Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

     Muskellunges have a "lone wolf" type of feeding. They typically lie in the weeds, literally, and wait for prey to go by. A fry (Muskellunge juvenile) will usually begin predation of other fish only 4 days after birth, until then they usually eat smaller organisms like water spiders. Muskellunges can begin aggressive predation at only 2 inches of length. Due to flexible jaws, Muskellunges can eat an organism up to 30% of its body size. Adults eat a wide variety of organisms like Largemouth Bass,  ducks (Anas platyrhynchos or Aix spansa). However, with regards to the season, Muskellunges are actually very finicky eaters. They usually eat only smaller fish in the spring, and raise the stakes in the fall going after much bigger prey. Most commonly, Muskellunges won't eat a lot when the temperatures are below 50 degrees Fahrenheit in the spring. When temperatures  are between 70 and 80 degrees, Muskellunge feeding is in full force. This elevated level of feeding continues into the fall, however once the temperatures fall below 40 degrees the rate of consumption greatly deceases. Muskellunges usually remain quite dormant during the winter months. To see some Muskellunges in action, watch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BHgp41NE4k&feature=related, you will no longer wonder why they have the word "lunge" in their name (The whole video is good, but the best action is about 1:05 into the footage). This video shows the quick strike of a hungry Muskellunge.
    But searching the gut of a Muskellunge is like rolling a dice, you probably won't know exactly you will find. Their prey can range anywhere from water spiders to dogs. They usually eat large minnows and other game fish; but, they have been known to eat birds, mice, ducklings and frogs. Due to their large feeding pool, some people think Muskellunges dominate lakes and kill all the other small fish. However this is not true. Muskellunges have such a large array of prey, that they never decimate any one type of organism's population. In fact, this is the opposite of Muskellunges. They are selective predators, meaning they allow certain prey to go by. Although they consume a wide range of food, they are not random feeders; some Muskellunges have exhibited prey memory, meaning they will go after their favorite prey if it is available. However, when the food source dwindles Muskellunges will hunt outside of the box. They have been known to eat other Muskellunges (although encounters are rare). When a Muskellunge goes for prey, they usually attack the head region first. They try to get as big of a bite on the head, in attempts to kill their prey immediately. To watch the results of a Muskellunge bite on a Crappie, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5jCg2KnmXQ&feature=related, skip to about 1:20 into the video (notice must of the 'destruction' is directly below the head). To see another great video of a Muskellunge in action, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VQvFEytXIY  (I recommend you skip to about 40 seconds into the video). Why do I only see the greatest number of Muskellunge Fry during the spring?