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It’s been an excellent July for Joe Rivas, who caught two large tiger muskies on two separate journeys to Lake Lillonah final month. Rivas’ first fish weighed 26 kilos and measured 41 inches lengthy, based on the Connecticut News-Times. The second fish he caught was nearer to 42 inches lengthy, he mentioned, however he was unable to weight it.
Lake Lillonah—which is situated in western Connecticut solely two hours from New York Metropolis—isn’t generally known as a hotspot for tiger muskie. The species is extra frequent in Midwestern waters. So, when the Connecticut Department of Fish and Wildlife shared a photograph of Rivas’ 41-inch fish on July 28, folks had been shocked. Practically 400 folks had commented on the publish as of Aug. 1, with lots of them asking how the fish obtained there within the first place.
CDFW officers confirmed that the state has by no means stocked tiger muskies, however that it did approve a allow for the Lake Lillinonah Authority to introduce the species 5 to seven years in the past. It seems these fingerlings haven’t solely survived, however thrived, within the time since.
Rivas informed the Information-Instances that he was simply as shocked to tug two massive tiger muskies from Lillonah final month. He referred to as the primary tiger he caught the “fish of a lifetime,” and mentioned he’ll be having a reproduction made.
“Once I noticed it flash within the water and I truly noticed the broad profile,” he mentioned, “I knew what it was, and the adrenaline simply went by way of the roof.”
All About Tiger Muskies
Tiger muskies are a hybrid fish species recognized for his or her aggressive habits. These hybridizations happen when a male northern pike fertilizes the eggs of a feminine muskellunge. As a result of all tiger muskies are sterile, they hardly ever take maintain in water our bodies naturally and are sometimes launched by fisheries managers.
Learn Subsequent: West Virginia Angler Catches (and Releases) Record Muskie from Shore
The primary hybridization was efficiently carried out in 1965 on the Spirit Lake Hatchery in Iowa, based on the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. The species grew in recognition over time, and inside 20 years it was launched to greater than 30 lakes throughout the state. Whereas Iowa DNR not shares tiger muskies, the species can now be present in water our bodies all through the Midwest.
Anglers love tiger muskies as a result of they’re way more aggressive than pure-strain muskies, they usually develop bigger that pure-strain northern pike. They’re additionally strikingly stunning with wavering stripes on their sides—therefore the identify.
As a result of tiger muskies are hardly ever caught in Connecticut, there isn’t a class for the species within the state’s document e book. The New York state record is a 35-pound, 8-ounce fish caught by Brett Gofgosky in 1990. Gofgosky’s fish additionally occurs to be an IGFA line-class record for the species.
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