River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1922-05-04
Out-Of-Doors
BY Wisco

Waters" in speaking of the members
Of the pike (esox) family, treats Of
the great northern pike and the pick
eral as being one and the same fish.
While the description given in this
article is exactly the same as that
given by Jordan in his American
Game Fishes Becker does not take
into consideration the fact that DE-.
Jordan is describing in his article the
common pike or pickerel. Ii he had
read little further he would have
found that DR.. Jordan treated separ-
ately of the great northern pike. The
Doctor ends short description OF
this fish with the statement tnat
This form has not been studied
critically and it's relation to +. mas
ouinongy (muskalonge) and e. ohien-
sis (Chautauqua muskalonge) have
not been clearly made out" Since DIR.
Jordan wrote his wonderful work on
game fishes, fifteen years ago, TINS
variety of the esox family has been
extensively studied.
1t is now generally accepted that
there are three distinct members o.
the pike family in northern Wlscon-
sin and Minnesota; the common PICK
eral. esox vermiculatus, the great nor
them pike, esox immaculatus, and the
nuskalonge. esox masquinongy. Inc
nickerel and the great northern pike
inbabit most of our lakes and streams.
They will be found in the same waters
and fishermen generally do not dlt-
ferentiate between them. There is,
however. a difference, not only ana
tonlically, but in their sporting quail
Ties as well. The common pickerei,
,despised by many fishermen, STANDS
we'll towards the bottom of the list OF
game fishes. He has distinct yellow
streak, being decidedly lacking in the
staying qualities that mark real
fighter. The great northern pike, on
the other hand has fighting heart
and will prove a worthy antagonist
when caught on reasonably light tao
kle. He is a much huskier fish and
attains a weight considerably IN ex-
cess of that attained by the pickerel.
pike of thirty pounds is not rar-
itv in northern Wisconsin, while the
limit of growth of the pickerel is fiji
teen pounds. Mr.. Watson, editor OF
Field & Stream, states that the limit
for the pickerel is eight pounds
The musky stands in class by NM
self as a fighter. No gamier fish
swims fresh water than this bronze
tiger of our northern streams and
lakes. Once hooked, he will give no
Quarter until he is in the boat. His
clean leaps and terrific smashes Will
try the metal of tackle and of fisher
mans nerves. This member OF the
pike family is found in Wisconsin IN
the Chippewa River and waters tribu-
tary to the Chippewa only. The
musky, in so far as / know, does not
inbabit waters in which there are 9TH
er members of the esox family. The
reason for this fact is not known, but,
nevertheless, muskies are not found
il streams or lakes inhabited by pick
ereT or great northern pike.
Warren H. Miller, in the Outdoors
mans Handbook" gives detailed and
accurate description of the three
members of the pike family with
POINTS of differentiation. According
to Mr.. Miller, the easiest means OF
differentiation between the three
members is by the scales on the
cheeks and gill covers. The pickerel
has scales covering the entire cheek
and gill covers; the great northern
pike has scales covering the entire
cheek and the upper part of the gill
covers; while the muskalonge has
scales covering the upper part OF the
cheek and the upper part of the gill
covers.
The fishermen should familiarize
himself with the distinguishing fea-
lures of these members of the pike
family. He should not hold ia con-
tempt every fish of the general char
acteristics of the omnipresent picker
el. Every member of the family, if
caught on light tackle will put up a
creditable scrap. The great northern
pike is worthy of the title of ''game
fish, while the musky is fighter par
excellence, and, pound for pound, will
out fight any other game fish found
in our northern waters.
Trout Season Opens
The open season for trout in the
state of Wisconsin was ushered in on
Monday of this week. As is usual on
the Kinnickinnic the fishermen were
so numerous that it was with difficult