mattyk Posted October 12, 2007 Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 (edited) I caught a pike this summer in Balsam lake and it got me thinking that there must be some Tiger muskies in there. Has any one caught a tiger musky in the kawartha lakes? Is the MNR doing anything to stop the slow invasion of pike across the kawarthas. I remember when Canal lake use to have a musky fishery until the pike made it into that lake and now its a lake filled with hammer handles. Same thing with lake Dalrymple, there use to be some nice musky in that lake but then the pike made it in there and lots of hammer handles and very few musky left. I have heard the same with Elephant lake, that pike have made it in there and the muskie fishery is declining. Edited October 12, 2007 by mattyk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lew Posted October 12, 2007 Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 Matt, there's plenty of stories about tigers in the Kawarthas, but in over 50 years of fishing there I've never come across one myself yet, or even a pike for that matter, infact I don't even know anybody who's caught one. I never could understand though, why the pike haven't migrated up the Trent and into the eastern Kawartha Lakes. The Trent system is a direct hiway up from Lake O, and the canal has been open for 100 years, so you'd think in all that time a few pike would find there way. But let's hope they never do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ranger520vx Posted October 12, 2007 Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 Lew, many years ago I recall reading about a Sonic Pike Barrier installed around Canal Lake that repels Pike migration further into Kawarthas. I tried to Google this but get nothing. Any MNR /Fleming types around to elaborate? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishnfiend Posted October 12, 2007 Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 I have not caught, but have seen tiger muskies from a couple kawartha lakes. They do exist (or at least did). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishnsled Posted October 12, 2007 Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 A buddy of mine had a 7 poundish pike on Balsam this past weekend and lost it at the boat. He also had his first tiger muskie the week before all of about 3-4 pounds. He wasn't sure if it was but the guy he was fishing with varified it. I've heard of serveral pike being caught in Balsam but in my hundreds of hours on that body of water I yet to get one myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lew Posted October 12, 2007 Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 Ranger, that sonic barrier near Canal may help stop the spread of pike from the western Kawarthas, but have you heard of anything in the east ?? I did hear of one down around Hasting to stop the gobies from moving north, but I think that one is fairly recent though. I spose it's only a matter of time till the snot rockets make their way north Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Posted October 12, 2007 Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 I did hear gobies in rice now I have yet to see pike in balsam and I do spend a good bit of time there each year when pike showed up in canal, they exploded for about 4 years you could not make a cast with out catching a 12" to 20" pike , if the lure had 3 hooks you would catch 3 at a time on some casts...and it changed to whole lake and not for the better, lets hope it doesn't happen else where and please kill any pike you catch in balsam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b2kptbo Posted October 12, 2007 Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 Was with a buddy about 8yrs ago and he got a good size Tiger, south side of Bridgenorth Causeway. Got a picture but not digital... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattyk Posted October 12, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 (edited) i kept the pike that i caught on balsam. I didnt know they had installed a Barrier to keep the pike out. That sounds like a good plan. I wonder if they will ever try to reestablish muskies in lakes like Canal or Dalyrmple similar to the lake simcoe project. Edited October 12, 2007 by mattyk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky or Specks Posted October 12, 2007 Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 Unfortunatly reintroduction of Musky just wouldnt be that successfull in the Kawarthas. Musky there evolved without pike for competition and act just like pike in their spawning behavior. There are actually two kinds of musky identified by their behavior. They are lacustrine and riverine. Simcoe had riverine musky that they lost due to loss of spawning habitat(offshore shoals). The Kawarthas have lacustrine musky which spawn on flooded shallow weeds and grass the same as pike. The pike spawn before the musky and the young pike chow down on the newly born Musky. You could introduce the riverine variety but a lot of the lakes in the Kawarthas just wouldn't have suitable spawning grounds and would be doomed to failure. Bad news Im afraid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rizzo Posted October 12, 2007 Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 We have relatives on Balsam who tell us the frequency of pike being caught is very low, but is increasing. I just started fishing there this year but I'll tell you now any pike that finds its way into my boat from Balsam will not be going back into the lake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Posted October 12, 2007 Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 love those tiger muskie sorry ron it is a joke Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lew Posted October 12, 2007 Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 But does your boss know how you spend your work days Terry ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misfish Posted October 12, 2007 Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 Terry is the BOSS Lew.LOL Well he thinks he is.LOL Thats a good one. I know Ron has a sence of humor.I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golfisher Posted October 12, 2007 Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 Nice kitty! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishnsled Posted October 12, 2007 Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 Nice job on the "tiger muskie" Terry! lol! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Handlebarz Posted October 12, 2007 Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 (edited) WOW that tiger looks like it could be a new record judging from her markings I would say roughly 54" congratz ron that one loks like she came from pigeion Edited October 12, 2007 by MrEh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jigger Posted October 12, 2007 Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 I think that some of the pike that are in the Kawarthas could have made their way downstream, not up. There are pike in some of the lakes in Haliburton that perhaps could have followed the current toward the Kawartha lakes. I've been doing my best to keep them out of the water, but can only have so many Pike steaks. I take any I get under 30in. I think I caught my first Tiger Musky this past weekend. I've been trying to get the pic loaded up, but my PC isn't allowing me to get any pics off my camera. Water birds could carry eggs over as well, seeing as pike eggs are sticky. The eggs could get picked up in a spawning bay and transported to another waterbody when the bird brushes up against some weeds or branches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistaredone Posted October 12, 2007 Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 Elephant and Baptiste are rampant now with 1-2 pound pike. I haven't hit a muskie under 33" in a few years on those lakes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishinfool Posted October 12, 2007 Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 Been fishing Balsam since I was thirteen and have never heard of or caught a Pike there. I hope they never make it up to the highest lake on the Trent. Started fishing Crappies just two years ago on Balsam though, never knew they existed on our lake before then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jediangler Posted October 13, 2007 Report Share Posted October 13, 2007 We stopped holding our annual musky weekend at Elephant lake after going there from 1991 until 2000. During that time we caught many muskies and no pike. We had heard that they had a foothold in Baptiste lake so we knew it would only be a matter of time. In 2002 we caught 14 pike and no musky. I've seen several pics of tigers from both Elephant and Baptiste. If a tiger is what your after, these lakes could be your best bet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jigger Posted October 20, 2007 Report Share Posted October 20, 2007 Finally got the pic of what I suspect is a tiger musky. Not the best, but it shows pretty distinct markings. I'll let you guys be the judge. Fish was a good size, close to 40in. Just had the spinnerbait in the side of the mouth, one hook so I released at boatside... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattyk Posted October 20, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2007 looks like a tiger to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joonmoon Posted October 20, 2007 Report Share Posted October 20, 2007 Yup I'd say she's a toothy kitty. Nice shot at boatside too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinker Posted October 20, 2007 Report Share Posted October 20, 2007 Nice pic!! I'd say that's a tiger for sure!! If not, its one hell of a nice looking musky!! You got that in the kawarthas?? Sinker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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