Eating Muskie?, what do people think?

I'm not sure if this it the right forum to start this new topic under but I will give it a shot because if not I know the mods will move it to the correct one for me.

I've talked to alot of people and read a lot of stuff about people saying " why would you eat a muskie" and people ripping on other people for eating a muskie. So heres the question, why does it matter if people eat muskie given you have followed the regulations?

I myself have caught muskie that I can keep and have kept them to eat, I find they are a very good tasting fish if cooked properly. So I'm just curious to hear other peoples opinon on eating legal muskie?

Muskies are rare in some area. Trophy muskies are very important. They spawn and lay more eggs. Hell some people think carp is delicious...

If your going to eat a muskie...why not catch pike and eat them. Association puts thousands of dollar to save and regenerate muskies in some lakes.

And the pike are a dime a dozen. Now if it was the samething with muskies it would be a different story.

If it legally caught and you want to eat it, go for it. There's always someone that wil cry foul. You see the same for the trout family, oh gawd you kept a trout and ate it...

I tried Muskie this year for the first time up at the trailor. Newfie guy cooked some up tasted delicious....


I believe you can eat what ever you want.....Just follow the Regs. on limit and sizes.

Typically I would not eat Musky. Too many bones and a pain to fillet.
Sometimes can taste a little muddy, however, I have eaten them before due to hooks caught in thier gills and therefore they were not going to survive if released.

So I agree with Seabass, eat Pike if you can and release Musky, but ultimately if they are legally caught , it is up to you.

It may be legal, but, I would not eat a muskie for the following reason. The species has and needs special protection as illustrated by size and limit regulations. I figure there are many other alternative species to eat that will curb my fish appetite.

Theres just too many other "tastier" species available in my opinion! The choice in the end is yours, but i say let them go. And yes, PIKE are so similar, and there's tons available!!

My parents live between Bobcaygeon and Lindsay on Sturgeon Lake. Lots of musky there. Their neighbor is a taxidermist and he's had quite a few people bring in musky to mount. I've had smoked musky at their place years ago and found it very good. Never kept one myself but have caught hundreds of them in Emily Creek. I use to take my canoe back there when they spawn and you could paddle quietly up and actually touch them! I wish I had a camera back then to take video's but that was about 20 years ago.

If Muskie are in need of special protection why isn't there a ban on catching them period?


Where I fish there is absolutely no pike just tons of Muskie. Its interesting to me to hear the reason people demise eating Muskie

To eat or not to eat now thats a question only you can answer. I'm not an expert on this however as I understand it you are not allowed to let edible harvested game spoil. With that in mind check the consumption guidelindes. Would imagine since a legal size musky would be an older fish and a apex predator they would have the highest contaminant level. Then the answer may more evident. Don't let anyone tell you what to eat and not eat on sediment alone.

I would say if it's a legal caught fish and you want to eat it then go ahead. Your always going to have some people who say don't and others that say do.

Enjoy

If the fish is hooked badly what are you going to do. Throw it back to die or keep it and eat it?

Hey Evan
What's mud taste like? Lol.
Jj

Unfortumately you have to follow the rules and regulations.

If Muskie are in need of special protection why isn't there a ban on catching them period?


Where I fish there is absolutely no pike just tons of Muskie. Its interesting to me to hear the reason people demise eating Muskie

Muskie population are hurting...Why? ense why in most region you can only keep one.



Because pike spawn first and in some lake...like Baslam Lake and canal lake. Their used to be no pike at all.
Now it's infested with pike. One may think it's a good think. Sure is more diversity. But what happens in this case is pike will spawn first and some muskie's will follow them.
Creates an Hybrid called a tiger muskie..which becomes enable or not fertile to reproduce.

Both of those lakes were known for musky fishing. Now the musky population is hurting and it's almost a miracle if you catch a musky in one of those lakes...10 years ago it was a different story.


Remember when your dad or old folks "sorry Bayliner I had to rub it in " are saying. In my time we "USED" to go down the lake an hammer them non stop.

Well guess what...People always realize when it's to late and it's your children that are going to suffer from it.