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Posts: 32886
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Larry Ramsell submitted this picture and information; thanks sir!
Steve:
Attached is a good photo that can help to educate anglers how to tell the difference between a male and female muskie. The "keyhole" shape on top is the male and the
"pear" (or "8") shape on the bottom is a female.
Muskie regards,
Larry Ramsell
(Male-Female_muskies.jpg)
Attachments
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 Male-Female_muskies.jpg (30KB - 1633 downloads)
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Location: Sun Prairie, WI | Steve,
This is great info, but I gotta tell ya, it was the title of the post that piqued my curiosity!  I was wondering what that meant, LOL!! |
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Posts: 8782
| I heard if you turn them over and rub their tummies they go right to sleep... |
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Posts: 178
| Larry, thanks for sharing the excellent photos. In a new era wherein we may be able to encourage some harvest of small slow-growing muskellunge with slot limits, it will be important for the most proficient and experienced anglers and guides to be able to distinguish males from females, allowing them to voluntarily release legal, sub-slot females.
Dave Neuswanger
Fisheries Team Leader, Upper Chippewa Basin
Wisconsin DNR, Hayward |
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Posts: 1291
Location: Hayward, Wisconsin | Dave & all:
I sent it to Steve to be added to your post on the Research board, but likely gets more exposure here by all (who should go and read your thread). I like the "slot" idea and was going to do an article on it several years ago, but figured with the TOTAL catch and release mentality prevelant at the time it wouldn't be favorably accepted. Now I think the time is right. As you pointed out, the males NEED to be thinned.
Dare I say they taste good? Na...
Photo courtesy of Dr. Bernard Lebeau. |
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| Thanks for posting this and the keyhole is the way to identify males as the illustration points out very well. It is cool to know when you catch a big male because they can be very aggresive and fun to fight, but will never get as big as their female counterparts. |
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| This should be permanently added to this website somewhere. Under FAQs perhaps.
Great stuff Larry!
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Posts: 572
Location: Germantown, WI | True Muskie Porn, but educational! |
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Posts: 2091
Location: Stevens Point, WI | Thanks Larry very good info for sure. |
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Posts: 929
Location: Rhinelander. | Thank you for those pics. I think it is impotant to know how to sex muskies as it will greatly increase the success of slot limits sizes. By knowing how to sex them an angle can keep the smaller males if hey wish to keep one and the females can go back to swim another day. In fact I think that any lake that may ever slot limits on it should have it posted with those picstures on the posting.
Pfeiff
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Posts: 178
| DON PFEIFFER said: "I think that any lake that may ever have slot limits on it should have it posted with those pictures on the posting."
DAVE: Good idea, Don. And we could add a note about the desirability of releasing females voluntarily. If Larry is willing to share those photos with me, I would prepare such a poster for boat landings on slot limit lakes, assuming a majority of anglers and the DNR Board approve such regulations. I would give appropriate credit to Dr. Bernard Lebeau for the photos, if permitted to use them.
Dave Neuswanger
Fisheries Team Leader, Upper Chippewa Basin
Wisconsin DNR, Hayward
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Posts: 1291
Location: Hayward, Wisconsin | Dave you have mail. |
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Posts: 178
| Got the pics, Larry. Thanks much!
Dave Neuswanger
Fisheries Team Leader, Upper Chippewa Basin
Wisconsin DNR, Hayward |
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Posts: 929
Location: Rhinelander. | Hope it works out well Dave.
Pfeiff
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Posts: 81
| good info. |
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Posts: 656
Location: Forest Lake, Mn. | Thanks for the photo. I knew this but was never sure in my mind so it's nice to see a direct comparison.
In reading the comments I was surprised to see support for a slot limit for harvest of smaller males. First I've heard anything of this subject but then I don't pay as close attention as I used to do. I don't know where this proposal for a slot limit is, what state?
However the first thing that popped into my mind is that it isn't a very good idea because it will lead to confusion by the general angling public who aren't avid muskie fishermen and just may happen to catch a muskie. Even with signs up I don't think that they will pay enough attention or care enough to differentiate between male and female fish and that could lead to the harvest of females before they get truly big.
It's taken years to get the general public educated enough to even know the difference between pike and muskies... and still every so often someone keeps a sub legal muskie thinking it's a pike. So if people in general can't tell the difference between fish species that well I don't think they're going to do a very good job of differentiating between fish sexes. Just something for you all to consider as you move forward with a slot harvest for males.
You know that people will keep smaller females and claim they thought it was a male or didn't know the difference just because they want to keep the fish. It is just human nature. They'll work the angle any way they can.
Edited by fishpoop 8/21/2013 9:08 AM
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| The comment about not setting slot limits based on sex reminded me of a fish I caught on opening day 5 or 6 years ago. The DNR had set fyke nets on our chain right after ice out and did fin clips on the muskies.
The fish I caught was 30" and had a fresh fin clip. As requested, I called the local DNR office to report that I had caught a clipped fish. They had asked that folks call and tell them and include where the fish was caught. When I told them which fin was clipped, they said they had not marked any with that particular clip. Then after few seconds, he said wait, wait, we did have one on that lake of that length. We did that particular fin clip because we could not determine the gender.
Now, if a crew of very experienced fisheries guys are not sure of gender in all cases, how could a casual angler be sure? One of the crew members stayed on and did creel surveys a couple days a week for the whole season on the chain. He had worked as a fisheries tech for over 30 years, and estimated he had handled several thousand muskies from nets over his career. |
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Posts: 2894
Location: Yahara River Chain | North of 8 - 8/22/2013 11:47 AM
The comment about not setting slot limits based on sex
Now, if a crew of very experienced fisheries guys are not sure of gender in all cases, how could a casual angler be sure?
If you are not sure, then don't harvest - period. If the fish was undermined by the DNR tech, just maybe it was not sexually mature to do so. Clearly this would have to be advisory as far as harvest goes, because I'm sure that in some cases, it could not be a sure thing. |
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Posts: 20219
Location: oswego, il | when in doubt look for an adams apple. |
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Posts: 456
Location: Kansas City BBQ Capitol of the world | I'd like to tell you about that male but It's kind of cold and pointless.
Ron |
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