Musky Stocking in a couple new Western Washington Lakes

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Kevin Foote on June 19, 2012 at 10:57am

The bass fishing has improved since they stocked Tapps. Tigers are a good thing.

Permalink Reply by Ryan Higgins on June 19, 2012 at 11:11am

Curlew has seen a dramatic decrease in the number of Squawfish swimming around.

Permalink Reply by Tag Watson on June 19, 2012 at 12:39pm

If muskies like to dine on squawfish, they will love Lake Samish.

Permalink Reply by Kevin Foote on June 19, 2012 at 1:19pm

another reason to stock it.

Permalink Reply by Matt Krumdiack on June 19, 2012 at 2:10pm

Samish squawfish beware!!!!!

Permalink Reply by Ryan Higgins on June 19, 2012 at 2:25pm

Muskies prefer "Soft Rayed" fish.  Fish with this designation are Trout, Suckers, and Minnows like Chubs and Squawfish.  The trout are generally not in the Tigers diet as they occupy different zones in the water column.  During the winter and spring Trout make up a bigger portion of the Tigers diet as the Tigers go deeper around 25ft or more.  During the summer and fall the tigers are found in less than 15' of water for the majority of the time. 

In lakes like Evergreen Res. the tiger was planted to thin out the perch.  The tiger will eat spiny rayed fish if that is the majority of what is present and easily preyed upon.  If the lake has a good population of rough fish like Squaws, Chubs, Tench, Carp, Etc. the fish will prey upon those over the spiny rayed fish, but as with any fish, if a good meal presents itself the fish will not be picky.

Tigers can engulf a fish that is 1/3 their body length or even larger.  Makes for eradication of big Squaws possible.

Permalink Reply by D.J. LaRoche on June 19, 2012 at 3:08pm

The largemouth vanished.  I hear stories from some guys about how good the largemouth used to be in Tapps.  I not saying it is the Musky that destroyed this fishery, because I don't know enough about it to say either way. Could be the smallies taking over a lot of the spawning areas, who knows.  I would be really interested to hear someone speak on this matter that knows a thing or two about it. 

Kevin Foote said:

The bass fishing has improved since they stocked Tapps. Tigers are a good thing.

Permalink Reply by Kevin Foote on June 19, 2012 at 6:56pm

It is my opinion that the largemouth population has declined on every lake that smallmouth were introduced. coincidence? don't know.

Permalink Reply by Chris Ferry on June 19, 2012 at 7:35pm

My questions to the state would be the following.

Why does the state kill off lakes for example Park Lake because bass had made their way into the lake and they were not so called "NATIVE" to the lake. So how is introducing Tiger muskies into Samish OK?

Also what about the Lake Samish salmon run?

Lake Stevens is a world class Kokanee fishery, so I dont see how it will improve the lake their either?

And I would disagree that Lake Tapps fishery has improved. Maybe not from Tiger Musky but it has really gone down hill since 2004.

Permalink Reply by Ryan Higgins on June 19, 2012 at 8:56pm

Tiger musky are sterile. The state introduces roughly one fish per acre on the first plant then one fish for every two acres every year after. If the desired results aren't met then the state can stomp planting. The fish live a max of 10 years and mortality rate is high on first year fish, well over 50% and is around 30% second year. The state can also impose a catch and keep rule for the designated water to help remove them.

Look at green lake, it was planted and none are in it now.

Again the muskies generally occupy a different water column than salmonids and have been shown with diet studies to only prey upon salmonids in winter and spring. Curlew lake diet studies for example showed that only 30% of the muskies diet was made up of salmonids in the winter and spring.


Chris Ferry said:

My questions to the state would be the following.

Why does the state kill off lakes for example Park Lake because bass had made their way into the lake and they were not so called "NATIVE" to the lake. So how is introducing Tiger muskies into Samish OK?

Also what about the Lake Samish salmon run?

Lake Stevens is a world class Kokanee fishery, so I dont see how it will improve the lake their either?

And I would disagree that Lake Tapps fishery has improved. Maybe not from Tiger Musky but it has really gone down hill since 2004.

Permalink Reply by Jordan Doucet on June 19, 2012 at 10:13pm

I'm still unclear as to what the goals are in introducing Tiger Musky into these lakes. Thoughts?

Permalink Reply by Kevin Foote on June 20, 2012 at 5:11am

i would like to think they are trying to create a sport fishery in the north end.

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