Muskellunge

Musky, freshwater shark

Esox masquinongy

Maskinongé, musky, requin d'eau douce

Body Shape:Elongated body , moderately compressed laterally.

Average height : 70 to 120 cm (2.5 to 16 kg). Our biggest freshwater fish after sturgeons.

Coloring:Characteristic, dark marks on a pale background. Great variability in the background color (bright green to pale brown gold back and green, brownish, gray or very silver gold sides) and the shape of the marks (spots, vertical bars, mottles, vermiculures or combinations of these marks); marbled fins (more marked on the dorsal, caudal and anal).

Characteristic external features: Long, flattened head; eyes high on the head; large mouth with lower jaw slightly protruding from tip of contoured muzzle; large, prominent, sharp teeth; cheeks and operculum covered with scales on upper half only; 6-9 sensory pores under each lower jaw; low pectoral fins; pelvic fins in the abdominal position and about the center of the length of the body; dorsal fin very set back from the anal fin; Caudal fin deeply forked and with pointed ends.

Habitat

Shallow, clear, warm (20 to 26 o C) water with dense vegetation. Deeper and cooler water during the summer heat. Lakes, bays, rivers with moderate current.

Food

The muskellunge is a solitary predator, sedentary and hunts on the lookout hidden in the vegetation. It feeds mainly on fish (perch, suckers, cyprins, bullheads, sunfish, etc.), having a preference for large prey. The lack of these appears to affect its growth and survival. It also eats crayfish, frogs, mice, muskrats and several species of water birds (young and adults).

Reproduction

Season: Spring, late April to early June (usually after northern pike).

Type of spawning ground: Shallow water (35 to 50 cm). Flooded areas with heavy vegetation in lakes, areas of flowing water in rivers.

Fashion: Muskellunge spawns during the day. Sexual maturity is reached at the age of 3 to 5 years. Usually a large female is accompanied by one or two smaller males. No nest is built. The light amber eggs, 2.5 to 3.5 mm in diameter, are scattered at random and settle on the vegetation without however adhering to them. The number of eggs released varies from 6,000 to 450,000 eggs depending on the size of the female. The eggs hatch after 8 to 14 days.