Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose Hybrid Musky ( Tiger Musky )

The hybrid musky is a musky and a northern pike cross......
it is a Great predator / sport fish with no worries about reproduction..

I would like to have one but I live too far south...

I have always wondered why no one has crossed a musky with a chain pickeral to make them more warm water tolerant for southern sportsman and or pond owners?

Has any one seen this cross before...I have researched the differant crosses from the family of fish and it seems it is possible...

Probably not done because the chain pickerel may reduce the ultimate size potential? Maybe also the appearance is not as striking and desirable as a CP X Musky?

My state has given up on tiger musky and only plants regular strain musky now for thre reasons:

1.) The tigers didn't seem to live very long and disappeared from the fishery very quickly.


2.) The regular strain musky here don't reproduce either, so they have the same advantage as the tigers.

3.) Musky and northern broodstock had to be easily accessible so it was just another expense.

Indeed the chain pickeral is smaller, however I have cuaght 36 inch chians and it was quite fun. If that could be pushed to 46 using musky genes that would be great. For me at least....
I guess exspense is an issue with any thing but Seems warmer water sportsman would pay a little more for them.

I guess southern fisherman and pond owners are not as familiar with muskys and are not really demanding them either.

It just seems the "Chain Musky" would be a great option for some warmer southern waters ...

Maybe some day someone will give it a try... There are a number of bodies of water where both musky and chain pickerel are found but there is no natural hybridization. However, areas where NP and musky are found there have been cases of natural hybridization.

If you've caught a 36" chain pickerel, you most likely caught a state record or very close. I caught a 33" chain pickerel in PA and it was 3 oz shy of the state record there.

I thought it seemed big, I looked up the state records, most only have LBS and not inches...Georgia has the bigest...

Florida 5 lbs 12 oz Lake Talquin Jep Dove 6/11/2004
Georgia 9 lbs 6 oz Homerville Baxley McQuaig Jr. 2/1/1961

I caught it some time ago, I did not tape it I only judged it against a cooler I had..So might have been in the lower 30's but still a sizable fish...

I have caught natural hybrids in Wisconsin, from my research it is when temps change really fast and the triggering spawning temps dont have a large enough time space between them casusing both fish to spawn at the same time. The sperm and eggs come in contact from each species as they are spawning with each other.

of coarse I am only an expert in my own mind......

My Main question though....Would a "Chain Musky" be more warm water hardy than a pure musky?

interesting link showing some Northern pike chain pickeral hybrids...
http://cjohn2979.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=Forum&action=display&thread=6904

Pure musky are the most warm water tolerant compared to NP or TM. Chain pickerel are obviously very tolerant as they can be found way into FL but also up to Canada. As to whether a hybrid between a pure musky and a pickerel would be more tolerant of warm water, it's hard to tell for sure but would seem likely...

That kind of question could be sent to your state fishery managers.

I would think a musky/chain pike hybrid would easily surpass the 9 pound record for pickerel but whether it would approach musky size is another question.

Still 10-15 pound fish could provide a nice sport fishery.