Muskie

[WHARFRAT]

Ok, real confused. On another forum, I saw someone who just caught a very small tiger muskie out of lake 35. #1, I thought they gave up stocking muskie years ago, and #2 is I didn't think they reproduced. The picture I saw of the fish didn't look like it was much over 10" long. Which would lead one to believe that it isn't that old. So is MDC stocking them again, or are they somehow reproducing?

[T Hood]

As far as I know, there are still muskie in Lake 35. As far as I know, they still stock them (anyone who knows anything to the contrary, please chime in). A "Tiger Muskie" is a hybrid of a Muskie and a Northern Pike. They are sterile and don't reproduce. I don't know of anywhere around here with Tiger Muskie.

Tigers are commonly used in big reservoirs out west to keep some fish populations down. Because they are sterile, there's no worry about them getting too numerous.

Please forward a link or a photo. My guess is they have a baby Muskie; not a Tiger Muskie.

[BredMan]

Wikipedia link has a good read on Tiger Muskie. I personally know of one person who claims to have caught a muskie out of lake-35 and that was unintentional. He was bass fishing with 10" plastic worms and had a muskie take one. I fish lake-35 occasionally and have never seen a muskie nor have I ever witnessed anyone catch a muskie. They are pretty elusive if still being stocked.

http://en.wikipedia....ger_muskellunge

[WHARFRAT]

I've seen a few caught on Lake 35. I saw a dead one floating one day, had a follow of a decent one, and last year had a real nice one destroy a crappie that I was reeling in.

I thought the people at the outpost said they were tiger muskie in 35. I know the ones I've personally saw at 35 were not like the ones I've seen in Minnesota as far as the markings go.

i hope this link will get you there: http://www.missouriwhitetails.com/forums/viewthread.php?tid=181511

[T Hood]

That's a young Muskie.

This is a Tiger Muskie http://www.google.com/imgres?num=10&hl=en&biw=1218&bih=598&tbm=isch&tbnid=FPGDrtnydK47AM:&imgrefurl=http://karlfmoffatt.blogspot.com/2010/11/trophy-tiger-muskies-in-quemado.html&docid=xt9oVCLi0P1dlM&imgurl=http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rs2B1d6ieXU/TNb0c1Kwx4I/AAAAAAAABWc/JXmYpjXnMGc/s1600/young%252Btiger%252Bmuskie.jpg&w=1600&h=1200&ei=5A9MULW5BcSfqwGUn4HYDg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=279&vpy=186&dur=4817&hovh=194&hovw=259&tx=155&ty=103&sig=111790432766228043550&page=1&tbnh=110&tbnw=147&start=0&ndsp=19&ved=1t:429,r:14,s:0,i:186

[moguy1973]

Says on the MDC website under the area regulations that regular Muskie are still stocked in lake 35.

[K4muskies]

I was out two days ago and hooked into a smaller muskie. I did not measure it since the water temps are still on the high side and wanted to release the fish as soon as posible. I missed another bigger muskie Upper 30's on a figure 8 a few hours later. I dont think that there are tiger muskies in lake 35, because those fish prefer litle colder water then the spoted muskies (the one I caught). I dont know how big these fish can get. The people that work the outpost dont know anything about the quality/quantity of the fish on any of the lakes. All they will tell you "Yes they are in there" just to get you on the water.

[K4muskies]

This is what I got from the local MODNR biologist today in the email, on my question on fish stockings and popularity.

Busch Lake 35 has hosted a good quality, low density muskie fishery since about 2004. Stocking of 10-12" fish began in 2001, with a stocking of 93 fish. Stockings have become annual since 2008 at a rate of 1.5 fish/acre. Busch Lake 35 = 62 acres. Though 2012 sampling was disappointing (high water and dramatic temperature changes), the lake's fishery has exhibited average, steady growth with healthy fish; the largest of which are recruiting to 42"+.

I hope this helps.

So the fish cought on the other forum might have been stocked this January...

[Haris122]

Nice fish.

[Geoff]

Nice fish K4, i need to get out there again and try to catch some.