Tiger Musky in the Passaic? I say yup

[flyboy1]

Tossed a line this morning from (6-8am) around 2 bridges area on the pompton river side of Passaic. I caught 2 small pike and what looked to be a 30" tiger musky. The area I was fishing had a very shallow slope into the river and as I was reeling the Tiger in it was shallow enough for it to basically start flopping hard before I got it to shore and it viciously shook the lure out. I could see the fish extremely clearly as it was only 3 feet from and it was in fact a tiger musky. I knew they used to stock Tigers in the passaic/pompton back in the day but stopped at some point.. Evidently they are continually breeding naturally or there is still hold overs swimming about.

Ps. I caught the Pike and Tiger on 7'' 3 part segmented crank (Perch colored).

[Skunk City]

Very cool if you are indeed correct. I've heard the rumors too, but always thought the tigers were stocked in the Dundee Lake section of the river. Would have absolutely LOVED to see a picture. Could have always been a really vividly colored pike. We had one the other day that had the craziest coloring of any Passaic River pike I've seen. This was a couple miles downstream of 2 bridges. I say just catch another and tackle that mofo in the water, Crocodile Hunter style.

[Skunk City]

From my research, the tigers are sterile, so they shouldn't be reproducing.

[catfishonthelake]

Originally Posted by flyboy1

Tossed a line this morning from (6-8am) around 2 bridges area on the pompton river side of Passaic. I caught 2 small pike and what looked to be a 30" tiger musky. The area I was fishing had a very shallow slope into the river and as I was reeling the Tiger in it was shallow enough for it to basically start flopping hard before I got it to shore and it viciously shook the lure out. I could see the fish extremely clearly as it was only 3 feet from and it was in fact a tiger musky. I knew they used to stock Tigers in the passaic/pompton back in the day but stopped at some point.. Evidently they are continually breeding naturally or there is still hold overs swimming about.

Ps. I caught the Pike and Tiger on 7'' 3 part segmented crank (Perch colored).

Tiger musky are hybrids of northern pike and true strain muskellunge and since they are hybrids are incapable of reproduction. Tigers musky also grow much faster than true strains and are believed to only have a life span of 10 years. A tiger that was thrown in "back in the day would either be well over 40 inches or dead. Even true strains muskies cannot reproduce in New Jersey as we don't have the type of shoreline habitat for the eggs to hatch. True strain muskies will "pair up" and go through the motions, but there is zero evidence that they have successfully reproduced. I've heard of tigers coming out of the Passaic, but they're either being mis-ID'ed or are coming from another waterbody and are not the result of past or current stockings.

[flyboy1]

Originally Posted by catfishonthelake

Tiger musky are hybrids of northern pike and true strain muskellunge and since they are hybrids are incapable of reproduction. Tigers musky also grow much faster than true strains and are believed to only have a life span of 10 years. A tiger that was thrown in "back in the day would either be well over 40 inches or dead. Even true strains muskies cannot reproduce in New Jersey as we don't have the type of shoreline habitat for the eggs to hatch. True strain muskies will "pair up" and go through the motions, but there is zero evidence that they have successfully reproduced. I've heard of tigers coming out of the Passaic, but they're either being mis-ID'ed or are coming from another waterbody and are not the result of past or current stockings.

I do realize that Tigers a hybrids and with almost all hybrid fish they are hatched sterile. But the keyword is "almost". I have read on a lot of fishing sites and fish/wildlife sites that it is very possible for hybrids to be hatched with full breeding potential. As far as the Passaic goes I read that the last stockings of tigers occurred in 2006 (dont know what areas or how many). Also, I have also read that Pikes are stunted in the Passaic for some reason so they wont grow as big as their true potential in the ideal habitat.

It was a tiger, I have caught a tiger before in Little Swartswood lake.

Im trying to google more info on this....

[Tony Cav]

Originally Posted by flyboy1

I do realize that Tigers a hybrids and with almost all hybrid fish they are hatched sterile. But the keyword is "almost". I have read on a lot of fishing sites and fish/wildlife sites that it is very possible for hybrids to be hatched with full breeding potential. As far as the Passaic goes I read that the last stockings of tigers occurred in 2006 (dont know what areas or how many). Also, I have also read that Pikes are stunted in the Passaic for some reason so they wont grow as big as their true potential in the ideal habitat.

It was a tiger, I have caught a tiger before in Little Swartswood lake.

Im trying to google more info on this....

Thanks for the report and info........more research is needed.........but then who need an excuse to go fishing? Good luck in you quest. "The truth is out there"

[RATS]

This conversation sounds like the one in Jurassic Park lol.

[Lard Almighty]

Is it possible that pike and true-strain muskies are cross-breeding in the wild? Not on any large scale maybe, but enough to produce a handful of offspring?

[acabtp]

nature finds a way!

[acabtp]

Originally Posted by Lard Almighty

Is it possible that pike and true-strain muskies are cross-breeding in the wild? Not on any large scale maybe, but enough to produce a handful of offspring?

are there any muskies in the passaic river's drainage area?