ragged edge
New member
So we caught a few over 40"this weekend but did not keep them. The question I have is can you eat them and what do they taste like.
Tiger Musky
- Thread starter ragged edge
- Start date
Jig Man
Active member
If you drag um thru the hen house they will taste like chicken.... 
JK I've never eaten one.... don't even know what they look like!
JK I've never eaten one.... don't even know what they look like!
ragged edge
New member
JM they are shaped like a aligator gar but green with spotted stripes.
Hawnjigs
KISS
What?! The "fish of a thousand casts" in CO and you caught "a few"? What's the trick?
Haven't had the opportunity to eat a tiger, but muskies were once a commercial harvest species around the Great Lakes.
Haven't had the opportunity to eat a tiger, but muskies were once a commercial harvest species around the Great Lakes.
ragged edge
New member
Hawn, bro, nephew and I caught eighteen and the largest was 41"42" 43". The remainder were 30 to 40". I fish and target crappie only but this past weekend we decided to go to Bluewater Lake and try our luck at tigers. I fished for them like I do for crappie. The boats on the lake were casting and I only seen three boats even catch one. Strictly jigging at 7' and staying in water 10' deep moving very slow. I laughed at the other people who were trolling what looked like 10 mile an hour. The jig I used was a 1/8" dragonfly round ball head with wild apple chenille and purple hackle. Nothing special.They resemble to me, like catching a gar. I have no idea how to cook them or what they taste like. The limit is one and have a minimum length of 40" should you ever fish there.
Bucko
New member
we have lots of muskie here. ive always released mine. I dont personally know anyone that has cooked one. ive heared some guys do poor man's lobster with them. they are pike family so pickled would be good too I assume.
Jig Man
Active member
I'm sure they are a blast to catch, so are King Mackerel... But when supper time roles around my bride wants Crappie, so I'll bring those home and toss the rest back... unless its fish fry time!
redman
New member
Ragged Edge I have eaten one and they taste like Northern Pike. Same y bones and you have to know how to clean them. The taste is a very nice slightly sweet VERY white flaky meat. I have killed two Musky in my years of fishing for them up north. Both of my kills went on a Wall One a 20 pounder as my biggest a very early very pretty fish she went up above my mantel. The second was a square tail old male that was about at the end of his life. He went up above my office desk at my store so all could see. The battle scared old fish that hit a walleye jig one night about 1 A.M. right before a thunder storm was going to hit West Lake Okoboji. That was the best night of fishing that I ever had. One musky and a limit of 3 walleyes one was 7 lbs. the other below the slot. I won't even tell you how many I turned loose. It was a night that every pop was a pigeon or every cast was a fish on.
The Hawn man is right they are a fish of a thousand cast and I have a bum shoulder to prove it. To the point that I am going to start shooting a 20 gauge for ducks this year. The 12 is just hurts me too bad to keep hunting with it. Guess my son will get a very nice Christmas gift sooner than later.
Redman
The Hawn man is right they are a fish of a thousand cast and I have a bum shoulder to prove it. To the point that I am going to start shooting a 20 gauge for ducks this year. The 12 is just hurts me too bad to keep hunting with it. Guess my son will get a very nice Christmas gift sooner than later.
Redman
ragged edge
New member
Redman, how was it cooked or do you recall? As for duck and goose hunting I am only 1/4 mile from the Rio Grande which is bone dry now.
I guess all in all we may have hung bout 12 to 15 that we lost. Really not sure but the other fishermen were sure keeping a eye on us and tried to imitate what we were doing on Sunday afternoon. The game warden was rather surprised also at how many were hung and caught. The state record here is 38lbs at 55". The state record for crappie is 4lb 9oz which is what I'm after.
They put tigers in two lakes here to control the goldfish. I guess people and store owners dumped their pets in the lakes and they multiplied like wildfire. We caught a few goldfish that I would say go over two pounds easy with bulging eyes. Some were all gold and some were spotted like what you see at a Chinese restaurant.
Sloedown you missed a good trip. Miss you buddy!
I guess all in all we may have hung bout 12 to 15 that we lost. Really not sure but the other fishermen were sure keeping a eye on us and tried to imitate what we were doing on Sunday afternoon. The game warden was rather surprised also at how many were hung and caught. The state record here is 38lbs at 55". The state record for crappie is 4lb 9oz which is what I'm after.
They put tigers in two lakes here to control the goldfish. I guess people and store owners dumped their pets in the lakes and they multiplied like wildfire. We caught a few goldfish that I would say go over two pounds easy with bulging eyes. Some were all gold and some were spotted like what you see at a Chinese restaurant.
Sloedown you missed a good trip. Miss you buddy!
Hawnjigs
KISS
What the...tigers by the dozens, 2# goldfish, and a dry Rio Grande?
How much would those 40"+ tigers weigh?
We have a natural anomaly nearby - a jungle crater filled with rainwater about an acre in size. A bit of a trek to get to Green "Lake" which had a similar pet goldfish explosion many years back. They were stunted to under a lb. due to confined prodigious #s but were fun to watch as they would boil mosquito fish like schools of piranhas. They're mostly gone now since a pet cichilid species showed up. Haven't been in several years, lord knows whats in there now.
How much would those 40"+ tigers weigh?
We have a natural anomaly nearby - a jungle crater filled with rainwater about an acre in size. A bit of a trek to get to Green "Lake" which had a similar pet goldfish explosion many years back. They were stunted to under a lb. due to confined prodigious #s but were fun to watch as they would boil mosquito fish like schools of piranhas. They're mostly gone now since a pet cichilid species showed up. Haven't been in several years, lord knows whats in there now.
ragged edge
New member
Hawn,
the only gold fish I have seen before this trip was in the Walmart pet section. I have never seen gold fish this big or even knew they got this big. The brother told me that Quemado Lake down in the Gila is filled with goldfish and they put tigers in there also. He also said the wildlife department took an aerial view of the lake years ago and it was gold tinted do to the amount of goldfish. Bluewater and Quemado are the only two lakes in the state that have tigers.
As to weight I would guess between 12 -15lbs
I went to school here 40 years ago and they did not have all the weird creatures they have now.
the only gold fish I have seen before this trip was in the Walmart pet section. I have never seen gold fish this big or even knew they got this big. The brother told me that Quemado Lake down in the Gila is filled with goldfish and they put tigers in there also. He also said the wildlife department took an aerial view of the lake years ago and it was gold tinted do to the amount of goldfish. Bluewater and Quemado are the only two lakes in the state that have tigers.
As to weight I would guess between 12 -15lbs
I went to school here 40 years ago and they did not have all the weird creatures they have now.
papaperch
Active member
Just in case some one didn't know Tiger Muskies are a cross between Northern Pike and Muskellunge. They have a tendency to be more aggressive then pure strain Muskies so maybe they are a fish of 500 casts. ???
I have no idea what the record is for tigers. I have caught some but never eaten one. I did eat some northern pike at some canadian guys request. They were pleasant to eat. But I still would prefer perch , crappie walleye or bluegill iffen I had my druthers.
I have no idea what the record is for tigers. I have caught some but never eaten one. I did eat some northern pike at some canadian guys request. They were pleasant to eat. But I still would prefer perch , crappie walleye or bluegill iffen I had my druthers.
redman
New member
RE My favorite way to cook fish is to Deep fry them. If you bake them they taste good also. I liked mine with a dill dressing if baked. Be sure to get the Y bones out before you cook them or you will be picking bones and the fish will be cold. If baked use real Butter on the fillets I also add a little lemon juice on them. They are good enjoy them. Only wish I was there to help you eat them heck I would even bring the potato salad.
Redman
Redman
ragged edge
New member
Redman, let me catch another one before you bring the potato salad......just saying........This may have been a fluke trip but I will try to deep fry em like crappie...The only other fish in this lake is cats and trout. For the warmer lakes I fish, like I have said, I target crappie but what I have learned is if you find the crappie the walleye and northerns are hanging around close as the crappie is their main food fish....
redman
New member
RE You are correct and if you have a lake that has Yellow perch or cisco's or whitefish they will take them also. Let me know how you are doing with the Tigers. Must be a cold spring feed lake as they and Walleye love those type of waters. I really do miss fishing for Musky and Walleye. I do love my new digs with Bald Cypress trees and big Fat Slab Crappies that I can get to most of the year in a boat and not have to sit on a frozen lake to catch. This Geezer is to old for that.
Like I said take the Y bones out and you will have a real treat. If you wait a couple of weeks the potatoes will be fresh out of the garden and there might be some Sweet corn and Tomatoes to go along with the potato salad.
Redman
Like I said take the Y bones out and you will have a real treat. If you wait a couple of weeks the potatoes will be fresh out of the garden and there might be some Sweet corn and Tomatoes to go along with the potato salad.
Redman
ragged edge
New member
Could be spring fed but if that is the case the spring dried up. To fish this lake you better have a boat as every Mexican in the state and Navajo/Zuni on the reservation is there to catch em......Never seen so many game wardens either! Four total and two boats...The little lake presently can't be over 1200 acres.
May be able to convince the fish to go on a boat ride for a fish fry this weekend. HA! Put camera on checklist.
Tater salad, new taters, maters and sweet corn oh yea! Your welcome around my fire anytime.....
May be able to convince the fish to go on a boat ride for a fish fry this weekend. HA! Put camera on checklist.
Tater salad, new taters, maters and sweet corn oh yea! Your welcome around my fire anytime.....
Hawnjigs
KISS
Curious, are the bankers after the gold ? For consumption ?
ragged edge
New member
Hawn them people will eat anything........
ragged edge
New member
Hawn, speaking of gold fish, the game warden came up to a pontoon boat that we were next to and the game warden ask them if they had goldfish in the boat and fishing with them. The guy said no and the game warden said good because it was a $100.00 fine if they were caught using them for cutbait. Told them if they caught one to throw it up on the bank.
My question is what difference does it make if you are using them for cutbait. The purpose of the tigers was to rid the lake of em.
My question is what difference does it make if you are using them for cutbait. The purpose of the tigers was to rid the lake of em.
redman
New member
Think that the South east Asian community here stock up on the Yellow belly bass to eat. I have ate them but most fisherman consider them a trash fish. I have seen them fill a trash can full of them to take home. Most of the people are glad that they are targeting this spices as they drive us crappie fisherman crazy as they are bait stealers. They school like the crappie and will push them off of a school of shad. One minute you are catching crappie the next the yellow belly bass will have taken over.
My Black gardening buddy loves to eat them and will clean all I catch. So don't mind catching them for him. I think that that is part of the reason why his garden grows so well he buries all his fish cleanings in his garden. I don't because it draws in coyotes and bob cats in to my area. He lives down the road about 2 miles and it is less wooded area than mine.
My Black gardening buddy loves to eat them and will clean all I catch. So don't mind catching them for him. I think that that is part of the reason why his garden grows so well he buries all his fish cleanings in his garden. I don't because it draws in coyotes and bob cats in to my area. He lives down the road about 2 miles and it is less wooded area than mine.