Fisherpete Posted July 2, 2008 Report Share Posted July 2, 2008 On my June fishing trip (which I will post a report soon), my bud Patrick and I each caught a Muskie on Balsam lake, and if I am not mistaken, both could be tiger muskies?? What do you guys think? Here's the pics. I guess there may be some truth to all the rumours of Pike being in Balsam... not a good thing... 30" 37" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pigeontroller Posted July 2, 2008 Report Share Posted July 2, 2008 Look like Tigers to me, rounded tail fins are the giveaway I think. Seems weird that there are Tigers being caught almost regularly but no Pike..? Both beautiful fish, especailly the bigger one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillM Posted July 2, 2008 Report Share Posted July 2, 2008 Look like Tigers to me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Johnny Bass Posted July 2, 2008 Report Share Posted July 2, 2008 I've also caught tiger muskies on balsam. Never caught a pike there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jigger Posted July 2, 2008 Report Share Posted July 2, 2008 They both look like Tigers to me. The dorsal fin looks weird on the first one. Think there are sailfish in Balsam? Congrats either way man, some guys fish a long time without hooking into one. Second one is real nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike the Pike Posted July 2, 2008 Report Share Posted July 2, 2008 Nice lookin stripey fish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joonmoon Posted July 2, 2008 Report Share Posted July 2, 2008 Awesome fish dude, nice work. Hope to get a tiger someday myself. Do they fight like Pike or similar to Skis? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bucktail Posted July 2, 2008 Report Share Posted July 2, 2008 Thats not good, they are definatlty tigers. Awesome fish but if they show up its a sign that pike have either got in there thru the Trent system or mor likely they got in thru a bait bucket. Kawartha muskie are a seperate sub species that doesnt do well when pike are introduced. I still would love to catch a tiger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pigeontroller Posted July 2, 2008 Report Share Posted July 2, 2008 Thats not good, they are definatlty tigers.Awesome fish but if they show up its a sign that pike have either got in there thru the Trent system or mor likely they got in thru a bait bucket. Kawartha muskie are a seperate sub species that doesnt do well when pike are introduced. I still would love to catch a tiger. Actually, there is no sub-species of Muskie. There is one species of Muskie in Ontario, they have just adapted locally to withever enviroment they evolved in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smbhunter Posted July 2, 2008 Report Share Posted July 2, 2008 100% tigers. What beautiful looking fish. I have heard of a few odd pike being caught in there the last couple of years, but I also recall years back that Stoney lake had been stocked with some tigers. I'm not sure if they still do it, or if they stocked other kawartha lakes with them as well. In any case they are great looking fish. Good job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky or Specks Posted July 2, 2008 Report Share Posted July 2, 2008 Actually, there is no sub-species of Muskie. There is one species of Muskie in Ontario, they have just adapted locally to withever enviroment they evolved in. Actually Dr Bernard Lebeau is doing work trying to prove that there is two distinct sub species. Riverine and Lacustrine Link http://www.chippewaflowage.com/musky_study.html I beleive eventually his findings will become an accepted truth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gone_fishin Posted July 2, 2008 Report Share Posted July 2, 2008 one of our members reported a pike catch on balsam last summer... http://www.ofncommunity.com/forums/index.p...1&hl=balsam they both look like tigers to me too! could be stocked though... who knows! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pigeontroller Posted July 2, 2008 Report Share Posted July 2, 2008 (edited) Interesting read, but this study was to conclude in 2001, what were the results of Lebeau's theory? Edited July 2, 2008 by Pigeontroller Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jediangler Posted July 2, 2008 Report Share Posted July 2, 2008 Definately Tigers. Maybe the Tigers are eating the pike . I heard of Tigers being caught on Elephant and Baptiste lakes in recent years as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky or Specks Posted July 2, 2008 Report Share Posted July 2, 2008 Interesting read, but this study was to conclude in 2001, what were the results of Lebeau's theory? The Jury is still out. Things move very slow in taxonomis classification circles. Took forever to reclassify steelhead, auroura trout,sunapee trout and walleye. The whole freaking world has to agree before any change will be made. It is still just a hypothesis. But one in which I am a firm believer. Its a good explanation for the size difference between kawartha fish and others as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbac31 Posted July 2, 2008 Report Share Posted July 2, 2008 I have caught 2 Pike there this year. I saw a guy catch a very large one there on Friday. There has been a few more catched there this year. The 2 I caught were around 6-7 lbs. I have caught Tigers in there before as well. Most of the pike have come from the Mouth of the trent on Mitchell side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gone_fishin Posted July 2, 2008 Report Share Posted July 2, 2008 I have caught 2 Pike there this year. I saw a guy catch a very large one there on Friday. There has been a few more catched there this year. The 2 I caught were around 6-7 lbs. I have caught Tigers in there before as well. Most of the pike have come from the Mouth of the trent on Mitchell side. that can't be good for the kawarthas as a whole! i hope they don't take over the muskie fishery like they did in Dalrymple... not very many muskies in there anymore! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pigeontroller Posted July 2, 2008 Report Share Posted July 2, 2008 The Jury is still out. Things move very slow in taxonomis classification circles. Took forever to reclassify steelhead, auroura trout,sunapee trout and walleye. The whole freaking world has to agree before any change will be made. It is still just a hypothesis. But one in which I am a firm believer. Its a good explanation for the size difference between kawartha fish and others as well. I definately agree there are different genetics involved, but that doesn't nessarilly make them different species... Either way, I like the fat ones! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbac31 Posted July 2, 2008 Report Share Posted July 2, 2008 Balsam will be ruined for sure. Such a clear lake the Pike will thrive there very easily. I would give it a couple of years for sure then it will be over run by Pike for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gone_fishin Posted July 2, 2008 Report Share Posted July 2, 2008 if balsam gets over-run by pike, it won't be long before the other kawarthas follow suit, unfortunately... Like i said before, Dalrymple is a perfect example, there are still a few muskies left (and they are BIG), but there are just too many pike to contend with... i REALLY hope the other kawartha lakes don't follow the same pattern. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillM Posted July 2, 2008 Report Share Posted July 2, 2008 So any pike caught on Balsam should be kept for dinner? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattyk Posted July 2, 2008 Report Share Posted July 2, 2008 those are tiger muskies. Here is a picture of a pike that i caught in balsam last year. The MNR needs to to something about this pike invasion before it spreads. Soon Balsam will be like Canal and Darymple over run with dinky pike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reef Runner Posted July 2, 2008 Report Share Posted July 2, 2008 Tiger 100%. Beautiful looking fish. It is true that Pike have over ran Darlymple and Canal Lakes, at the detrement of the musky fisheries there. They are in there, however, all that I've caught were tigers but they are extremely difficult to hunt. There are signs posted at the Kirkfield lift lock not to bring over pike into Mitchell and Balsam and I beleive the operator on the liftlock has directions to check the tanks if any got through. Further, the MNR pulls nets through Balsam every couple years to check on pike populations. It is ineveitable that they will find their way into the lake, but programs are in place to slow the proliferation amongst anglers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Posted July 2, 2008 Report Share Posted July 2, 2008 Coloration and rounded fins are just a few of many factors to make a Tiger or "Hybrid" Here is a poster to help you identify your fish a little clearer, hope it helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinker Posted July 2, 2008 Report Share Posted July 2, 2008 That 37"er is a beauty!!! Sinker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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