Do you have confusion about identifying the pike family of fish? In some ways, the fish appear the same, yet there are noticeable differences. These differences will help you identify the specific member of the pike family. This is important since the harvestable size varies a lot among the fish. In some states, the difference is 20 inches or more.
People fishing must know what they have caught. A conservation officer does not accept ” I am new and did not know”. It is your responsibility to know what you are catching. You never keep a fish that is not legal. This will result in fines and a possible loss of fishing privileges.
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Identifying the pike family takes looking at the features of these fish. The patterns vary on the fish. People overlook checking the fins and subtle markings. The colors may be dark on light or the opposite. Identifying the pike family comes down to the small details.
Identifying The Pickerel
The pickerel is the smaller member of the pike family. Plus the pickerel comes in 3 distinct types of fish. Including the chain, grass, and redfin pickerel.
Chain Pickerel
The chain pickerel features include a greenish-yellow back fading to yellow-green on its sides. The sides have a darker chain-like pattern giving the fish its name. The belly is white and below the eyes have a dark mark resembling a streak or clown tear. The fins do not have marks and are clear. Scales cover the cheek and gill plate. The distance from the tip of the snout to the eye is longer than the eye to the end of the gill plate. They have a long snout.
The chain pickerel range helps with identifying the fish. The native range is from Canada to Florida on the eastern seaboard. You will find muskies in several Great Lakes also. The fish has been stocked into other regions and waters. Check your local fish regulating body for specific waters holding the chain pickerel. These fish need good water quality.
Grass Pickerel
The fish tends to grow to 12 inches in length. On rare occasions, it may reach 14 inches. If you catch a fish over 12-14 inches it is likely a different fish. The chain pickerel, Northern pike, and musky are the ones growing larger.
The native range is Florida and the gulf area in the south. The range extends up the Mississippi into the midwest and a few of the Great lake regions. Stocking increased the range to a few other areas. You need to check if the waters you fish have the fish since it does have a limited range.
The grass pickerel has a long slender body similar to other pike species. They have the teardrop like a chain pickerel but lack the chain pattern. The body has a pattern of blotches or stripes down the sides. The center of the back has a light-colored stripe against a dark background. The grass pickerel do not have markings or spots on the fins to distinguish them from musky or northern pike.
Redfin Pickerel
Similar to a grass pickerel in size and the bar pattern. Where the differences lie are the red or orange fins giving the fish its name. It lacks the light-colored strip on the back also. The back is dark olive-brown and the ventral sides range from amber to white. The stripe near the eye slants to the rear toward the bottom. The pickerel have a straight eye stripe or teardrop.
The fish does tend to have a shorter snout and darker markings. The bars on the side fade towards the bottom of the fish.
Redfin pickerel are native to the eastern seaboard of the US. The southernmost part is Lake Okeechobee to Massachusetts in the North. This fish is not native to areas west of the Appalachian mountains. If you catch a pickerel westward it likely is grass or chain pickerel.
The Northern Pike
The northern pike is common above the 40th parallel in the northern hemisphere. There are populations below this line, however, the fish resemble hammer handles in size. The farther north in the range the larger a pike will grow. The fish thrives in colder water more than other members of the pike family. The larger pike is above the 45th parallel.
Pike has bean-shaped spots on the sides as the primary identifier. The color leans towards a bluish-green with spots being lighter in color. Pike have 5 or fewer pores on each side under the lower jaw. Additionally, a pike has scales covering the cheek plate. The tail splits into 2 rounded sections. The paired fins are rounded also.
The Musky or Tiger Musky
These fish will confuse many anglers. The differences between musky and tiger musky may be slight. There are a few ways to tell the fish apart. The tiger musky is a hybrid of the native musky and northern pike. The tiger is usually bred by fish hatcheries. Although some natural production does occur. The female musky and male northern pike produce a tiger musky.
Musky
A true musky is native to the Great Lakes region and a few rivers. Its range has expanded dramatically through stocking. This fish can reach sizes of 40 inches or more in 6-8 years with optimum conditions. The largest muskies will be older, in some cases, the musky maybe 20-25 years of age.
Identify a musky by its olive to a dark gray base with variable bars running vertically. In some areas, the base color can be silver. The silver base is found on juveniles also. Below the jaw, a musky has 6 or more pores on each side. Plus the musky will have sharp points on its tail. The paired fins are sharp-pointed also. The difference is notable between a pike and a native musky.
A musky will not have bean-shaped spots. This only occurs in the northern pike. That said a musky can be clear (no bars or spots), barred or typical, or spotted with circular spots darker than the base color. A northern pike’s spots are lighter.
Differences Between a Tiger Musky and a Native Musky
A tiger musky has the same colors and patterns as a musky. The bars will be thinner and darker or more pronounced. The tail will be the same as a northern pike, it will be rounded on the tips. The paired fins are rounded also. In general, a tiger will look like a musky but have a pike’s rounded tail and paired fins.
The tiger tends to have a larger head, it can be close to 30 % of the fish’s length. A true musky’s head is 25 % or less of the length.
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Conclusions
People have been confused about identifying the members of the pike family. This is understandable with the similarities of the fish. There are specific features on each fish to identify each species of the pike family. The marking, colors, and fins tend to have slight differences. Take a little time and learn how to identify each species in your region.