musky swimming with head out of water

[chessy]

first off .. I don't drink or smoke or take pills lol.   my son and I witness a musky swimming with head out of water past our boat at about 50 yards away it swam that way for about 300 yards or so... I was shocked to see it .. 

[Garnet]

I,ve seen this several times the first time was at Moon River Basin. I was casting a shoreline and got this Erie feeling. Looked behind and here's my target just watching me, when I moved trolling motor it moved to watch me.

Really spooky, fish that area everyday trying to raise the fish just didn't happen.

[Old Ironmaker]

Not normal is an understatement, it would creep me out especially if it followed me, oh my oh me. I've seen one Musky pick off a line of little ducklings one after another until Moma duck went berzerk. That was the wildest thing I've seen a Musky do but swim with it's head out of water for 300 yards. That's a lot of time without O2 for any fish, even 300 feet. Que theme to Twilight Zone. Checked the calender, a long way until April. I don't doubt you, just save me some of whatever you are taking. 

Edited November 12, 2021 by Old Ironmaker

[Terry]

I have seen it more times then I can count

muskie and pike

i just googled it and it looks like it’s a well known thing 

 

[Garnet]

I also seen  it on tri lakes couple times and a gaint pike on Bay of Quinte close to Lake Ontario.

Seems random different weather and water conditions.

[LostAnotherOne]

A lot of theories but it would be cool if it was looking for food.  

[knightfisher]

Happened to me while trolling my sportspal in the upper Niagara. Came out of a creek towards me and then turned parallel with the canoe. For a moment I didn't feel safe, as this was a hog of a ski.

 

[misfish]

Q & A
Musky – Odd Behavior
Question
Why do musky sometimes swim slowly with their head out of the water? I have seen this twice in the last 2 years.
Answer
We receive more descriptions of unusual behavior associated with muskellunge than most other fish. For most of us trying to catch a trophy muskellunge, the “odd” behavior is swimming toward a lure and turning away just as one’s heart begins pounding in anticipation of an attack. From time to time, we do hear from anglers who have witnessed similar “head above water” actions like you describe.
There are a couple of theories about this action, including:
• Since muskellunge attack prey from the side and then swallow them head-first, the musky might bet taking one last gulp associated with consumption of a large meal.
• Musky like to be well acquainted with their surroundings and are surfacing to get a “better look around.”
Muskellunge have also been seem “basking” and occasionally “porpoising” with their backs out of the water. This is suspected to be associated with getting to warmer surface water, perhaps to increase metabolism and aid digestion of a large meal (reptiles seek warmth for similar reasons).

[Rizzo]

yes I have also seen this from both pike and musky. Never managed to get one of em to bite either

[Mr Greedydrift]

Ive never seen a musky swimming with its head out of the water, but ive had one attack my trolling motor. 

The motor was running at low speed, scared the crap out of me.

[fisherman7]

I've seen it once on Upper Buckhorn.

[porkpie]

16 hours ago, LostAnotherOne said:

A lot of theories but it would be cool if it was looking for food.  

They are.  We had a giant pike swim into a line of our diver decoys at the top end of lake simcoe about 25 years ago and he attempted to grab a bufflehead decoy.  It was the coolest thing ever!

[DanD]

On 11/12/2021 at 4:08 PM, Old Ironmaker said:

That's a lot of time without O2 for any fish

They breath through their gills, not their mouths; so lack of oxygen likely wouldn't be an issue. Maybe they are like some people; born rubber neckers trying see all they can? My wife says that, she's not nosy just very interested on what's going on. LOL

Dan. 

[LefroyFisherman]

Interesting, wonder how long til they develop feet and exit the water

[irishfield]

They're just keeping an eye out for GBFisher.... 

[Terry]

1 minute ago, irishfield said:

They're just keeping an eye out for GBFisher.... 

seems they do the same thing right here 

lol

[Old Ironmaker]

4 hours ago, DanD said:

They breath through their gills, not their mouths; so lack of oxygen likely wouldn't be an issue. Maybe they are like some people; born rubber neckers trying see all they can? My wife says that, she's not nosy just very interested on what's going on. LOL

Dan. 

That's still a lot of time for a fish out of water. Are the gills on fish that kinda look like ears. Maybe they are listening for fisherman. 

Edited November 14, 2021 by Old Ironmaker

[DanD]

4 hours ago, Old Ironmaker said:

That's still a lot of time for a fish out of water.

Yea you're right; but I have had pike sitting on the ice while ice fishing for a number of hours. They sure seemed frozen and looked dead. Get home from the day's fishing and put the 3 or 4 fish in a tub of water allowing them to thaw before cleaning. My son (then 8 or 10) stayed in the garage where the fish were; no doubt mucking around with the fish. About 20 or so minutes go by and he comes running into the house as if his ass was on fire.

Dad Dad the fish are alive!!!!

Sure enough there was one that was swimming upright and circling the 50 gallon water trough. True story. All the guys that were there got pretty hammered having a few cocktails watching this pike swimming and splashing in the tub.

Dan.  

 

[Terry]

I have almost the same exact story 

son went running from a pike in the tub that had been frozen for hours

 

[Old Ironmaker]

2 hours ago, Terry said:

I have almost the same exact story 

son went running from a pike in the tub that had been frozen for hours

 

I've been known to scare the beejeesus out of a few unsuspecting 8 year olds holding the beating Pike heart on my finger. I did a whole Dr. Frankenstein "IT'S ALIVE" thing at the cottage. The 1st time I learned about the lonevity of a Pike was when I dumped the cooler on the lawn in Hamilton and we drove however long it takes to get from Port Severn to Stoney Crik. 

Northern Pike, the fish called by a dozen different names especially down south. 

[BillM]

I've seen both muskie and pike do this out on Gbay.   It's definitely odd and I've never caught a single one of them  (And you can bet I casted at them lol)

[Canuck]

The same.  Not often, but I have seen this.  The biggest I saw was a pike on Lulu Lake in Esker Lakes PP in July many years ago.  It would have been the better part of 20lbs. It was in about 10ft of water over a weedy area. Couldn't get it to bite either.