fish id: pike or tiger muskie

[tjc76]

need opinions, not certain

[HerringKing]

I think pike.

[tjc76]

http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/images/hackettstown/tigermuskie_tank.jpg


not sure, I think it may be a tiger

[thefishermanmechanic]

Passaic river has both, looks more like a tiger count the holes on the bottom of the jaw and that should tell you.

[tjc76]

another angle

[thefishermanmechanic]

They are little pores along the bottom of the lower jaw, a pike will have no more than five, a Muskie will have no less than six and as many as nine.

[tjc76]

thank you, I guess I will never know. I didn't look fore pores.

[saxmatt]

Definitely a juvenile pike.

[bulletbob]

Thats a tiger.. they almost always have vertical bar markings as that one does.. Pike are always spotted to some extent.. I have caught both here in NY state, and would say you caught a tiger muskie... Can't say I have ever seen a pike with those distinct vertical bars.. At least here in NY, they are always mostly spotted

[tjc76]

for what it's worth, fish was silver in color, not greenish yellow or brown. hard to tell in the pics

[saxmatt]

Thats a tiger.. they almost always have vertical bar markings as that one does.. Pike are always spotted to some extent.. I have caught both here in NY state, and would say you caught a tiger muskie... Can't say I have ever seen a pike with those distinct vertical bars.. At least here in NY, they are always mostly spotted

I have seen lots of juvenile pike with barring. The bars break up into spots when the get older.

[NorthJerzyG]

Did you catch it somewhere that has both? Could make it easy to tell......

[tjc76]

Passaic. most likely a pike. just looking at pics online, I did not see one with barring. let alone silver in color. fish was no longer than 13 inches, so most likely a pike as I don't believe tigers have been stocked in a number of years, although it could have been an aquarium release.

[saxmatt]

Do a google image search for "juvenile pike"

[iceehot6766]

One million percent sure a pike, not a muskie.....

[basspilot]

That's a jevenile pike for sure. Its very healthy looking and the fins are in great shape which could be a reason it might of led you to believe with that coloring it mightve been a tiger. None the less nice fish.

[Skunk City]

Juvi Pike. They have some crazy gorgeous patterns when they are young. Good looking fish.

[catfishonthelake]

It's a juvenile pike. That does not even vaguely resemble a juvenile tiger.

[jimmythegreek]

as said its a baby pike, the small tigers look a bit different, the small pike can have crazy color bars, as they mature they will spot off.

[vinntastic]

I say pickerel..

[Fish n Jeep]

Nah, definitely not a pickerel.

[Basstrackerhp]

I would definetly say it is a Pike. I have attached a photo of a
small Tiger we caught this past weekend at Little Swartswood.

[Skunk City]

I would definetly say it is a Pike. I have attached a photo of a
small Tiger we caught this past weekend at Little Swartswood.

That thing is gorgeous! Nice first post!

[slider]

Fella's its not a pike or a musky for sure..But its a hybrid pickerel & pike...Both live in many waters together...Kind of rare but there are a good number caught up state N.Y. Especially Lake Champlain..

[Fish n Jeep]

You mean a liger pike?

[slider]

No not a Tiger Pike..But a hybrid where a pickerel breeds with a Pike..Thats what that picture is...No Musky involved there...Its a Pike Pikerel sounds weird but thats what that is...

[Fish n Jeep]

No not a Tiger Pike..But a hybrid where a pickerel breeds with a Pike..Thats what that picture is...No Musky involved there...Its a Pike Pikerel sounds weird but thats what that is...

I understood what you are talking about, I call that a liger pike. Its a humorous reference to Napoleon Dynamite.

Liger = Lion + Tiger, if you haven't seen the movie.

Pike + Musky = Tiger Musky

Pike + Pickerel = Liger Pike

[slider]

Interesting thought Fish n jeep...Guess since I didn't see that flick, had no clue where u where coming from....Anyway was an interesting thread, no one had a clue what type of fish it was...Figured I'd help everyone out...Don't see very many of them around..

[Skunk City]

I understood what you are talking about, I call that a liger pike. Its a humorous reference to Napoleon Dynamite.

Liger = Lion + Tiger, if you haven't seen the movie.

Pike + Musky = Tiger Musky

Pike + Pickerel = Liger Pike


LMAO well said.

[Fish n Jeep]

had no clue where u where coming from

Not many do. :D

[AndyS]

A big NJF WELCOME to Basstrackerhp !!!

[saxmatt]

I'm 100% sure it's not a pike pickerel hybrid. The coloration and scale pattern is all wrong. A lot of people confuse baby pike with hybrids because they can have some really cool looking barring and look a lot different than adults. Looks like a lot of the most experienced esox hunters on the site chimed in on pg.2 and all agreed its a pike.

[bigfishy]

I understood what you are talking about, I call that a liger pike. Its a humorous reference to Napoleon Dynamite.

Liger = Lion + Tiger, if you haven't seen the movie.

Pike + Musky = Tiger Musky

Pike + Pickerel = Liger Pike


One of the best stupid movies of all time!!!:D :D
He was gr8 in grandmas boy too!!
classic:)

[bulletbob]

I'm 100% sure it's not a pike pickerel hybrid. The coloration and scale pattern is all wrong. A lot of people confuse baby pike with hybrids because they can have some really cool looking barring and look a lot different than adults. Looks like a lot of the most experienced esox hunters on the site chimed in on pg.2 and all agreed its a pike.
I suppose if its a 6 inch pike it could have other markings than what we expect in an adult.. I have caught scads of small hammer handle pike, around 12 inches.. each and every one looked like a pike,, spots and all.. If the fish in question is over a foot or so, in my opinion its a hybrid of some type.. Never saw a 4 or 5 inch pike, maybe they do look not have the characteristic spots, I am no expert , but I have caught LOTS of small ones around a foot.. All spotted in that size range... What was the size of the fish in the picture I wonder? bob

[tjc76]

I estimated the fish to be between 12 and 14 inches

[saxmatt]

I think he said it was around 12". I used to raise and stock pike with the DEP up in Conneceticut I've seen thousands of juvenile pike from 4-20". Most of time they are spotted by the time they hit a foot but lots of them still have some barring, sometimes even into the 20-30" range.

[saxmatt]

Here's one I caught last year through the ice that was in the low 30" range. This is what they look like when the barring breaks up, you can still see the spots arranged in bars.

https://sphotos-b-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/545910_10101180665339081_345946743_n.jpg

[slider]

Beautiful pike Matt, I see what u mean by the spots and in line for barring..Have a web site of a guide I fish with on Lake champlain..Check out Lake Champlain Angler..Scroll down till u see fish picture listing..Click on Pike pickel Pics..They resemble the pic here. But alot larger..BTW if u guys don't mind traveling to a great fishing experience I would suggest this guy..His name is Mickey Maynard, Bass LM &Smallies, pike and good lake trout fishing at reasonable prices..Personally I'd rate him the best guide on the NY side of lake Champlain..Check his pics out u'll see why i think the pic here is a hybrid..Just my 2 cents worth...tite lines Slider

[saxmatt]

Slider, I've seen a bunch of the fish and game pics from Champlain. They're one of the only states who have actually done research and DNA testing on pike/pickerel hybrids. The hybrids are an emrald green color and have smaller spots that are usually arranged in straight vertical barring. The pike in this picture isn't emerald green, looks like a dark pike that has a light pigmentation because of muddy water after rain so it's more of a grey color. The spots are bigger than a hybrids and the barring isn't quite in straight lines.

[flyboy1]

http://www.njfishing.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=63727&d=1378254515 This is a PIKE... I catch these all the time and I had sent one of the pics to NJfG and they stated it was a stocked PIKE.....