Fishcraft 69 



States and in Canada, the name mas- 

 kinonge is a common designation, 

 while in other sections the term mus- 

 kallunge, or mascalonge, is more fre- 

 quently used. The name is from the 

 French masque allonge (long face), 

 and maskinonge, the Chippewa term, 

 has nearly the same meaning. 



No other game or food fish found in 

 fresh waters of the United States ap- 

 proaches this king of the pikes in size. 

 Dr. E. Sterling mentions having 

 speared one, nearly -eighty years ago, 

 weighing eighty pounds, and in recent 

 years specimens of forty to fifty 

 pounds in weight have been caught in 

 trolling, the usual method of fishing 

 for these fish. However, the fisher- 

 man fortunate enough to hook and 

 land one of twenty pounds is con- 

 sidered to be entitled to hearty con- 

 gratulations. 



The mascalonge closely resembles 

 the larger pike in most respects, but 

 can be readily identified by examina- 

 tion of the gill covers, the lower half 

 of the cheek being destitute of scales 

 in the former, while the cheek of the 



