Ontario waters maintain a few of the world’s largest muskie. The provincial file is a 65-pound (29.5-kg) big taken by Ken O’Brien of Toronto from Georgian Bay’s Blackstone Harbour. It was just a few kilos smaller than the 67.5-pound (30.61 kg) world file from Wisconsin. Will Ontario produce an excellent bigger fish?
Dr. John Casselman, a Ministry of Natural Resources researcher and a world authority on pike and muskie, says it’s most likely. His information present the waters which have the vest probability of manufacturing the following file. Casselman ages pike and muskie and determines their progress price by analyzing cleithrums, bony buildings simply behind their gill-plates. There are a number of several types of muskie waters within the province, by which final most fish measurement differs appreciably. Using his age and progress methods, Casselman can predict the approximate most measurement for many of Ontario’s muskie waters.
He suggests the following world file might be a feminine, a minimum of 30 and maybe 35 years of age, about 60 inches in size (152.4 cm), and can come from considered one of seven Ontario waters: the St. Lawrence River; Lake of the Woods; Wabigoon Lake; Eagle Lake; Lac Seul; Georgian Bay; or the Ottawa River.
Waterbody elements for muskie
Factors influencing a waterbody’s capability of manufacturing a file fish embody its measurement (giant space), distinctive fish genetics, and an abundance of most popular forage fish. Big waters persistently produce thick-bodied muskie with gradual, regular progress charges over an extended lifespan. Besides girth, size if a very powerful issue figuring out weight, and size comes with age. Some intermediate waters, such because the Niagara River, have fast-growing muskie, however their common final measurement is far lower than that of the group of seven.
The Kawartha lakes, which lack an abundance of fatty forage fish, produce a number of lengthy, glossy muskie, however they seldom attain 40 kilos (18 kg), and some exceed 30 kilos (13.6 kg). At the underside finish of the dimensions are small waterbodies just like the northwest’s Maskinonge Lake, which produce plenty of feisty muskie that seldom attain 34 inches (86 cm). Applying the bottom really helpful minimal measurement restrict (36 inches/91.4 cm) would unnecessarily eradicate any muskie harvest from such lakes.
Originally revealed within the Dec.-Jan. 2000 problem of Ontario OUT of DOORS
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