Author Topic: Odd Northern Pike (Read 10920 times)

shawno · « **on:** Mar 08, 2008, 10:37 PM »

This fish was caught at Waskesiu Lake, Saskatchewan, Canada by forum member ran7ger. He asked me to post the picture on his behalf.

This lake is in the heart of one of our National Parks, where no known hybrid species exist.

Any ideas why this pike may have this odd coloration and pattern?

shawno 8)

ebrooks22 · « **Reply #1 on:** Mar 08, 2008, 10:46 PM »

thas relly odd looking kinda looks like a musky but real dark like a northern

d3 · « **Reply #2 on:** Mar 09, 2008, 05:42 AM »

Are there any muskies in those same waters or nearby? IT sure looks like it has a muskie strain in it to me. I do not know if that is possible in nature but I would possibly submit it to a biologist to get there opinion. It is really cool looking though.

D3

Imissedem · « **Reply #3 on:** Mar 09, 2008, 05:57 AM »

Not really sure but definately a mix.Definately bring it to a biolagist.Looking forward to hearing the results.

aslongasitpullback · « **Reply #4 on:** Mar 09, 2008, 07:35 AM »

looks like a ''Chain Pickerel'' It could be a record of some type...[Master angler]
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/showthread.php?t=212718
look in this thread from another site. and the on there was caught in Michigan...
looks to be the same kind of fish.... You might have to read down aways in to the thread...

Rob

MnSportsman · « **Reply #5 on:** Mar 09, 2008, 09:31 AM »

I believe that It's a variation of the N. Pike species. Here's a lot of pictures to look at & you will see that even tho' it looks somewhat like a Chain Pickeral, it closely matches some of the N. Pike pics here:
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=Northern+Pike&btnG=Search+Images&gbv=2

It is kind of Beautiful to look at...

Pasquatch · « **Reply #6 on:** Mar 09, 2008, 09:50 AM »

Its definately not a pickerel, it lacks the vertical barring of a pickerel. I would say there's just a mutation in the pigmentation genes of that pike.

BCice · « **Reply #7 on:** Mar 09, 2008, 09:58 AM »

Quote from: Pasquatch on Mar 09, 2008, 09:50 AM

Its definately not a pickerel, it lacks the vertical barring of a pickerel. I would say there's just a mutation in the pigmentation genes of that pike.

Exactly. Every once in awhile on the internet you'll se an oddly marked or colored pike. It's kind of an individual thing. I once saw a study in England about pike coloration, and they used photo's to ID pike because each was marked distinctly enough to tell individuals apart, rather than use fin clips etc... Here's a link to positively ID a pike over a musky without relying in coloration alone. http://www.freshwater-fishing-canada.com/pikeandmuskellunge.html

MnSportsman · « **Reply #8 on:** Mar 09, 2008, 10:15 AM »

It's still one to ponder... ??
I have always used the Light stars on a Northern sky= N. Pike
This one is more like a musky, but with definatley strange pike/pickeral markings.
I am not an "authority", or a marine biologist.
.
And,
I know you could count the pores under the jaw, but who's to say that if it is a hybred, that it wouldn't have pores to macth the pike species & dark on light like a musky, the side markings like a pike /pickeral?

Definately a "poser" . an "enigma" ?

MnSportsman · « **Reply #9 on:** Mar 09, 2008, 10:18 AM »

LOL I definately know that it is "some kind of esox"

Did it "taste" like a musky, pike or hybred?

Just teasing...

BCice · « **Reply #10 on:** Mar 09, 2008, 11:33 AM »

Quote from: MnSportsman on Mar 09, 2008, 10:15 AM

It's still one to ponder... ??
I have always used the Light stars on a Northern sky= N. Pike
This one is more like a musky, but with definatley strange pike/pickeral markings.
I am not an "authority", or a marine biologist.
.
And,
I know you could count the pores under the jaw, but who's to say that if it is a hybred, that it wouldn't have pores to macth the pike species & dark on light like a musky, the side markings like a pike /pickeral?

Definately a "poser" . an "enigma" ?

Can't argue that. Might be a hybrid. Here's another link:

http://www.michiganmuskiealliance.org/difference.php

but doesn't really help because it only uses a rounded tail & coloration as a guide. I can't see the tail from the pic., but like you're saying doesn't really differentiate between a hybrid & oddly colored Northern. Probably only a fish biologist could tell for certain.

shawno · « **Reply #11 on:** Mar 09, 2008, 04:48 PM »

Hi guys,

Thanks for all of the responses.

If it is a hybrid of some sort...somebody is being awfully sneaky. In the province of Saskatchewan, we do not have tiger muskies, muskies or chain pickerel.

I have been fishing these waters for many years and never seen anything like it that is for sure. The Conservation Officers had a look at it and the counted the pores under the jaw and it their opinion it is of musky strain...

Go figure,

Whatever it is...it is cool to see.

MnSportsman · « **Reply #12 on:** Mar 09, 2008, 06:39 PM »

It is Beautiful, as I see it.

An enigma....
Still want to know if ya had a taste? Or, if it's going on a wall...

shawno · « **Reply #13 on:** Mar 09, 2008, 11:42 PM »

I think it looks great too!!

I haven't heard what ran7ger's plans are to do with this fish...

ran7ger...any ideas?

spoxick · « **Reply #14 on:** Mar 09, 2008, 11:54 PM »

i would mount the beut

ran7ger · « **Reply #15 on:** Mar 10, 2008, 12:31 PM »

hey guys, been off the compy fishing!

it was actually a neighbour of ours that caught it, and i've been trying to find out what he did with it. i hope it was submitted for testing, however i'm guessing it got deep-fried

it'd be on my wall if i'd caught it!

we've caught lots of northerns from this spot, and nothing that looked like this so i'm leaning toward genetics...however, like i said the CO's thought the marks on the gill plates matched those of a musky....

i'll let you all know if anything comes on down the line...

Imissedem · « **Reply #16 on:** Mar 10, 2008, 05:42 PM »

what a waiste if he ate it and not mounting it.should have put it back then.VERY RARE CATCH.

MnSportsman · « **Reply #17 on:** Mar 10, 2008, 05:51 PM »

At the risk of, & knowing that I'm repeating myself.

It's a beautiful fish.

Regardless of it's history/genes, and whatever it might be. I hope that it tasted "real good", or that that it "graces" us all, ... by being on the wall.

In the pic, it doesn't look as tho' it went "down to catch again".
GO fish, Be safe & Enjoy!

jayswimmer09 · « **Reply #18 on:** Mar 10, 2008, 06:01 PM »

wow that would have gone on the wall, that is one beautiful fish!!

Drifter_016 · « **Reply #19 on:** Mar 10, 2008, 08:19 PM »

It can still go on the wall. Just have a repro done, there's a pic of the fish for the taxidermist to get the markings right. Just need to know the length.

MnSportsman · « **Reply #20 on:** Mar 10, 2008, 08:54 PM »

My guess = 32"

Buck1985 · « **Reply #21 on:** Mar 11, 2008, 02:56 AM »

I agree, a fish like that deserves to be at least replicated, just like the buck I shot this year, he was odd, not enough for a head mount, but enough for a European mount. Gotta love all the oddball creatures out there.

d3 · « **Reply #22 on:** Mar 11, 2008, 05:44 PM »

Hey buck send me a pm of that unique buck I love antlers more than I love fins. I am interested.

D3

AirManCam · « **Reply #23 on:** Mar 15, 2008, 12:17 PM »

Thats a beautiful fish, I would love to catch a 20+lb fish with those markings!

7 plus larry · « **Reply #24 on:** Nov 03, 2008, 08:57 AM »

Quote from: shawno on Mar 08, 2008, 10:37 PM

This fish was caught at Waskesiu Lake, Saskatchewan, Canada by forum member ran7ger. He asked me to post the picture on his behalf.

This lake is in the heart of one of our National Parks, where no known hybrid species exist.

(Image removed from quote.)

Any ideas why this pike may have this odd coloration and pattern?

shawno 8)

nice fish

NatefishNY · « **Reply #25 on:** Dec 21, 2008, 08:35 AM »

thats a unique pike, has anyone ever seen a silver pike or one with like a blue tint to it, I saw pictures of one from canada, looks crazy...

esox_magnum · « **Reply #26 on:** Dec 21, 2008, 01:39 PM »

I have a few Silver pike pics we have lots of them around here. If I only knew how to post pics lol

esox_magnum · « **Reply #27 on:** Dec 21, 2008, 03:14 PM »

deadbait dave · « **Reply #28 on:** Dec 27, 2008, 12:08 AM »

very cool version of a pike! i'd like to find one like that about 10lbs or bigger!

Ed_r · « **Reply #29 on:** Dec 27, 2008, 01:05 AM »

Hopefully you'll get that mounted. Should keep the pic by the mount too, cuz people will think the taxidermist was on crack when he did that one. Great looking fish.

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Author Topic: Odd Northern Pike (Read 10920 times)