Legends of the Tiger Muskie?

[YakMan1731]

Hey all,

So I've read on the DNR website that tiger muskie fingerlings have been annually put into Centennial Lake, and that 36+ inch tiger muskie are now in there. I would absolutely love to chase one of these down and get this fish crossed off my bucket list, but I swear I can't find stories or documentation anywhere but the DNR site that confirms their presence and/or healthy population in Centennial. I've fished Centennial for many years and know it well, but aside from a couple mysterious break-offs in deeper areas I have also been unable to confirm. Yet, I've also never truly targeted them with a large spinner or live bait of some kind. Has anyone heard/seen/come across ancient cave paintings about these things? Thanks all.

Matt

[DanMarino]

I live in Howard County, but rarely fish there. I have read the same information from DNR you mention. I have not seen any reports of tiger musky being caught there. I've caught largemouth bass there and they are always super skinny with big heads and small bodies. So that leads me to believe there isn't enough food in the ecosystem.

I have caught tiger musky in strange and unusual places before, so I guess anything is possible.

[YakMan1731]

Good to know, DanMarino. I was hoping I wasn't fully off-base and was going to have someone be like "What are you talking about I catch them there all the time" haha I've had a similar experience at Centennial with the size of the bass. Last spring I got a 4.7 pounder on a jig, and during a summer raintstorm got a 3.2 pounder on a topwater near the riprap, but 99% of the bass I've caught there have been well under 2 pounds. I'm in Baltimore City so it's a nice escape for a quick and relaxing trip, but there's not a lot of productive water there so if others are already there things can get scarce really quickly in my experience.

[Mark]

They're hybrids of muskie and pike and sterile. If there are 36 inchers in that lake they've been there over 10 years according to tiger muskie growth charts. It's also entirely plausible that they have been there that long successfully eluding anglers because 1/2 of their parentage, the muskie, is known as the fish of 10,000 casts. I'm glad their distant pickerel cousins are not as wary of our hook and line offerings.

[mhossom]

I fish Centennial quite often and have never seen one. However, it is plausible that a monster could be hiding at the end of the lake that is off limits to fishing.

[DanMarino]

I can imagine a musky feasting on the stocked trout each year. haha.

[bignose]

I used to fish Centennial occasionally from the time it opened. I taught in the community nearby.
My success there has been disappointing for the most part.
Yeah, I've caught a couple of decent fish there, but there is better fishing nearby.

It's been 10 years since I've fished there and found it full of weeds and the lake and park are too crowded for my tastes. The vast number of folks fishing from the shore are worm dunkers, fishing for whatever they can catch. They are fishing, but they are not "fishermen."

I have never seen any Tiger Muskies caught there, although I have heard the occasional rumor about a few being caught down near the dam.
The DNR has apparently been stocking fingerlings there since the late 1980s-early 1990s.

[Mark]

I can imagine a musky feasting on the stocked trout each year. haha.

Years ago, a friend of mine told me that he witnessed carnage by stripers in Piney Run inflicted on trout the DNR had just released into the lake. Perhaps the DNR estimates how many of their stockers will fall prey to existing wildlife when they determine how many to put into a body of water.

[mike o]

That's interesting to hear about Centennial Lake. I have never fished there. I want to catch my first Muskie as well. I'm not sure if they have the same patterns as Pike but I would try for them in mid to late fall. That is when I have my best luck for Pike. I did catch my first one of 2019 ( about a 30 incher) 2 weeks ago but I don't get many in winter. I only use lures but it's possible I might do better this time of year with live bait.

[mike o]

One other thought is Tridelphia is supposed to have Tiger Muskies and that might be a good place to try when it reopens.

[YakMan1731]

I fish Centennial quite often and have never seen one. However, it is plausible that a monster could be hiding at the end of the lake that is off limits to fishing.

I've always wanted to just launch a topwater over there one day and see a massive wake build behind it. It's probably just as mediocre an area as the rest of Centennial...but the mysticism around it kills me!

[YakMan1731]

I used to fish Centennial occasionally from the time it opened. I taught in the community nearby.
My success there has been disappointing for the most part.
Yeah, I've caught a couple of decent fish there, but there is better fishing nearby.

It's been 10 years since I've fished there and found it full of weeds and the lake and park are too crowded for my tastes. The vast number of folks fishing from the shore are worm dunkers, fishing for whatever they can catch. They are fishing, but they are not "fishermen."

I have never seen any Tiger Muskies caught there, although I have heard the occasional rumor about a few being caught down near the dam.
The DNR has apparently been stocking fingerlings there since the late 1980s-early 1990s.

That's definitley one of the biggest turnoffs for that lake. If you don't get there rise and shine on a weekend, there's a really strong chance the decent shorelines will have been fished by more than one person by the time you get there. I like to go on rainy days or the rare weekday in the summer when I'm not teaching summer school and haven't taken the pilgrimmage down to chase snakeheads somewhere. Where do you go nearby for better fishing? I know there are a couple lakes in Columbia, but I was under the impression you need to have a pass or something like that.

[YakMan1731]

That's interesting to hear about Centennial Lake. I have never fished there. I want to catch my first Muskie as well. I'm not sure if they have the same patterns as Pike but I would try for them in mid to late fall. That is when I have my best luck for Pike. I did catch my first one of 2019 ( about a 30 incher) 2 weeks ago but I don't get many in winter. I only use lures but it's possible I might do better this time of year with live bait.

I grew up fishing in Vermont and NH and had a blast with some big pike, but after seeing a bunch of muskie videos on YouTube I really want to take on the fish of 10,000 casts. I think in March I'll probably try trolling the deeper parts of Centennial and see what happens. Even if I get broken off I'll trick myself into thinking it was definitely a tiger muskie and nota poorly tied knot haha

[bignose]

That's definitley one of the biggest turnoffs for that lake. If you don't get there rise and shine on a weekend, there's a really strong chance the decent shorelines will have been fished by more than one person by the time you get there. I like to go on rainy days or the rare weekday in the summer when I'm not teaching summer school and haven't taken the pilgrimmage down to chase snakeheads somewhere. Where do you go nearby for better fishing? I know there are a couple lakes in Columbia, but I was under the impression you need to have a pass or something like that.

When Centennial first opened, it wasn't bad. Then it got infested with hydrilla, and the lake got clogged by matts of weeds from mid June on.

As for the Columbia Association ponds, in order to launch a craft there legally (it's private property) you have to register with Columbia Association on Gerwig Lane. No charge for the permit. You do not have to be a Columbia resident.
I wrote extensively about a year ago about them on this site, you'll have to do a little search to find this information. Try using "Columbia Lakes" in the search box and you should get what you want.

[lovett88]

When I use to live in Montgomery county I would hear stories from Dnr as well as other fishermen about guys getting them as a bi catch at both Seneca creek and little Seneca lake. Dnr told me they weren’t in there in numbers to really target them. I would check out the rivers up near Frederick/Hagerstown. Seems like most dicks sporting goods up that way stock musky baits. I assume they wouldn’t have a section for just musky lures and rods if they aren’t selling. It would defiantly be a great catch!


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