134 PRACTICAL BAIT CASTING 



in Wisconsin and Minnesota. From the Great Lakes 

 muskellunge it differs in having the body entirely un- 

 spotted or with vague dark cross-shades. The tail 

 is a little more slender and the fins a little higher. 

 This form has not been studied critically and its re- 

 lation to E. masquinongy and E. ohiensis have not 

 been clearly made out." 



Specimens showing the dark cross-shades are usually 

 called "tiger muskellunge." 



The muskellunge is usually caught by trolling, but 

 the practice of catching him by casting with a short 

 rod is growing. A rather heavy rod should be used, 

 a good steel one probably being the best for this work 

 for the average caster. A hard-braid or cored line 

 testing twenty or twenty-two pounds will be about 

 right, owing to the fact that rather heavy lures will be 

 employed. For bait, a large chub or fall-fish, black 

 sucker, live frog, or medium-size spoon with either 

 plain hook or bucktail are the favorites. 



Hooks must be of good size and of the best quality, 

 and when a spoon is not used a heavy wire leader or 

 trace will often prevent the fish escaping. 



As a game fish the muskellunge ranks high; not 

 alone because of his size, but he is a hard, tricky 

 fighter; a magnificent leaper, who usually strikes the 

 lure savagely upwards from the side, often clearing the 

 water with a great leap when he does so. For the 

 table the muskellunge is better than the pike, and his 

 flesh improves after being kept a day or two on ice. 



Pike, pickerel, and muskellunge can be distinguished 



