Interesting Facts

     In the 19th century, Muskellunges were very susceptible to fables. It was told that they used to grow quite larger than any current species known today. If you were to catch a Muskellunge under 50 pounds, you mind as well throw it back because a "real monster" was just on the other side of the boat. However, we now know that Muskellunges usually don't live that close together. Also, to suspect that an 80 or 100 pound Muskellunge is in your local lake is wishful thinking. Currently, there are 4 species of escoids: Esox masquinongy, E. lucius, E. niger, and E. americanus. The largest of these 4 species is of course Esox masquinongy.
    And if you have been fishing for a Muskellunge your entire life and never caught one, you may feel you have earned one. You have spent a lot of money of the years, yet you have never had any luck. Then you decided the state has got enough of your money and you decide to quit the Muskellunge game. However, most states lose money on Muskellunge fishing! If an angler was to buy a license their entire life, they have paid for only 2 or 3 Muskellunges to be stocked in 1 lake. These are very expensive fish to maintain and regulate, so don't feel ripped off if you haven't caught your fair share of Muskellunges, because financially, that share is very low.
    Another interesting quirk about Muskellunges, is that they like to sun themselves. Although they are a warm blooded creature, they still enjoy the warmth of the sun in their skin. However, although a Muskellunge likes to catch sun rays in a certain location, they may not call that area home. Muskellunges are sedentary creatures, knowing this anglers will waste hours casting into a bay they have seen a Muskellunge near the surface if the water in, but this may be far from the cozy log or rock that the Muskellunge dwells  under. For some Muskellunge music, check out http://www.myspace.com/muskellungebluegrass. Hopefully after visiting out my site, you feel more respect for Esox masquinongy than Robert Barnwell Roosevelt (Theodore Roosevelt's uncle) did, "believe in no one who boasts of the flavor of the mascallonge, cook him as you will, he is nothing but a dirty, flabby, tasteless pickerel. And as for the sport... sleep comfortably 'till either a call from your oarsmen or a tug at your leg rouses you to the dreary work of pulling in a worthless, unresisting log".  Lets learn more about the legend.