Muskellunge. An invading species.....

[Markus]

Here's an interesting read I found on the net...

Muskellunge: A new menace Massive muskies attract anglers, but ravage upcountry fisheries

By DWAYNE RIOUX

Staff Writer
Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.

It's big, ugly and not too fussy about killing its prey. The culprit is the muskellunge, better known to Mainers as the muskie. These razor-toothed, duck-billed snouted fish are predators with voracious appetites.

State fisheries biologists have no use for this fish and predict muskies eventually will annihilate whatever native brook trout are left in the north country.

But not everyone feels that way. Some anglers now are targeting muskellunge simply because these fish are aggressive, grow extremely large and are strong fighters when hooked on light tackle.

Experienced ice fishermen Kim Masse of Smyrna and Maine Guide Alan Albert of St. Francis believe muskellunge -- the largest member of the pike family -- are here to stay. Both claim it's hard to pass up fishing for the non-native fish, especially when opportunities to land trophy-size game fish such as salmon and trout are few and far between.

Masse, 37, recently iced a state record muskellunge that weighed 27 pounds. It was taken from Glazier Lake, which lies between Maine and New Brunswick and is part of the St. Francis Waterway. They specifically fish for muskies because they know there are big ones in the pond. Masse caught the huge fish on a 10-inch sucker while fishing 5 feet under the ice in 80 feet of water.

Last winter, Alan Dufour of St. David captured a previous state record 261Ú2-pound muskie from Glazier, taking the title from James Daigle, also of St. David. Daigle's muskie, also hauled in from Glazier Lake, weighed 24.8 pounds.

"They're a terrible fish and they are doing serious damage to our trout and salmon populations," Masse said. "We've seen numerous salmon and togue caught with serious wounds along their sides. Some were nearly bitten in half. There's only one fish in the lake that can inflict such damage, and that's a muskie. On the other hand, muskies are well-established, so why not fish for them?"

Albert, 45, a Registered Maine Guide for 25 years, has been guiding clients to muskies for nearly a decade and said word is out that northern Maine has an exceptional fishery. Fishing for muskies is similar to fishing for northern pike. Most anglers use traditional tip-ups baited with large smelt, suckers or shiners.

"I'm seeing more and more anglers fishing for muskies," he said. "I'm getting calls from clients from all over New England who want to come here to fish for them. They used to call on me to guide them for salmon and trout, but I hate to say it . . . that's in the past."

Albert said a Canadian fisheries biologist reported catching a muskie along the northeast shore of Glazier last spring that weighed more than 30 pounds. That fish was tagged and released.

"I keep telling Kim Masse that his standing state record will probably be broken several times this winter," Albert said. "He wants to go back to Glazier in March to see if he can break his own record."

Muskies are the largest predator fish found in freshwater. The fish, as large as 20-plus pounds each, are now well-established throughout the St. John River waterway, including the St. Francis River. They have migrated to numerous tributaries in Piscataquis and Aroostook counties.

State fisheries biologists fear the worst, but believe further migration of the non-native fish into traditional trout and salmon waters is inevitable. It's a disaster, they say.

"If, and I say if, they (muskies) haven't already migrated beyond Fish River Falls and into the Fish River Chain, our last wild, native brook trout population is doomed," said David Basley, a Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife regional fisheries biologist who works in Ashland.

"If they get up and beyond Allagash Falls, the entire wild brook trout population within the whole Allagash Waterway will be in serious trouble. We're just keeping our fingers crossed that they don't find a way to bypass the falls. If they do make it, we'll have to close the fishway at Churchill Dam."

Basley said Fish River and its chain of lakes include landlocked salmon and brook trout waters including Eagle, Square, Cross, Mud and Long lakes. Reports of anglers catching muskie in Cross Lake have been confirmed.

Similar to northern pike, muskellunge are a fast growing fish and feed on whatever is available, including several warmwater fish species such as yellow perch, shiners, chub and suckers. They also eat smelt, brook trout, lake trout and salmon.

Food samples extracted from the stomachs of muskies also show the monster fish will eat snakes, muskrats, mice, ducks, crayfish and salamanders.

According to information taken from McClane's Standard Fishing Encyclopedia, muskellunge found in Canada mature at 3 to 5 years old and range from 22 to 29 inches long. Compiled records published by the International Game Fish Association reveal that the standing world-record muskellunge was caught on July 24, 1949, by Carl Johnson of Hayward, Wis. The fish weighed 67.8 pounds and was estimated to be about 30 years old.

Basley has been keeping tabs on muskies since they were first discovered in the southwest branch of the St. John River in 1984. He said the first muskies migrated into Maine shortly after they were stocked in Lac Frontiere, Canada, by fisheries biologists from the province of Quebec. Lac Frontiere lies north of the U.S.-Canada customs station in Daaquam.

Basley said muskies migrated 40 or more miles downstream -- following the northwest branch of the St. John River and Baker Stream -- and established a flourishing population in Baker Lake. From Baker Lake, they moved into the Fifth St. John Pond, which lies north of Seboomook Lake.

"The first muskie was actually caught at Seven Islands in 1984," Basley said. "It was 251Ú2 inches in length and weighed 4 pounds. There were several other muskies caught that same year in the Southwest Branch of the St. John River, but the first muskie of any size came from Baker Lake in 1985. That fish weighed 11 pounds."

Apparently, muskies have expanded their home range dramatically since the 1984 Seven Island discovery. Basley said the fish have since migrated throughout the entire St. John River waterway, the Big and Little Black rivers, St. Francis River, Glazier Lake and Beau Lake, which all are west of Fort Kent.

Most muskies caught during the winter months, according to Basley, come from Glazier Lake, which also supports brook trout, salmon and togue. The lake varies in depth, but sustains suitable habitat to rear monster muskies.

"It's 160 feet, but it also has lots of body structure that muskies like and that's the sad part," he said. "The good part is we stocked togue there in 2001 and they're now 16 to 18 inches. Hopefully, we can still afford a togue fishery there because it seems like they've done well despite the muskies."

There is no size or bag limit on muskies. The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife recommends that anglers catch and kill all muskies, no matter what size.

"Unfortunately, there are anglers throwing them back when they catch one, hoping they'll grow bigger next winter," said Basley. "I've seen ice fishermen throwing muskies back that weigh 15 pounds. Just think how many trout and salmon that fish will eat within the next year."

[wolfe]

Here's an interesting read I found on the net...

The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife recommends that anglers catch and kill all muskies, no matter what size.

"Unfortunately, there are anglers throwing them back when they catch one, hoping they'll grow bigger next winter," said Basley. "I've seen ice fishermen throwing muskies back that weigh 15 pounds. Just think how many trout and salmon that fish will eat within the next year."

Great, just great. Muskellunge: the next cormorant. Hopefully, no one will take this "advice" to heart. Another ticks-me-off article, for sure.
UGH!

W.

[Markus]

I'm not aggreeing with the article, but I do agree we have to be careful what species find their way into certain waterways. Muskie eating their brook trout can be just as frustrating as sea lamprays killing our salmoniods.

It is interesting to see a highly regarded fish in one area being rejected in another area.

[wolfe]

One person's treasure is another person's trash.

Quite true, Markus.

But to me: a treasure (with teeth and a hearty appetite)!

W.

[sparky]

Was this published on April 1, by any chance? It's kinda funny hearing North America's #1, blue-ribbon freshwater gamefish described as vermin that need to be exterminated. Wonder why the muskie haven't wiped out the brook trout everywhere else. Maybe it's because their habitats rarely correspond? I think these Maine-iacs are a bit hysterical over the whole issue, but don't be surprised if they go overboard and do something extreme. In California, they wanted to poison every living thing in a whole river system to wipe out a tiny pike population.

[Markus]

Published Sunday, February 22, 2004.

The great lakes have plenty of invaders that have come from other habitats. The reality is that fish can and will adapt to conditions to survive. Not in all cicumstances of course, but I can see a Muskie finding a habitat in a river/lake populated with brookies.

[big-o]

Good reading Marcus, your right, in this area....if that Idea of no limit and kill them all was put forth because they were a threat to a certain Speicies of fish in a water system....there would be a war ....but would provide some intresting reading and debates

[Guest]

Interesting read, thanks for posting Markus.

Damn muskies are running away from me, and heading for the East coast.

HW

[Big Fisher]

Hi:
From the editor of Musky Hunter magazine

"It is true -- Maine has a viable musky fishery. In fact, we have an article about Maine muskies in the June/July issue of Musky Hunter, which mails May 16.

Now, although the fishing is supposed to be outstanding, this is a rather limited-area fishery and one we typically wouldn't feature in MHM because telling 50,000 people about a water tends to bring pressure. However, there are no season or bag limits on muskies in Maine and musky fishermen there feel that it will actually be better for the fishery (in terms of regulations) if more people were interested in it.

Steve Heiting"

[Markus]

I'd also think that since Maine wouldn't have to hide behind water pollution excuses, they'd be more inclined to enjoy their muskies as tablefare.

[ganman]

Several of the rivers in upstate NY I trout fish have muskies in them. However they are miles apart and likely never or rarely ever come in contact with each other.

Besides its not the big predator that is worrisome. The best brookie streams in northwestern Ontario all have pike in them, likewise so does Lake Nipigon. The addition of yellow perch would be much more dangerous to native brookie populations.

[Guest]

Muskies that eat trout get nice and fat! sounds like a road trip to me

[Auger]

Folks,

People like that tick me off, target one species to kill because its only doing its job as top preditor.

No matter what, nature will always find a way. You cant kill them all, sound like all lakes in rivers are connected.

All I can say is
good luck.

Theres lots of water. Not too many fish can eat muskie once it reaches a certain size.

Maybe they should change from hunting trout and salmon to hunting muskie.

This one I side with the muskie.

Auger

[Jigs]

Ganman:

Has Lake Nipigon not always had pike in it?? Serious question. I don't know.

CRAZYHOOK::

They probably have nice pink flesh eh?, from gorfing all those trout
Whadyathink, roasted or deep fried??

[Guest]

Jigs, have some friends that fish for muskies in Trout waters and they get huge man...