Whats up with the Musky Hate?

[JeffsLowe]

One of my favorite outdoor hobbies, right up there with actually fishing, is going on "scouts". Will drive around to different ramps and stop and talk to the local guys coming in to get the "inside scoop" on where and how to fish. Without exception, the folks I talk to are ALWAYS friendly and happy to share information, and I try to reciprocate as much as I can (albeit my knowledge is generally limited compared to the guys I talk to.)

But one thing that always bothers me, and that I ran into again yesterday, is that in areas where TN musky's live, the locally raised fisherman in that area totally despise them. Comments along the lines of "kill every one I see" are pretty common. It always makes me sad when I hear that, is it takes many years, and a combination of just the right factors, including water quality, to produce a decent sized musky. There seems to be a universal impression that they are an "introduced" species, that eats more desirable species, so should be eradicated..

It's kind of a touchy subject, as good relations with the resident fisherman are something you always want to maintain. but lately i have been tackling it head on. I tell them that they are indeed native to the area, and in fact are part of the ice age remnant communities that hung on after the big warm up...communities that include smallmouth bass, walleye, hemlock trees, etc... and other remnant populations that found a home in the cool spring fed hollows after the glaciers receded back to Canada. There are lots of pictures out there of TN musky caught during the 1st half the 20th century, but then pollution and water quality knocked them back, which is why today's "old farts" never saw them when they where growing up. They also feed on trash fish just as much as sport fish, if not more so, so they are a pretty important part of that bio community... I like to use the argument that both the world record walleye and the world record smallmouth came from the Cumberland river watershed, and musky's are a common companion species where those other 2 are found.

As a yankee born "outsider", not sure anyone believes my argument, since it goes against everything they have been told while growing up, but at least they seem polite about it. (helped maybe by the battle flags on my boats, and SCV logos on my plate and hat....have 5 Confederate ancestors, including a Lt killed at the Cotton Gin at Franklin on his 28th birthday) But anyway, am hoping that by posting this I can get a little help in convincing folks that muskys are indeed part of Tennessee's Southern Heritage and deserving of the protection accorded them under our fish and game laws.

[SAMBOLIE]

I have little knowledge of Muskie (or most anything). However, muskie was stocked in Dale Hollow in the 50's. Was there already an existing population there. The Record SM was caught there in the 50's and perhaps the muskies did not have enough time to clean out the SM.
I believe Billy Westmoreland was at least partially responsible for stopping muskie stocking there.

[SalmonDaze]

Jeff,
You are 100% correct, on point, and appreciated. I too share much of your personal history.

I just got back from 5 days fishing the lakes in northern Wisconsin; spent 12 hours casting big thumpers for muskies. Awesome!

Most people just see the big size, big teeth, and "scary" looks and assume the top of the food chain is out to kill all other sport fish. In the north, muskies actually prefer to eat northern pike: good eats, big dinner, and removes a competitor. But there are large, LARGE populations of bass, walleye, etc.

I'm with ya . . . keep spreading the good word: kill what you'll eat, let the rest go.

[TNBronzeback]

As sad and disturbing as that is, its not just a southern thing. More people than you would think up north give musky the boat oar treatment to the head, or rip out thier gills and toss em back, and salmon, and lake trout. Making claims they damage the smallies, or walleyes, or perch or whatever.
Stupidity is all around us. And yes, i use stupidity and not ignorance.
I bet those guys would want to fight if they caught you bashing a big smallie on the head and kicking it over board.
In the water, yes, the muskie is the apex predator in southern waters, but they arent eating machines. Yeah they will chomp a bass or anything else, but i would believe humans consume or accidentally kill more game fish than a small population of muskies could ever touch.
Just sad.

[lupanfreitag]

I too am a huge fan of the muskellunge. I have fished for two days and caught 1 1/2 fish and it was worth it. Spend less time hating something that might each a bluegill or smallie you are fighting once a lifetime, and take care of your family and friends and neighbors instead. Makes me want to put a musky in there bathtub.... I think I might have a million idea for a movie. Musky: Rated R.

[MNfisher]

People love them or hate them. I know of bass fisherman tearing out the gills of everyone they caught in their bass spots in MN. Trout guys do the same to striper in east TN


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[white95v6]

Can't fix stupid.....

[Alphahawk]

Not many are aware but southern Middle TN had a great musky lake.....Laurel Hill Lake. It was full of them, but for whatever the reason TWRA poisoned the lake. I can't really get a good answer as to why...some say it was a mistake.....but in talking to the locals that live there they say the bluegill fishing was none the worse with the musky in the lake. If any of you are ever down that way there is a photo album on the tables in the concession store that has photos of the banks lined with dead musky.


Regards

[tennarl]

Theories that musky hurt (insert smaller fish that people adore) populations has been proven false countless times. On northern lakes, there are literally like one muskie per acre. The guy who runs the musky service out of Melton (Bill?) seems very educated on what it takes to maintain a healthy population. I go to Woods to get away from the Priest circus but also to maybe catch one...despite no longer being stocked, Woods doesn't see the pressure and has the forage/cover/lack of water draw down to at least sustain a small population.

[ojibwa]

Musky are my friends

[notorious]

Originally Posted by ojibwa

Musky are my friends

I have had one on ah the Duck River, had numerous follow my bait at Mil Lacs....never landed one...one of my dreams to come true. Wonderful fish to add to my catch in the near future. I love Muskie! Fish of a Thousand Cast!

[Barron County Hillbilly]

Musky and healthy populations of other gamefish in the same waters is the norm in most places in my experience, and I've fished many great multi-specie fisheries (LOW, Mille Lacs, Wissota, and more) that would seem to prove the theory. Even on smaller waters, healthy populations big bass and walleye are found. Yes, they do feed on other gamefish, but that is not their preferred diet. The gentleman who mentioned Mille Lacs can likely testify to a fabulous smallmouth population existing alongside Musky to 60" and more.

[anoki]

Well one good thing is that they are incredibly hard to find/catch so hopefully these idiots haven't killed too many of them. Although the idea of someone catching a Musky unintentionally and killing it drives me crazy because I've spent so much time trying to get one but still haven't had any success..

[StriperFan]

These are the universal and basic facts: your welcome ahead of time!!!

Being a prey species is relatively easy, food is easy to come by.
Cows mindlessly eat grass, shad mindlessly eat algae and plankton.

Life is inherently harder for predator species. Many die, there may not be a second chance to catch a meal. The farther up the food chain the more respect such species deserve. Muskie rule their habitat.

[massman]

well now I love fishing for real big fish,being from the north Boston Mass we loved fishing for muskie and pike . Like you big stripe guys down here it's the thrill of the fight and how big the fish is on the end of the line . I also know there are muskie hear Collins river and Telco are place to explore. coming from wide river fishing to big lakes was a change for me but hey that is what change is about . Good fishing is what it's all about