Dead susky musky

[Maurice]

Someone I know knows someone who found this guy struggling to stay alive in Goldsboro on the Susky in York County. A 52" musky. They tried to revive it but it later died. Perhaps it just expired from old age. It is a trophy nonetheless.

 

[turkey]

that's a hell of a beard on that guy.

 

[Maurice]

Coming from you turkey thats a compliment. :-D

I suppose I could have put a little more effort in his disguise.

 

[Fishidiot]

Darn shame. That fish looks healthy and well fed. It may have succumbed to warm water distress or perhaps a hook injury.
Maybe it was indeed old age. Giant muskies are found dead or dying from time to time - it's pretty common.

Would make a nice wall mount.

 

[Crotalus]

That's as bad as the 20" er i found on the Juniata with its stomach cut open. At least someone tried to release this one and not intentionally kill it.

 

[wgmiller]

At 52", that's an old fish. I tend to agree with others that perhaps it succumbed to old age. What a beautiful fish!

Here's a little info I found online. A 52" fish has some years under its belt!

Musky life cycle: http://www.muskygrunt.com/muskie-fishing-articles-musky-fishing-articles/understanding-everything-about-muskies-and-muskellunge/the-life-cycle-of-the-muskie-muskellunge

 

[The_Sasquatch]

You mean fish don't live forever?

 

[boychick]

That fish lived a good life. Still sad to see a big fish dying.

 

[Mike]

The likelihood that this particular fish died of old age is slim. Fish that die of old age are usually in poor physical condition by that time. In this case it would be a Muskie with a large head and very thin body.

 

[PACOFRANSICO]

Mikes right there. Large head super skinny body usually means old age. That fish is fat putting the fall feed on. More and likely it dyed of a deep or guy hook, poor handling IE gilling or a lactic acid build up from a long fight with a angler. This usually happens when it's a incidental hook up. Like if your using a trout rod or bass fishing. Better to land a musky "green" than burn it out and try to revive it.

 

[wgmiller]

I'm calling for a necropsy! :lol:

Mike - what do you estimate the age of a 52" muskie to be?

 

[Fishidiot]

Will be curious to hear Mike's estimate.

Healthy, purebred from the Susky: These fish can grow pretty fast around here but I'd guess, at 52", this guy (probably a gal) was between 10-13 years.

 

[jay348]

Fishidiot wrote:
Darn shame. That fish looks healthy and well fed.

x2

No clue what the real story is here; but It's unfortunate how some people feel about these fish.

When I caught my one and only musky last year, I passed some panfish guys on my way back to the car. Upon hearing that I let her go, they suggested that I "should have tossed it on the bank for rocky racoon"...no lie.

This summer I found this (sub-legal size) fish way up the bank at the same lake.

 

[wgmiller]

They are the apex predator in the fish world and perhaps some people feel threatened by that. Personally speaking, I think the being able to tangle with an apex predator in any natural environment is pretty exciting. My muskie journey has only just begun, but it's become quite addicting thus far.

 

[PACOFRANSICO]

They arnt evil they don't "wipe out" a lake or river. They have a purpose. They take out the sick and weak outta the schools of fish. Thus making the population healthy. Muskys are to me the highest challenge to take upon in fresh water with a fly rod. No species of fish is harder. Hands d

 

[jay348]

PACOFRANSICO wrote:
They arnt evil they don't "wipe out" a lake or river.

But it is ironic when these folks have a limit of (insert panfish of choice here) on a stringer/in a bucket.

 

[PACOFRANSICO]

Jay you are right about Panfisherman. Kinda the pot calling the kettle black. Most musky guys I know are catch and release. Which most are fly guys by the way. But your bass walleye and pan fisherman are, well all bets are off. Accord to the them musky are dastardly, vicious fish stealers. Which taking a reeled in fish off someone's line is a easy meal. That's how they survive. Plan and simple.

 

[jifigz]

I hate to see people toss Musky, Pike, or Pickerel up on the banks and I have witnessed it by "old-timers" at various lakes and ALWAYS call them out on it. Especially at certain lakes where the PFBC has an extensive musky fingerling stocking program. I've seen these fellas tossing 20" muskies just to die....so depressing.

About the panfish harvesting though, that can often be a good thing. Ever go panfishing and are disappointed by every fish being tiny? That is because there are too many panfish in that lake and the lake isn't properly balanced to control their populations. Panfish are one of the greatest resources we have in fishing. They are delicious, reproduce in abundance, in nearly every body of water, and bluegill are very scrappy for their size. I love catching them and often times they need to be harvested.

 

[midgeman]

The guy cut the hell out of his arm. Looks like the fish was taken ABOVE the bridge. Far from warm water since 3 mile doesn't make warm water... Just saying lol