, juveniles make it tough to distinguish. The pore count would probably be the most effective determination.
Jar11591 reply :
It's a young pike, I've caught dozens that size with identical markings and color. Dark body, light markings = pike. Light body, dark markings = muskie.
Jar11591 reply :
Like Scott F said, small northerns often have connected spots that can appear as a stripe. This fish is without a doubt 100% northern pike. The coloration is perfect, but the pattern is a bit misleading due to the age of the pike.
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