A crossover northern pike and muskie hybrid, close to home.
We had already completed several passes over a well-known underwater hump noted to attract hungry muskellunge. Trolling past what was known as Jeter Castle on Greenwood Lake – so named after the Yankee great who once owned the 24-room lakefront Tiedemann Castle estate – Capt. Dave Vollenweider made a slight turn towards Fox’s Island when the rod jumped in its rod holder. Leaping up I grabbed the rod set the hook, keeping pressure on my unseen adversary as Dave cleared the lines and grabbed the large Frabill net.
The gold Buck Perry Spoon plug held firm as I worked the ill-tempered fish towards the waiting net. My jaw dropped wide open as the majestic musky was quickly scooped up. Momentarily we just stood there looking at each other, eyes wide open, just prior to jumping up and down and high fiving as we took in the sight of this splendid masterpiece of hybrid engineering.
Now, how we got to this point does in fact begin in the lab, one run by the New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife out at the Hackettstown Fish Hatchery in Warren County, NJ. That’s where I got the chance to speak the hatchery’s superintendent, Craig Lemon, about the process. “We have used both crosses, but we typically use the female northern pike with the male muskellunge,” Lemon said about the unique tiger muskie fishery of New Jersey.
“Female pike come in ripe a couple of weeks earlier than female muskellunge. That way the fingerlings are larger for fall stocking,” Lemon said, adding “They seem to train on dry food better also. Muskies are just more difficult all around.”
The Hatchery Process
According to Lemon, northern pike trap netting begins just after ice out, usually around March 10 at Budd Lake. Captured adult pike are brought back to the hatchery and checked for sex and ripeness. The hatchery itself holds 20 to 30 male muskies in a pond year round which will spawn with ripe female pike. “The eggs are incubated in 52-degree spring water in hatching jars for 12 days until hatch,” Lemon said, adding “The newly hatched sac fry are moved to 350-gallon circular rearing tanks where they cling to suspended Astroturf mats for the next 5 days until their yolk sacs are fully absorbed and they begin to free swim.”
Lemon described how tank water temperatures are slowly raised from 52 to 68 degrees during this week long period, as the fry are fed a tiny mash diet while they are feed training. The feeder timers are set to drop feed every 5 minutes for 15 seconds, 24 hours a day. “Seems quite often, but is necessary to avoid cannibalism losses” he stated. “The fry quickly become fingerlings and at 2 inches they are inventoried into 1,000-gallon rectangular tanks. A month later at 6 inches they are moved into 2,000-gallon rectangular tanks.”
| LOCAL PRO |
| Whether you are a dedicated muskie hunter or simply want to learn the basics, Capt. Dave Vollenweider of New Jersey has over 20 years of experience in the freshwater fishery of New Jersey and is perhaps the hardest working and most knowledgeable muskellunge guides in the region. Call him at 862-684-5145 or visit his website at livetofishguideservice.com. |
According to Lemon, by mid-August – just four months after hatching – they will be 10 to 12 inches and ready for stocking. In 2024, the rundown on tiger muskie stocking throughout the Garden State has seen Cooper River Park, and DOD Lake (Department of Defense) both receiving 250 tigers, Lake Hopatcong getting 2,700, Lake Musconetcong receiving 670, Monksville getting 500, and Little Swartswood Lake and Furnace Lake each receiving over 100 tiger muskie of roughly a foot-long.
Indeed, a marvel to chase, a tiger muskie will grow 1-1/2 times faster than a pure strain muskie and can achieve trophy status in short order. Both species are used to control the excess forage in their new homes and don’t expend any energy in the spawning rituals since they’re sterile. The ideal freshwater gamefish, all they do is eat, swim and eat. Sounds pretty simple, yet they are extremely elusive and add credence to the moniker of the Fish of 10,000 Casts; For every several dozen muskies caught in New Jersey waters, perhaps one or two will be a tiger musky.
NJ’s Top 5 Tiger Waters
Begin your tiger hunt at New Jersey’s largest freshwater lake, Lake Hopatcong located in Hopatcong, Sussex County. At 2,500 acres it hosts a plethora of musky friendly structure and his home to both tiger muskies as well as pure strains. The lake is 9.5 miles long and has 38 miles of shoreline. Lush dying weedbeds in October and November are key spots; if you are casting for tigers, these beds that have held the fish throughout the summer and fall are a good starting point as temperatures drop when the fish will make a beeline for deeper climes. Look for nearby rocky points, as the heated rocks will hold active fish; cast along ledges, deep water humps and really work over fallen logs and docks.
If casting is not your thing, then trolling is sometimes the answer. Capt. Vollenweider is a big proponent of deep water trolling and over the past 20 or so years he has hoisted scores of muskies over the rail, into the camera lens and back into the water. “I believe that you increase your chances of tiger encounters by downsizing your baits,” advised Vollenweider, adding “Most tigers are caught incidentally by bass fisherman utilizing bass sized lures. Keep the adage in mind as you pursue your quarry.” You can launch your boat at Lee’s Marina (973-398-5199) or rent a boat and gear up at Dow’s Boat Rentals (973-663-3826).
Second on the list is the two-state bordered Greenwood Lake located in both Warwick, NY and Hewitt, NJ. New Jersey’s second largest lake at 1,900 acres, Greenwood is 7 miles long and ideal for both trolling and casting. This is the lake that has produced the most tiger muskie success for us. Currently there is no day launching on the New Jersey side of Greenwood Lake (which has been a major sociopolitical debate for the past several years). The good news is that De Feo’s (845-477-2552) on the New York side of Greenwood Lake welcomes out-of-state anglers and will continue to allow launching until “docks are pulled out sometime around mid-November.”
| ON THE ROAD |
| As you find yourself traveling around the Garden State, keep in mind that many of the freshwater bodies of size may hold some tremendous fishing opportunities. Monksville Reservoir for example has received tiger muskie stockings for over 20 years, and it is home of the current state record muskellunge. Moving southward, you can employ your piscatorial skills while chasing tigers in the D&R Canal around Manville, Carnegie Lake in Princeton, Manasquan Reservoir in Monmouth County, DOD Lake in Salem County, or Cooper River Park in Camden. All have received yearly stockings and surely a 20-pound-plus tiger resides in these waters! |
Coming up third on our list of quality muskie waters is the Delaware River. At 301 miles long, the techniques and tactics required to bring a tiger to net are only limited to your personal preferences. Casting spinnerbaits, cranking lip-less crankbaits, working topwaters are all good choices for covering and eliminating unproductive water. Concentrate on rocky shorelines, cast in and around fallen timber. Tigers are known for ambushing prey from these spots. Bucktail spinners worked deep will also work as the weather gets colder. And of course, don’t forget trolling gets the big fish. It should be remembered that New Jersey’s state record tiger muskie, a 29-pounder, was caught back in 1990 by Larry Migliarese on the Delaware.
Fourth on the list and a good location for mid-sized tigers is Lake Musconetcong on the border of Morris and Sussex counties. This 329-acre lake is home to largemouth bass, pickerel, sunfish and a growing abundance of 12-inch tiger muskies. This lake has been stocked for years and those transplants are now approaching bragging size. Musconetcong offers excellent habitat for hunting tigers, as the lush weedbeds are tiger holding magnets worth probing with spinnerbaits, jig and pigs, fluke type baits, crankbaits, top waters, and glide baits. You can really have a great time on this lake; it’s an excellent choice for learning “where to hunt tigers” as you gather tactics to apply to bigger waters.
Fifth on our top five list is Furnace Lake, a bowl-shaped 53-acre lake located in Warren County. Although considered tiny in comparison to other musky waters with a mean depth of 17 feet that bottoms out at around 35 feet, there is plenty of space to grow a true giant here. This lake is extremely pressured, thus why I have listed it last. Yes, although I’ve caught a couple of truly awesome muskies in this water, I’ve yet to put my paws on the elusive tigers known to inhabit this little gem. Even Craig Lemon mentioned that he wouldn’t be surprised if a 20-pounder wasn’t caught and released here one day.
Lures For Hunting Tigers
There are an absolute plethora of lures that you can utilize to entice your resilient quarry, but I adhere to the adage, of keeping it simple. To be sure, Leech Lake muskies can be a bear to catch, and, have rightfully earned their 10,000-cast moniker. Their hybrid offspring though will succumb to well-presented spinnerbait, fished hyper erratically alongside a weed bed. Live Target Blue Back Herring, Zara Spooks or the small River To Sea Whopper Plopper can work miracles when steadily retrieved over these same beds. Buzzbaits, as well as viciously yanked crankbaits like Live Target Perch Baits, Super Shads, and Bagley’s Monster Shads will all draw magnificent strikes.
| MOUNT UP |
| “Let ’em go, let ’em grow” is a pretty popular saying with a lot of anglers in both fresh and saltwater today. But to the best of my knowledge the term was coined by Rick Lax, a world-renowned taxidermist from Conover, Wisconsin. Lax has been working on muskies since he was 12 years old when he first begin helping his father Ron, owner of Lax Reproductions. In 1993, Rick became partners with his dad, as the catch & release mantra took hold, Lax grew an inventory of over 200 molds in varied lengths and girths, including the tiger muskie. Next time you hear someone say “let ‘em go, let ‘em grow,” give a quick thought to the tiger muskie, and to the folks at Lax Reproductions of Wisconsin (LaxReproduction.com.).
– Lou Martinez |
Be sure to pack your favorite jerkbaits too like the Rapala Husky Jerks, or Strike King’s KVD Elite 300’s. I mentioned the Buck Perry Spoon plugs earlier; while they do look a bit odd at first look, they really produce. Lastly, in cold water always keep a Rat-L-Trap on hand; my personal best muskie was caught on this classic lure!
Throughout the years I have developed a true affinity for the muskellunge. I’ve spent countless hours accompanying my friend and guide, Capt. Dave Vollenweider on many musky hunts. Together we learned the Buck Perry Spoon plugging method, and I believe we were the first to ring the bell on the effectiveness of extreme shallow trolling.
The one thing that is paramount in all of these hunts is to handle the muskie the least amount possible, take quick photos and measurements if needed, and be sure that the fish is released as quickly as possible. To achieve trophy status these tigers must live 10 plus years, and in the wild it is believed that they can live 10 to 15 years. Suffice to say, these beauties are too valuable to be caught just once.
