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 Common
Names: Musky
Best Fishing: Rivers: James,
Clinch, Shenandoah and New. Lakes: Smith Mountain, Claytor,
Rural Retreat, Burke, and Flannagan.
Fishing
Techniques: Most muskies taken in Smith Mountain are caught by
trolling in deep water with large crankbaits, spoons and spinner-bucktail
combinations. Early in the year, many are caught by trolling across
shallow points. River fishermen use small boats with electric motors
or small outboards to float larger pools and fish shoreline snags
and submerged brush. Heavy bait casting rods and reels with 30 or
more pound test line is used. Using large hooks, 4/0 or larger, some
anglers simply allow 8 or 12-inch suckers, shad or carp to swim
free.
Identification:
Largest member of the pike family. Normally olive to dark gray
on its back, with grayish to bluish to yellowish sides. Sides may
have faint vertical bars, spots or blotches. State Record: 45
pounds from the New River.
Feeding Habits:
Muskies eat mainly other fishes, especially soft-rayed species such
as suckers, carp and shad, but also frogs, ducklings, muskrats and
other mammals.
Habitat: Not
believed to be native to Virginia, but introduced into the New,
Clinch, James, Shenandoah and Holston Rivers. Muskies prefer cool,
clear lakes with abundant vegetation or the quiet reaches of rivers.
Spawning Habits:
Muskies spawn in early spring. The eggs are fertilized as they are
discharged over muck or marl bottoms with aquatic vegetation in
shallow bays and coves. Fry suffer tremendous losses from other
fish, carnivorous insect larvae and water beetles as well as other
fishes. In Virginia most musky populations are maintained through
stocking. |
