Muskie Problems

[BBRich]

Can the OFAH help with this problem as well?

[Bruin]

This is a sad state of affairs...

How bad will it get, before it gets better???

[FromTheNorth]

I've carefully read all of the posts about this sad event. As a newcommer to FH I don't know who anyone is. CCB seems very well informed on the subject.

My problem is that I can't understand how a virus will only kill at one specific time of the year???

Aswell, Viruses work on matching up with a certain part of an animal's genetic code. It would be more likely that If it where a virus affecting musky... a virus that is maybe also killing drum??? If it where a cross species virus. The more likely species to go down with the musky would be PIKE.

I'm not saying pollution and "Global warming" are killing the Musky but...

Most of us have cought musky before i imagine. They seem to fight untill there is almost no life left in them. Spawning for many species of fish is an extreemely rigurous process. Imagine you run the same scheduled marathon every year. You have no choice but to run as hard and fast every year no matter what. how much harder would it be on you if it where suddenly MUCH hotter.

The dying drum(and raised water temp.) would account for the higher than normal bacterial count in the water.

A seasonal virus that seems to kill so easily doesn't make sense without other circomstances. And in this case even that seems to defy the odds.

FromTheNorth

[Rider23]

Any new reports CCB

[Cancatchbass]

Hi Rider:

Unfortunately, I found this 54 incher this week (a real heavy fish):



FTN- the "rapid rise in temperatures during Spring" theory doesn't hold water (pun?) since there have been at least 3 documented instances of this happening in the past without any subsequent die-off. When a Canadian vet identified the virus last year, he was confident there would be a second year of die-offs, and we are seeing the start of that now.

Again- with no government agency willing to fund the necessary studies, congratulations to Muskies Canada for being there when needed.

[Jigs]

CCB:

JFK said it well when he said that Canada will give you all help short of aid.

No doubt, the govt. will wait till near extinction then jump in with an "muskie emergency program", which will garner votes but come to late for the fish.

Cynical

Jigs.

[wolfe]

If there's anything I hate seeing, it's a dead musky. Hope you won't find too many more like that big specimen, CCB.

W.

[Relic]

The report in "The Release Journal" sent out to Muskies Canada members had a little right up on this sublect.

It stated that the fish died due to a bacteria called VHS. Curiously it flourishes when ice out is followed by a cold spell, contrary to the belief that it was the rapid increase in water temps.

[trexellunge]

Good info on this thread (although sickening). If the changing weather pattern is playing a role in the weakening of some muskies' immune system in the St. Lawrence, it may be because the fish in this particular body of water are not genetically equipt to deal with it. The muskies down South in Kentucky and Tennessee are doing fine with the warm temps....although I'd bet generation upon generation of fish adapted to the heat over time through natural selection. I'm sure the St. Lawrence fish will adapt too, but it will take years. In the meantime, we get to witness the "temporary death" of a spectular fishery. Let's hope it doesn't happen in the Ottawa too.

[Relic]

Trex, read above post. It is NOT due to heat. It is a bacteria that likes COLD.

They will adapt to warmer temps, they can just go a little deeper to their preffered temp.

[ottawamusky]

I fish the Ottawa River, above Chats Falls Dam, and noticed two large musky floating last spring. Each was between 42 and 48 inches. Has there been any reports of a comparable musky die off on the Ottawa River last year or this? I will be there for a walleye fish trip for a week starting this Thursday and will keep my eye out for any carcas floating. The fish is indeed vulnerable to stress, as I have always found they take a lot of work to revive.

[Lookinforlunkers]

This is not an opinion, I'm not sure what to believe, this is just a thought.

Wouldn't Muskies (or any of gods creatures) instinct to spawn keep them in there spawning bays at all costs?

[Cancatchbass]

Fortunately, there is no indication that the Ottawa is experiencing a muskie die-off. The fish you saw may have died as the result of inproper handling when caught as incidentals, or from natural causes.

Any dead muskie, though, can provide valuable info. to researchers. The cleithrum (equivalent of human shoulderbone) holds a wealth of information.

Any Ottawa River area Muskies Canada members know if there is a protocol for collecting them up your way???

LforL- fish will leave a spawning area if the conditions change- eg. a rapid drop or rise in water temperatures. We see it with bass all the time. Depending on the situation, the eggs may be dropped in deep(er) water with no chance of survival.

By the way, welcome to the site ottawamusky.

Tom

[Lookinforlunkers]

Thanxs Tom that is exactly what I was wondering. In the case of the St. Lawrence anywhere outside the spawning bays the eggs would just get swept away by the current at least in my neck of the woods.

I would also like to give everyone a little hope. Muskie seem to be on the rise down here (Morrisburg, Ingleside and Longsault). I don't have any scientific proof but I have heard of more incidentals this season than all my previous years. Including a 40" tiger right in front of Morrisburg.