# Spotted musky at alum?



## Fishfinaddict (Sep 18, 2012)

Went to alum the other day and went fishing for some musky. I threw big baits for almost 3 hours and walked a while around the east side from 36/37 heading south. After getting frustrated and a little fatigued I decided to give up on the big baits. Switched to a white jig head with a white twister tail, trying for a Saugeye or crappie. When I walked into one of the coves, I noticed it was holding a decent amount of baitfish. On the third or fourth cast I felt a good strike that felt like a nice hard crappie strike. While reeling in, the fish jumped and I saw it was a small musky about 12". I don't know if it was because the musky was really young or what but it was spotted really well. When I looked back at the adult musky I have caught from there, I have noticed spots near the tail but they are pretty faded. That made me come to my own conclusion that it was something that just faded when they matured, but wanted to ask "the elders" what they thought. 
Thanks guys,
Adam Johnson, Fishfinaddict

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## GarryS (Apr 5, 2004)

It might be a tiger Muskie. I know they are in Alum.


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## Fishfinaddict (Sep 18, 2012)

Thanks man that was my first conclusion but I didn't think they were in there.


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## bman (Apr 20, 2009)

Looks like a regular (non-tiger) juvenile muskie to me.


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## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

Alum Creek does NOT have tiger musky in it. They stock pure strain muskies in the fall. They grow them at the hatchery to a stocking length of 9-11". That little fella was probably just stocked in there last month.


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## Fishfinaddict (Sep 18, 2012)

Thanks guys


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## bgrapala (Nov 1, 2008)

bman said:


> Looks like a regular (non-tiger) juvenile muskie to me.


this was my first impression as well...cool catch while going for other toothers though


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## GarryS (Apr 5, 2004)

I must of been seeing things then cause the one DaleM caught sure looked like a tiger muskie to me. Which I netted myself. It was close to 20 lbs. if not more. Here we go!!


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## bman (Apr 20, 2009)

The fish in question really does look like a juvenile pure strain muskie to me. However, I wouldn't be totally shocked if the DNR or a muskie club or someone else put some tigers in Alum. But I'm not aware of any Ohio DNR tiger muskie stocking program (but again, I could be wrong.)

Lord knows they don't need to add additional muskie stocking capacity in the ODNR stocking program, right GarrryS!!!


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## bman (Apr 20, 2009)

Here's a link to the state record tiger muskie story:

http://www.ohiosportsman.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12000

Gives you a good picture of what a very mature tiger muskie looks like and to GarryS's point, also mentions the fact that at this particular lake they hadn't stocked it with Tigers for a very long time prior to that catch. So, perhaps it's possible that Alum was at one time stocked with Tigers!


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## K gonefishin (May 4, 2004)

Younger they are the more pronounced the spotting is on them, here is a little dude we caught at wb


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## Fishfinaddict (Sep 18, 2012)

That's what I figured I just never had the small boys tend to cut out the small guys on my big baits.. I will have to say I love the spots tho I wish they kept them


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## GarryS (Apr 5, 2004)

Maybe we were wrong about the one DaleM caught. I had always heard they were in there. Go figure I just called ODNR to try to find out and there wasn't anyone there that could answer that question. I'm trying to find out. LOL 

GarryS


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## Net (Apr 10, 2004)

I've been keeping a pretty close eye on ODNR stocking programs for the last 30+ yrs and never heard of a tiger muskie program at alum. I'll be curious to hear what GarryS finds out.


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## acklac7 (May 31, 2004)

If there's a population of tiger musky near OSU campus there's likely a population in Alum....Whooops i've said to much...

And yes, i've caught certified, purebred tiger musky (27") within 20min of OSU...Don't ask me where, im not telling ...(PS it wasn't anywhere close to Alum, or Scioto/Olentangy for that matter) if you really want me to I can find the pic...

The by-products of OSU's Aquatic Ecology lab have to go somewhere, do you really think those Ichthy's have the heart to terminate specimens they've studied for months?...In some cases yes, in some cases....no.


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## Erieangler51 (Sep 24, 2012)

Looks like a small pure strain musky to me! We had alot of lakes in mn that had tigers and pures!!Personaly from all the tigers ive seen they have more horizontal bars than spots. Heres 2 different pics of a pure strain and a tiger from MN!


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## Big Chief201 (Aug 13, 2010)

I caught a spotted in early July this year. 



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## MassillonBuckeye (May 3, 2010)

Not sure where Tiger came from, the OP was asking if it were a spotted. Tiger would have some stripes wouldn't ya think? Not sure what strain they stock Alum with but heres an article talking about the leech lake strain and those from Chatauqua and Pymy. Yay for Pymy!!

http://www.kneedeepclub.org/Species/muskie.html


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## seethe303 (Dec 12, 2006)

acklac7 said:


> And yes, i've caught certified, purebred tiger musky (27") within 20min of OSU...Don't ask me where, im not telling ...(PS it wasn't anywhere close to Alum, or Scioto/Olentangy for that matter) if you really want me to I can find the pic...


Yea, I think we're going to need to see those pics. 

I believe you, but you've piqued my curiosity.


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