# Knee Deep in the Scioto + Fish ID



## Perchy101 (Apr 14, 2004)

I was sitting at work.... And Zac Brown's new song came on... Knee Deep.... Goes onto say... In the water somewhere.... 

I walked outside for a break and said screw it... I'm outtie! Quick lunch and off I went to my favorite fishing hole....

Last time up, I caught some FO Crappies and a few smaller cats... No Small Mouth! I was surprised as I've never not caught one up there, but thats not here nor there...

Threw a big ole bass minnow on and a bobber about 2 ft down and start the float... Fish on! Another crappie, I thought to myself... What the heck is going on here!

Well, that changed quickly.














































I've been catching some nice, 14-15's and my bobber goes screaming under and I set the hook... Fish is staying deep and not showing it's self... I look down to adjust the drag and I just hear a thud... Missed it jump... Keep fighting and finally got her to come up and found this beauty.... 

19-20" probably in the 3 to 3.5lb class.










Fishing got really slow about 5:30, only ended up with another smaller guy and a small catfish... So I had about half dozen minnows left and I let them be and switched over to a wee crawl knowing there are smallies around... Dozen casts in i'm chugging along and big swirl, but she missed it (nice fish it was) so I keep casting and nothing... Told myself, last cast and i'm out... Then hook into this guy! What a thrill and a beautiful fish. Can I get a hand on fish ID



















I missed probably another 3 or 4 nice fish this afternoon... Since I cut work early I had to keep the phone on me and answer as needed... Well phone rang and I answered it and was fighting a nice fish at the same time... Got away without a sight of it...

Also, coming down from catching that nice 19"er, I had rebaited and had the it in the water while I was sending a text to a buddy and damn near lost my post from another smallie that took off with the minnow. I also caught another one that way!


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Looks like a ski to me! Great catch!
Bobby


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## BassBlaster (Jun 8, 2006)

I'm gonna go with Northern Pike allthough I didnt realize we had any in the central OH river system. Cool catch regardless of what it is but thats my guess.


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## BassBlaster (Jun 8, 2006)

I went to the ODNR website to look around. I'm still going with Northern but again, it's just a guess.

www.dnr.state.oh.us/Home/species_a_to_z/SpeciesGuideIndex/northernpike/tabid/6703/Default.aspx


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## BigDub007 (Apr 1, 2010)

Bobby that looks like a pike ....Has it been that long since you caught one in Canada .....j/k... Great fish ....That is a true Scioto Trophy.......


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## todd61 (Nov 22, 2009)

It's a Pike. I catch several in there every fall. Congrats!!


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## JamesT (Jul 22, 2005)

Cool! There are a few in the Dublin area, my friend caught a small one last year and I've heard of others caught. More common up north.


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## Perchy101 (Apr 14, 2004)

Thanks Guys! It was a blast out there today...

Also, all fish were caught, photo and released.... Well, atleast all the bigger one's had their picture taken.. 

All lived to see another day and hopefully for me to catch again.


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Ive gone back and looked at pics, Im still saying muskie.....lol and none of you can prove me wrong...lol Seriosly though all the pics i went back and looked at show pike to have spots and muskie have more bars.
Freddie, Yeas it has been way to long bud. But we still get a few here and there at st. clair.
Bobby
But either way great fish!


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## BassBlaster (Jun 8, 2006)

Saugeyefisher said:


> Ive gone back and looked at pics, Im still saying muskie.....lol and none of you can prove me wrong...lol Seriosly though all the pics i went back and looked at show pike to have spots and muskie have more bars.
> Freddie, Yeas it has been way to long bud. But we still get a few here and there at st. clair.
> Bobby
> But either way great fish!


Click the link I posted from ODNR. The pic he posted is nearly identical to the pic on ODNR site.


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

bassblaster, I agree the pic from dnr looks simalar. But notice in the dnr pic, on the top of the pike they seem to be more like lines then bars, and the questioned fish in the pic here seems to have more of a pattern of vertical bars witch to me is a for sure muskei... The pics i looked at were aol images of pike and muskie. Im also going off of experiece as i have caughen hundereds of pike and a handfull of muskies. But i have also been wrong many time in my life lol. And your guyes opinions are both respected and valued by me.
So come on guys lets see some of those muskie pics to compare, I know there have been plenty caught this yr.
bobby 
btw i just went to muskelunge in the dnr pics and the top has the vertical bars im talking about


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## BassBlaster (Jun 8, 2006)

Don't value my opinion. It was nothing more than a guess that I tried to confirm through pics on that site. I still think I'm right though, lol. I'm sure a pike/muskie expert will chime in and set us straight soon enough!!


Maybe we are both rigth and its a Tiger Muskie!! Those are a Muskie/Northern hybrid. Anyone know if those have ever been released in OH?


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## BigDub007 (Apr 1, 2010)

You got me wondering now .....I see what you are saying ....mabey I need to go catch one and find out for my self ......I hope I am rite ...lol


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## russ9054 (May 4, 2011)

The spots on the fins are making me think muskie along with the thickness. And broadness of the tail for such a.young fish. Second glance definatly a muskie,the tail gives it away.


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## Perchy101 (Apr 14, 2004)

Alot of people have been screaming pike... Even in private....

Here is a chart that might help...










The problem i'm seeing all the pike i've looked at are darker in color, while this one is a beautiful sliver color...

If it helps any - while in the water fighting it - it seemed like the back of the fish was neon green... Very bright in color.


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## BASSINaDL (Aug 24, 2010)

i cant tell... closer to its belly, you can see horizontal white marks like a pike but higher up on its back it has those strips


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## KWaller (Oct 3, 2010)

I've caught neither before but I say tiger muskie.
Kyle
HPT
CP

_OutdoorHub Mobile, the information engine of the outdoors_


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## Perchy101 (Apr 14, 2004)

Maybe I bigger picture will help....


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## BassBlaster (Jun 8, 2006)

Do you recall if the tail was rounded or pointed? That seems to be the clearest difference based on the chart you posted. Its hard to tell in your pics.

I'm still anxious to know if Tiger Muskie were ever released in OH. I dont see anything on the ODNR website that would suggest so but we all know how fish can travel in the river systems. Anyone know what part of the country the hybrids are typically released in?


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## Perchy101 (Apr 14, 2004)

BassBlaster said:


> Do you recall if the tail was rounded or pointed? That seems to be the clearest difference based on the chart you posted. Its hard to tell in your pics.


Can't say I do - I was to much in a panic to get out of the middle of the river and get on dry land (without falling in the river) to get a picture and release the guy.

Once I get there, I had a ohhhh crap moment and remembered I had no pliers on me either to get the hook out of its mouth. (Talk about an adventure)

I do know it had teeth! 

I'll send the picture off to ODNR and see what they have to say.


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## grumman (Oct 24, 2010)

I'm going with Chain Pickerel. My understanding of muskies is that they are lighter and if they do have sports they are darker than their body as compared to northern pike which have lighter spots than their bodies. 

Nice catch either way


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## BassBlaster (Jun 8, 2006)

Well, thats no help, they both have teeth, lol.

I'm going with juvenile Northern.

My guessing is completely based on research tonight so I could be completely wrong. Ive only caught a few pike in Canada and never a Muskie so I have no first hand knowledge.

Let us know what the ODNR says.


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## Perchy101 (Apr 14, 2004)

Here is another picture that I was able to get... A different view....


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## BassBlaster (Jun 8, 2006)

Definately not a Chain Pickeral. They dont have spots on thier fins. This fish clearly has spots on its fins.


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## fishingfreak (Jul 24, 2008)

looks like a pike to me


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## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

It's a Pike bros.....don't hurt your brains too much 

Lots of Pike in the upper scioto...muskie are rare if not exterpated. Plenty south of downtown dams tho!

_OutdoorHub Mobile, the information engine of the outdoors_


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## Muskarp (Feb 5, 2007)

That's a pike. Light on dark.

Sweet catch!


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## Bonecrusher (Aug 7, 2010)

Pike. Period.


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## DaleM (Apr 5, 2004)

That's a pike for sure. I've caught many, many of them in Canada and the mouth and colors are the definitive marks.


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## Perchy101 (Apr 14, 2004)

Thanks Guys!

Now, i'm tryin to figure out how that random picture got into it?


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## Bonecrusher (Aug 7, 2010)

Perchy101 said:


> Thanks Guys!
> 
> Now, i'm tryin to figure out how that random picture got into it?


Now that would be without a doubt a black crappie!


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## Capital outdoorsman (Mar 27, 2006)

Here is my last pike from Canada


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## foundationfisher (May 12, 2008)

looks like a northern pike to me. pike or musky, congrats. nice fish.


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## GarryS (Apr 5, 2004)

Looks like a grass pike to me. Thats the only Pike I have heard of being in the Scioto. Definately in the pike family...


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## GarryS (Apr 5, 2004)

Now after doing some searching... Not sure about it being a grass pike. Doesn't have the markings over the eyes like a grass pike picture I found.


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## Pigsticker (Oct 18, 2006)

Pike imo notice the spots on last fin. Great day though man!


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## Photog (Jun 18, 2010)

Sorry to join the fray with a dumb Q, but don't muskies only have scales on their upper cheek like this one has? That is one way I have been told to tell the difference along with the markings.


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## skycruiser (Aug 7, 2009)

Pike for sure. Excellent day on the water! well done dude! great job on the release


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## walleye warrior (Apr 9, 2004)

I can say with 100% certainty that is a northern pike.


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## bman (Apr 20, 2009)

Grass pickerel. Cool catch! They don't get very big but thy are pretty fish.

EDIT

Ooooops....it is a pike. Googled a few Picts and learned that grass pickerel have a vague lateral line that never totally disappears. Nice pike!


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## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

For future reference let's not forget that grass pickeral only get about 12" long!

_OutdoorHub Mobile, the information engine of the outdoors_


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## Having Fun (Aug 23, 2006)

No doubt a Northern pike, there are parts of the Scioto where these guys can be caught. My experience is the population of Pike in the Scioto is pretty small and limited, I have fished hard on the Scioto and have caught 1.
Compare to the attached when was caught on the Scioto a couple of years ago.
Good catch!


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Sorry guys, but the pike pics posted here do not compare with the pics of the original poster. Im still stuck on muskie. Just looks like one to me and dont look like the pike i usually catch. I think the smaller size makes it hard to tell. 
Anyways great fish and to each his own.
Bobby


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## davins130 (Apr 8, 2008)

It is 100% a muskellunge. The only definite way to tell a musky from a pike is the scale pattern on the cheeks and opercles. Pickerels and pikes have fully scaled cheeks but musky do not; only half scaled cheeks and opercles. You can see in the picture that the fish has only half scaled cheeks and opercles, as well as oblique bars that are broken up into spots rather than long oval shaped spots which gives a positive identification. Refer to Trautman's Fishes of Ohio for more info if you would like. Nice fish!


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

davins130, thanks bud i forgot all about the scales on the cheeks. I just know when im fishing up a st.clair and someones pulls in a toothy critter it is always easy to tell between a pike and muskie, that being said the fish looks like a darn muskie and does not look like the pike pictured in any of these post. Lol but what do i know, i only fish a few times a week all yr long. lol fun stuff guys.
Bobby
btw muskies were native to all the ohio creeks and streams before all the resiviors and lakes.


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## Photog (Jun 18, 2010)

davins130 said:


> It is 100% a muskellunge. The only definite way to tell a musky from a pike is the scale pattern on the cheeks and opercles. Pickerels and pikes have fully scaled cheeks but musky do not; only half scaled cheeks and opercles. You can see in the picture that the fish has only half scaled cheeks and opercles, as well as oblique bars that are broken up into spots rather than long oval shaped spots which gives a positive identification. Refer to Trautman's Fishes of Ohio for more info if you would like. Nice fish!


I agree, also the markings are vertical not horizontal like a pike.


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## BassBoss (Mar 5, 2011)

Heres an comparison, I personally think its a muskie because of the glare its harder to tell but...http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://cdn.stripersonline.com/a/a2/a21f23d9_vbattach383009.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.stripersonline.com/forum/thread/748108/musky-or-pike&usg=__7CV0vdJFYet82PWfxUbzI9KWgdo=&h=750&w=1000&sz=191&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=ZzzvqCTly61m3M:&tbnh=140&tbnw=187&ei=85AQTpHwF-S00AGMwpm9Dg&prev=/search%3Fq%3Djuvenile%2Bmuskie%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26rlz%3D1T4DKUS_enUS231US231%26biw%3D1280%26bih%3D654%26tbm%3Disch&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=182&vpy=181&dur=2806&hovh=194&hovw=259&tx=182&ty=121&page=1&ndsp=16&ved=1t:429,r:5,s:0&biw=1280&bih=654


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## craig (Feb 9, 2008)

looks like an awesome day there Perchy, congrats, see you on the ice.


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## CrappieTacos (Jun 22, 2010)

That is most definitely not a northern pike. Your fish has vertical bars whereas a Northern's markings are horizontal. Ive caught hundreds of trillions of pike, and Ive never seen one look like that. Ive never caught a muskie but that would be my guess.


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## JamesT (Jul 22, 2005)

Google image juvenile pike. The bars are more vertical in the young pike. It is a pike.


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## CarpFreak5328 (Aug 16, 2004)

how big was that cat! that looks huge, take it was a shovel


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## Perchy101 (Apr 14, 2004)

CarpFreak5328 said:


> how big was that cat! that looks huge, take it was a shovel


LMAO - I've been out of town all weekend and just getting back.

That is the pic I have no clue how it got into my pictures?


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## BassBlaster (Jun 8, 2006)

CrappieTacos said:


> That is most definitely not a northern pike. Your fish has vertical bars whereas a Northern's markings are horizontal. Ive caught hundreds of trillions of pike, and Ive never seen one look like that. Ive never caught a muskie but that would be my guess.


www.esoxrepublic.com/about.html


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## I_Shock_Em (Jul 20, 2008)

It's a pike. Saugeye and davins......you're wrong


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## Fisher4Life12 (Aug 12, 2010)

You guys call yourselves fishermen!? That is a Chain Pickerel all day long......

http://www.google.com/search?q=chai...=23QTTqywOKK30AH1u_yrDg&sa=N&start=20&ndsp=20

copy and paste


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## I_Shock_Em (Jul 20, 2008)

Pickerel dont get that big. Fisher4life...... You're wrong too


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## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

Lot's of armchair IDers in this thread I_Shock


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## walleye warrior (Apr 9, 2004)

I'm actually surprised this is still being discussed. This is clearly a pike, and I would bet anything that's what the dnr will tell you.


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Ok im throwing in the white towel. Oh and not quite armchair id'er more computer chair id'er. Actually that fish does look more like a muskie then any of the recomended speicies(my personal opinion based on fish caught by myself). But since im not a "profesional" i will pull my opinion.
Bobby
And again, Great catch!


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## walleye warrior (Apr 9, 2004)

Who is a "professional"?


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Not me. I guess im just assuming with a name like I shock em that he might be one. No harm ment bud. Just saying that im not one and was only guessing based on experience angling and not acually working with fish and makeing an earning of off it.
Bobby


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## I_Shock_Em (Jul 20, 2008)

walleye warrior said:


> Who is a "professional"?


Fisheries biologists, environmental specialists, electroshocking crew members (ME), anyone who is QDC (Qualified Data Collector) certified in fisheries to name a few


Mushi- You're telling me!!!!

Saugeye- no harm taken


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## walleye warrior (Apr 9, 2004)

Ok, so we agree. This is a northern pike, no ifs, ands, or buts!


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## JamesT (Jul 22, 2005)

There is a small, but self-sustaining population of pike in the scioto north of 42 and especially up towards prospect and also mills creek. Mary at the old dock stop told me so. If you have one of the older "central Ohio fishing guides" from about 30 years ago, it mentions targetting pike in oshay res(large shiners and chubs from ice out up north) My friend has see
n 2 bigger pike on stringers in Dublin in the scioto (2 separate occasions, one each time) and has had a nice one get away. I would love to catch one, even if it's a dink.


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

I shoc em, nice! I bet its great haveing ur career be so related to fishing. You must love your job? I would! 
Walleye, Ill agree with ya. But still have it in my head that the fish in question looks like a muskie to me. But thats just me. Has anyone ever caught any muskie that far north in the scioto? I know there are several caught yearly south of columbus. Just curious now. 
And acually this thread has me questioning some of the smaller muskie i have caught up at st. clair, and wondering if they werent juvienial pike? Regardless there both a blast to catch. 
Ha and i guess it is ok to admit im wrong(not often though lol) Not everyone can be like Rush L. and be right 99.6% of the time lol.
Bobby


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## Perchy101 (Apr 14, 2004)

Got my letter back from ODNR Today....



> Nick,
> 
> Thanks for writing in to WildOhio for help with your fish identification. I am a fisheries biologist at the District 1 office in Columbus. I love getting fish ID questions. The picture you sent me is a northern pike. The Scioto River has a small population of them north of OShaughnessy. We were sampling near where you caught this one last year and came across three or four. I attached a picture from one of them we caught just above X. As you can see in the attached picture these two fish look almost identical. The others we caught were near X.
> 
> ...


He also attached a few pics....

1st pic is a chain pickeral - Rules that out.

2nd pic is a Pike that was caught around the area I was fishing..... 

We all can rest easy now


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Case closed. Thanks for the information, and again good job catching that Pike.
Bobby


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## gerb (Apr 13, 2010)

thanks perchy.


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## I_Shock_Em (Jul 20, 2008)

Hey perchy, is that one of osu's shock boats? If it is, I spent a lot of time shocking and working on that boat

EDIT- just read the whole letter, im guessing the biologist sent u the pics


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## Perchy101 (Apr 14, 2004)

I_Shock_Em said:


> Hey perchy, is that one of osu's shock boats? If it is, I spent a lot of time shocking and working on that boat


Not sure - You guys got to see the whole email the guy sent me from ODNR.


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