Muskellunge Management in New York

About Muskellunge

Muskellunge or "muskies" are the largest members of the pike family, Esocidae, which also includes northern pike, chain pickerel, redfin pickerel and grass pickerel, all of which are native to New York State. Muskies are the largest freshwater sportfish in New York State, inhabiting at least 13 coolwater lakes and 19 large river systems statewide. They grow rapidly, tripling in size from age 1 (10-12 inches) to age 4 (30 inches) and averaging around 30 pounds. They can grow to enormous proportions, sometimes reaching 50 pounds or more, with New York’s state record tipping the scales at 69 lbs., 15 oz!

Native Strains/Types

Two native muskie types or "strains" occur in New York: the Great Lakes strain — found in the St. Lawrence River and tributaries, Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, and Niagara River —, and the Ohio River strain — native to the Allegheny River watershed, with introduced populations in the Lake Champlain, Delaware, and Susquehanna River watersheds. The Great Lakes strain populations are self-sustaining. Ohio strain populations in the Susquehanna River and tributaries are also self-sustaining, but the other populations are supplemented or maintained by stocking.

Why DEC Manages Muskellunge

Muskellunge are a top predator and can help maintain a healthy predator-prey balance, while providing a special opportunity for anglers to catch what many consider to be the ultimate freshwater trophy sportfish. Therefore, muskellunge are managed in New York to provide anglers with the opportunity to catch large fish and to maintain ecologically sustainable and balanced fish populations.

Management Efforts

St. Lawrence River and Niagara River Habitat and Population Management

The St. Lawrence and Upper Niagara River populations are two of only a few large, self-sustaining populations in North America, and unique management programs have been established for them.

St. Lawrence River

The St. Lawrence River population is managed through the efforts of an international St. Lawrence River Esocid Working Group, to perpetuate the muskellunge as a viable, self-sustaining component of the fish community in the river, and to provide a quality trophy fishery. Monitoring of adult and young of-the-year muskellunge has been ongoing since 1990, providing an annual assessment of population changes. Beginning in 2005, widespread mortality of adult muskellunge due to the fish disease Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia virus (VHSV) was observed. This resulted in major declines in adult catches in spring spawning surveys and young-of-the-year catches during summer seining in nursery grounds. VHSV and ongoing threats to habitat loss continue to impact the St. Lawrence River population which remains at a very low and concerning level. An experimental stocking program was implemented to reestablish or enhance muskellunge numbers in several historic spawning and nursery sites that have experienced loss of or greatly reduced reproductive success. Ongoing research and monitoring are guiding habitat and population enhancement strategies for muskellunge in the St. Lawrence River.

Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor

Assessment of the muskellunge population has focused on monitoring and research of factors influencing population status and reproductive success in both the Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor. Surveys targeting young-of-the-year muskellunge, conducted by DEC and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF), have occurred intermittently since 1992. These surveys have documented measurable declines in young-of-the-year catches, mirroring trends from the St. Lawrence River. High quality habitat is relatively limited in the Niagara River, especially the Buffalo Harbor, yet a variety of factors are likely contributing to this observed trend. Such factors are likely to include VHSV, introduction and establishment of round goby and other non-native species, and habitat loss.

Efforts to monitor the status of muskellunge in Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor are ongoing. DEC continues to monitor changes in habitat quality, young-of-the-year production. and fish community structure at nursery sites. Additionally, angler catch-and-release records collected through the Niagara Musky Association (NMA) have allowed for a long-term assessment of the fishery. Lastly, DEC is conducting an acoustic telemetry project, in partnership with NMA, to track movements of adult muskellunge captured from the Buffalo Harbor. The study seeks to gain a greater understanding of muskellunge spatial ecology, including timing of spawning, site selection, site fidelity, post spawning dispersal, extent of home range, and seasonal movement patterns. Information gathered from these projects will be used to help inform future management, restoration, and research efforts.

Partnerships and Funding

Research and monitoring efforts for the St. Lawrence are conducted by the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) under a contract with DEC using Environmental Protection Fund - Oceans and Great Lakes funding; with additional support from the USFWS Fish Enhancement, Mitigation and Research Fund. 

Niagara River muskellunge research and monitoring has been supported through a variety of funding sources and partnerships. Recent research conducted by SUNY ESF has contributed significant progress toward understanding the ecology of early-life stages of muskellunge within the Niagara River and was supported by funds from the New York Power Authority (NYPA)-Niagara Greenway Ecological Fund. The Buffalo Harbor Muskellunge Acoustic Telemetry Project is conducted in partnership with NMA and funded by NYPA through the Habitat Enhancement and Restoration Fund. Continued monitoring by NYSDEC is supported by federal aid from the Sportfish Restoration Fund.

Monitoring Inland Lake and River Populations

The status of some important lake muskellunge fisheries in New York State, including Chautauqua Lake, Waneta Lake and the Cassadaga lakes, is regularly monitored by adult trap netting surveys during spawning in the spring. Boat electrofishing surveys are also used to check the status of populations in inland rivers, such as the Great Chazy and Susquehanna (View Muskellunge Management Objectives for the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers).

Propagation and Stocking

Many of the high-quality muskie fisheries in New York's inland lakes and rivers are products of successful stocking programs. Stocking has been used to establish new fisheries and maintain fisheries where natural reproduction may be lacking.

Chautauqua State Fish Hatchery Propagation

Muskellunge have been raised for stocking in New York since the late 1800s, and this continues today at the Chautauqua State Fish Hatchery. Each spring, hatchery staff collect and fertilize eggs from wild fish, usually from Chautauqua Lake. Fertilized eggs are then hatched and reared at the hatchery. The first four months of the rearing process occur in tanks inside the hatchery, where muskellunge are fed a dry pellet diet and grow to about 5 inches long. In August, these "fingerlings" are transferred to outside ponds, where they are fed live minnows until they are ready for stocking at about 9 inches long in October.

Annual Stocking List for Muskellunge

About 25,000 fingerlings are annually stocked in 14 waters, primarily in the Allegheny River watershed, including Chautauqua Lake. Waneta Lake, in the Susquehanna watershed, and the Great Chazy River, a northern Lake Champlain tributary, are also stocked. Most stocked fingerlings are fin clipped to aid in monitoring the success of the stocking programs.

Fishing Regulations

Fishing regulations, including harvest limits, minimum sizes, and open seasons, are important management tools designed to provide angling opportunity while protecting muskellunge during the spawning season, and allowing them to survive to reproductive maturity and grow to desirable sizes. For current regulations, see the Statewide Fishing Regulations for inland waters and the Special Regulations for Great Lakes and Tributaries.

Plans, Studies, and Reports

By Water

Reports of muskellunge surveys conducted on individual waters can be found by visiting the appropriate Regional Fisheries Management Reports webpage. Currently, muskellunge surveys are conducted in waters within the Great Lakes and DEC Regions 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9.

Participate in Muskellunge Management

Report Tagged Muskies in NY Rivers

If you’re fishing in the Susquehanna River or Chenango River and catch a tagged fish, record the tag number, length, date, and location of catch and submit it to the DEC Region 7 Fisheries Management inbox or call 607-753-3095 (ext. 213). Please do not remove the tag from the muskie if it is released. For more details, view the Muskellunge Management Objectives for the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers.

Participate in an Angler Diary Program

St. Lawrence River Muskellunge Angler Diary Program