Summary

Tiger muskies have been introduced into a number of lakes in the Western U.S. to control rough fish and provide a recreational fishery. That is the same reason they were introduced into New Mexico lakes. Muskies and trout co-exist in the same bodies of water all over the country, and the evidence indicates that they will continue to do so. Tiger muskies are a tool for trout management and contribute to creating excellent trout fisheries. In combination with proper trout stocking, tiger muskies and trout are compatible fisheries. Besides New Mexico lakes, anglers can find numerous examples of trout and tiger muskies coexisting including lakes in Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, and Washington. In most cases tiger muskie were stocked to control rough fish and were selected because they cannot reproduce. Do tiger muskies eat trout? They do occasionally, but in far less numbers than the number of fish taken by trout anglers. Scientific observation shows that “Muskies eat all the trout” is completely false. There is room in the lake for both species to exist and thrive, and there is room on the lake for anglers of both species. Whether you’re a trout angler, or a muskie angler, hopefully you’ve gained a bit more knowledge about how these fish can, and do inhabit the same waters.

Further Information

You can find more information regarding tiger muskies by entering any of the following into your favorite internet search engine “tiger musky,” “tiger muskie,” “esocid” with your subject of interest such as “prey” or “stocking”. The document New Mexico Department of Game and Fish biologists used as a primary source of information may be found at http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/stdprodconsume/groups/lr/@mnr/@letsfish/documents/document/226917.pdf. You can contact the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, Fisheries Management Division at 505-476-8055 or via the web at http://wildlife.state.nm.us/. The New Mexico Chapter of Muskies, Inc. may be found at http://www.newmexicomuskiesinc.org.

What do New Mexico Tiger Muskies Eat?

A Summary Specific to New Mexico Waters and Trout Fisheries

Introduction

The information provided in this brochure will help New Mexico Anglers understand the role tiger muskies play in New Mexico lakes. Because they are new to our state, there are a number of misconceptions regarding tiger muskie food habits and how they might affect other fisheries. In particular, there is some concern that trout fisheries may be at risk. Tiger muskies are opportunistic feeders. In most places 90% or more of their diet is made up of fish. They are not particular about the fish they eat, but generally feed on those fish that are easiest to catch. Tiger muskies are a cross between northern pike and muskellunge. Because they are hybrids, tiger muskies cannot reproduce. The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish stocked them into State waters in order to control rough fish including suckers and goldfish. They have been coexisting with our trout fisheries since 2003. Both northern pike and muskellunge usually feed on rough fish in their natural habitats in the upper Midwest. Tiger muskie also feed primarily on rough fish. Department biologists selected tiger muskie for stocking for this very reason. Before stocking tiger muskies, biologists reviewed a number of studies and determined that muskies would coexist with the existing fisheries. They continue to monitor tiger muskies to make sure this management is achieving its objectives.

Food Habits in

New Mexico Lakes

Quemado Lake Goldfish

Trout

Fatheads

Crayfish

Other

Bluewater LakeGoldfish

Trout

Golden Shiner

White Sucker

Crayfish

In New Mexico, goldfish, suckers, and minnows are the primary prey of tiger muskies. They also eat crayfish, worms, salamanders, each other and the occasional trout.

The Trout Fishery Tiger muskie were introduced to improve trout fishing in New Mexico. Suckers and goldfish can compete with trout and impact that fishery. By reducing suckers and goldfish, Department biologists believe trout growth rates will improve. Department biologists monitor the fisheries in Bluewater and Quemado lakes twice per year. Besides monitoring the tiger muskies, biologists also monitor the trout fishery. Managers make changes to trout stocking strategies to maintain this fishery given some predation by tiger muskies. Tiger muskies are opportunistic feeders and will eat the most abundant fish in a lake. After trout stocking, trout are fed on. Within a week or two of stocking trout are less common in tiger muskie diets because they learn to avoid the muskies. Trout fisheries at these lakes are maintained through stocking. Department biologists are aware that tiger muskies eat trout when they are first stocked. Stocking schedules have been changed to compensate for this loss by stocking more fish at one time and by stocking larger fish. Tiger muskies are not ravenous predators that eat everything in sight. Over seven years of observation, and more than 1,400 tiger muskies examined, about 50% of all fish captured have had empty stomachs.