Need help identifying tiger musky or pike

[96straight]

My buddy caught this, and at first we thought it was a pike because the colors were exactly like a pike. But the pattern is so strange that it couldn’t be a pike and we think tiger musky. We don’t know for sure but that’s our best guess. What are your guys thoughts? 

[bassbass]

pickerel

[chevro1et]

8 minutes ago, bassbass said:

pickerel

Yep. Chain Pickerel. 

[96straight]

5 minutes ago, chevro1et said:

Yep. Chain Pickerel. 

The thing is I’ve never heard or seen anyone catch a chain pickerel anywhere near northern Wisconsin. They aren’t in any other lakes around me or in any of the rivers. 

[willlliw]

I'd guess it's a pike, do they have both pike and musky in that body of water?

[96straight]

12 minutes ago, willlliw said:

I'd guess it's a pike, do they have both pike and musky in that body of water?

Yes there is both musky and pike so I thought it would be a tiger. 

[Swimbait302]

36 minutes ago, bassbass said:

pickerel

There’s no way that’s a pickerel 

[CG_Fishes]

It's a pike, just a strange colored one

Pickerel have a black stripe under their eye and are green with black markings

Pike have light tan markings on a dark brown body, their fins are a light yellow to a bright orange/scarlet with black markings and their caudal fin is rounded 

Muskie have dark markings on a light tan-green background and their caudal fin is almost crescent shaped and pointed

Tiger muskie also have dark markings on a light background but can be more of a teal-green color and their caudal fin is similar to a pike's but with more vibrant colors and a slight point

Also, don't hold pike or any fish in the esox family vertically, vertical holds re-arrange their guts which can lead to death. Think of this as the equivalent of someone holding a bass horizontally without supporting it's weight, breaking its jaw

Edited August 11, 2021 by CG_Fishes

[bassbass]

11 hours ago, Swimbait302 said:

There’s no way that’s a pickerel 

Ok

[yev14]

I attached a link that explains a good way to distinguish between Pike, Tigers, and Musky based on the size of their head. 

 

https://www.outdoorcanada.ca/is-it-a-muskie-pike-or-tiger-heres-how-the-experts-identify-these-fish/

[Bassburglar]

11 hours ago, CG_Fishes said:

It's a pike, just a strange colored one

Pickerel have a black stripe under their eye and are green with black markings

Pike have light tan markings on a dark brown body, their fins are a light yellow to a bright orange/scarlet with black markings and their caudal fin is rounded 

Muskie have dark markings on a light tan-green background and their caudal fin is almost crescent shaped and pointed

Tiger muskie also have dark markings on a light background but can be more of a teal-green color and their caudal fin is similar to a pike's but with more vibrant colors and a slight point

Also, don't hold pike or any fish in the esox family vertically, vertical holds re-arrange their guts which can lead to death. Think of this as the equivalent of someone holding a bass horizontally without supporting it's weight, breaking its jaw

You think holding a half pound hammer vertical is going to rearrange it’s guts? And being a juvenile can you really be so sure of what it is? 

[CG_Fishes]

5 hours ago, Bassburglar said:

You think holding a half pound hammer vertical is going to rearrange it’s guts? And being a juvenile can you really be so sure of what it is? 

1. No, but there is no reason not to practice your proper holds. Regardless of what people think of these fish they should be treated with respect, just as you would a bass.

2. That is 100% a Northern Piike, it doesn't even look close to anything else other than a Southern Pike which are only found in Italy or the Aquitanian Pike of France

[B_larkin3]

Definitely not a pickerel 

[Niki814]

Pike.  A awesome looking pike

[BASS_SWINGER]

Bass