There are supposedly northern and tiger muskie in Texas. Does anyone know where and in what numbers? I always thought Lake Austin could support Northern Pike, not that I would want them in there competing with the bass.

I'm pretty sure there are very few waters in TX that would support Northerns over 7 pounds.

As far as Hybrid Muskies, in some of the rivers and possibly the northern TX lakes, but the TPW Biologist I talked to recently said they didn't survive the attempts in the panhandle, so I doubt they would most anywhere in TX.

Either way, if you like a strong LMB fishery, you do not want Esox competing with and consuming the bass.

I grew up on the Great Lakes, trust me Texans, you would go mental with all the high dollar tackle you'd lose every season. Not to mention, the first time you had a 5+ bass on and a Muskie pops out of nowhere and snatches it right in front of your eyes. LOL.

True Story:
I was fishing in Lake St. Clair for smallies. I had a very nice bass on of about 5.5 ~ 5.75 pounds, a ginormous Ski of about 50 inches literally materializes out of a weedbed and in one movement, grabs the bass broadside and pops my 14lb test. LOL
Also...

I have lost count as to how many yellow perch have been shanked off my hooks by northerns.

Most of the northern/tiger musky stocking was done in the mid-1970's to early 80's. There are none, zilch, zero, nada of them left.

Many years ago there was a big bass tournament on the St. Lawrence seaway and one of the top competitors for the money hooked up with a musky estimated to be over 40-lbs. The Pro=bass fisherman immediately cut it off and kept on bass fishing.

pickerel are here but they are the only members of the Esox family, same old story about TPWD stocking all kinds of non-natives, most didnt last including Pike & Muskie.

You're better off without them.

Where are pickerel in the state? I tried to find online with no luck! A pickerel is just a smaller breed of fish that looks exactly like a hammer handle pike, correct?

East Texas, Caddo, Daingerfield, Lake o Pines are a few that has them

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/species/cpk/

chain pickerel

Found it. Thanks for the info on the muskie and northerns guys.

I believe, a tiger muskie is a cross between a northern and musky, that do not reproduce. Mean critters...

A tiger muskie is just one of the muskie subspecies. I believe there are 3. If you want to catch chain pickerals go to Caddo in June and fish around Goat isalnd with a silver daredevil. You will catch all that you care to. I have also caught them on torpedos. I have also heard that Feb. is normally a good month on Caddo. With the weather this year Feb. is probably March.

only place I know of in the south that has a sustainable population of tiger musky is the spring river in Arkansas

None in Texas, but there are a few impoundments in New Mexico and, I think, Arizona. Most IGFA record fly-rod Tiger muskies (hybrids) have come from Bluewater Lake, NM.

Anyone interested in great fly-fishing (or hardware, for that matter) for pike should join us in Northern Manitoba in late August. Sight-fishing for 20 pound fish is a daily occurence, + BIG lake trout in shallow water, too. So are Arctic Grayling...great on a light fly or spin rod.

For the guy who said "you're better off without themn," he's never tangled with a big, cold water Esox on a flyrod.