Last modified: Thursday, August 24, 2006

Tiger muskie release tips

Tom Pettengill, sport fisheries coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources, provides the following tips to help assure tiger muskie caught by anglers will live once they're released.

Helpful Tools

Tiger muskie anglers should carry the following tools:

• net
• long-nosed pliers
• heavy-duty wire cutters
• jaw spreaders

Two other items anglers may wish to carry are a 48 inch flexible plastic ruler and a camera, which can be used to measure and photograph the fish before returning it to the water.

Landing a muskie

The keys to landing a muskie are to bring the fish in quickly and to leave it in the water.

"Bring the fish to the side of the boat as quickly as possible, so it doesn't get too exhausted," Pettengill said. "This is especially important during warm weather."

For most anglers, the easiest way to land a muskie is with a good-sized landing net.

"Do not bring the fish into the boat," he stressed. "A fish flopping around in the bottom of a boat can be seriously injured."

Unhooking

For smaller muskie, those 30 inches or less in length, anglers should grab the fish by the tail and turn it sideways. This will disorient the fish, making it easier to unhook.

Grip the fish over the top of the gill plates, remembering not to squeeze too hard, and remove the hook.

Tiger muskie more than 30 inches in length should be given time to calm down. Then, grip the fish firmly by the gill cover. Anglers may wish to wear a leather or rubber glove, but shouldn't rely on a thin, surgical glove.

"The next step is to slide your fingers inside the gill cover, with your thumb on the outside," Pettengill said. "Move your hand forward, getting a firm hold of the gill plate.

"Do not grab the fish's gills, as they can be easily torn, causing a fatal injury," he warned.

Keep the fish in the water while unhooking. Use long-nosed pliers to remove the hooks.

If the hooks are in a spot that will cause serious injury, such as the gills or in tough bony tissue, it's better to cut the hook off using heavy-duty wire cutters. If the fish is deeply hooked, use jaw spreaders to hold the mouth open while you unhook it.

Measuring your catch

"It's much easier to measure your catch if you have someone to assist you," Pettengill said.

Keep the fish in the water and lay a ruler along its side. To obtain the fish's length, measure from the tip of the snout to the tip of the tail. Then use a flexible measuring tape to measure around the body (girth) at the widest point.

To determine the fish's approximate weight, first measure its girth and divide this number by 800. Next, multiply the length by the girth. Finally, multiply the first number you obtained (girth divided by 800) by the second number (length multiplied by girth). The number you obtain from the final calculation will be a good estimate of the fish's weight.

Indiana Division of Fish & Wildlife has compiled data on tiger muskies from across the country and has come up with an average weight by length of fish. The following table is very helpful and you wouldn't have to use the above formula. Remember that these are averages and that a skinnier than normal fish will weigh less and a fat fish will weigh more. For example, the current Utah, State Record, tiger musky is 42 inches long and weighed 20 pounds 7 ounces (20.44 pounds). Just about the same as the weight shown in the table.

Mean weights for tiger muskies by size

Inches	Pounds
24.00	3.24
28.00	5.42
30.00	6.83
32.00	8.47
34.00	10.36
36.00	12.54
38.00	15.02
40.00	17.83
42.00	20.98
44.00	25.50
46.00	28.42
48.00	32.76
50.00	37.54
52.00	42.79

"If you have a scale and want to weigh the fish, either weigh it in the net or in a wet, lightweight sack," he said. "Hooking the fish under the gills and hanging it up vertically can cause serious internal injury. A fish's internal organs are built to have support from surrounding water, not hanging vertically in the air."

Photographing your catch

Pettengill said it's best to take a picture while the fish is in the water.

If you do decide to bring the fish out of the water, hold it by the gill cover with one hand and support the belly with the other hand. Take the first picture within four feet of the fish and move back slowly, taking more pictures if desired.

"Never keep the fish out of the water more than 30 seconds," he said.

Releasing the fish

Hold the fish upright in the water until it can easily swim away. With a larger fish you may have to support the body by holding the head and the belly.

Caution

"Always be very careful when unhooking large fish. They are strong and while thrashing around they can rip a loose hook into you," Pettengill said. "The larger hooks used to land large fish can be very difficult to remove if one is buried in your hand or arm."

Also, fish with large teeth like a muskie's can cause serious injury.

"You do not have to fear these fish," Pettengill said. "They will not try to bite you intentionally but they do have a mouth full of large teeth."

By following these tips anglers can help assure Pineview Reservoir's tiger muskie will continue doing what they do best — controlling the reservoir's panfish population and providing anglers some great fishing thrills.