Photo: Knepp, Timothy - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service / Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)
Esox masquinongy
Muskellunge
Freshwater
About this species
The largest member of the pike family, famed as the "fish of ten thousand casts" for its elusiveness. It hunts large prey in weedy North American lakes and rivers. Oversized bucktails, jerkbaits and figure-eight boatside retrieves are the tools of specialists.
Season
123456789101112
Depth
1 – 10 m
Habitat Spots
LakeRiverReservoir
Fishing Methods
LureBaitTrolling
Bait & Rig
Oversized bucktail spinners, large jerkbaits, and live suckers fished on wire traces near weed and timber edges.
Edibility & Taste
Edible white flesh, but most anglers practice catch-and-release given the species' slow growth and naturally low density.
Similar Species
Dark markings on a lighter background and the cheek and gill cover being only half-scaled (not fully scaled) distinguish muskellunge from northern pike.
Record Weight
31.75 kg