Muskellunge Diet

Fishing can provide a calm, meditative day on the water that also gets you your dinner. Keep in mind, though, that what the fish eats, you eat, and that diet can lead to pollutants and possibly small mammals entering your personal food chain. The muskellunge is commonly fished in the Great Lakes, but the fish's age and diet could mean you're ingesting more than you intended.

Identification

The muskellunge, Esox masquinongy, is a member of the pike family and exists in the Great Lakes, Upper Midwest and New York state regions, including rivers and streams. It is sometimes called the muskie or musky. It has sharp teeth and a relatively flat mouth, what the state of Ohio's Division of Wildlife calls a duckbill shape. The muskellunge looks very similar to the northern pike, a close relative, differing only in the number of pores under the jaw.

Diet

Muskellunge are carnivorous and occasionally cannibalistic fish. They will eat other fish and even small animals such as muskrats and mice. The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse says the muskellunge's jaw is flexible and allows the fish to eat something nearly a third of its size. Feeding happens year-round but is seasonal in the selection, with small fish preferred in spring and large fish in fall. Dogs as muskellunge prey are not unheard of. Cannibalism of other muskellunge can occur if other feeding stock is unavailable.

Pollution Effects

Pollution has taken a toll on muskellunge populations, destroying spawning habitats and reducing the number of fish. The Illinois Natural History Survey says this has required fisheries to farm the fish for release into lakes. Habitat restoration efforts have been under way for some time, but the results haven't always been successful. Muskellunge flesh can be contaminated with mercury, pesticides and PCBs, especially if the fish are older and have spent more time in the polluted water, eating other polluted fish.

Transferred Risk

These pollutants can transfer into humans that eat the fish. Muskellunge pose a particular problem in that the ones that reach a legally capturable size are among the older, and thus likely more contaminated fish. Eating too much contaminated fish can lead to mercury poisoning and polychlorinated biphenyl, or PCB, buildup. The Wisconsin Sea Grant says PCBs do not leave your body and might play a role in cancer development. Pregnant women face an increased risk as mercury and PCBs can affect a developing fetus.

Considerations

States place restrictions on what you can catch. Size is a major issue because states restrict muskellunge catches to at least 30 inches long, if not more. The Wisconsin Sea Grant notes the while muskellunge can grow to 30 inches long within four years, they sometimes don't reach 30 inches for nearly 17 years. This is generally when they're in cold water and don't have much food, but it is something to keep in mind if you are hoping to find muskellunge that aren't as affected by pollution.