Hey, I thought you guys might be interested in this report:

 

The old dams on the Androscoggin stand as a relic of a by-gone time, when man sought to harness the strength of the untamed river. Beneath the dam the current was rushing fast. The water was white, with pools of bubbles and debris. They were there, the smallmouth. The water may have been chaotic but the bass were able to key in on topwater with precision. Fish were landed. Downstream from the immediate tailwaters the turbulence cooled off. Some smallmouth were caught off the treacherous rain moistened boulders. A river pickerel was caught in a current seam close to shore. On an island between two dams, the still and shallow pools would reveal a fish.

         

The rain was increasing and more water was cascading over the looming dams. There were numerous smallmouth positioned in the first major slack downstream from the tailrace, littered with boulders and a sand bar. A great bass was caught in the immediate current as well.

         

Deep in the foothills of central Maine lies a pond. Its depths are nearly unfathomable. A small party already positioned on the shore had not had luck this day. The water here was clear, clearer than vodka. Spider webs blanketed the ground and rare flowers bloomed between the pines. The overcast skies would persist, and a light wind emerged. Suddenly, action- a quality largemouth bass was brought in by each of us in short succession, each on opposite sides of the same fallen tree. It was a laydown on the edge of a shallow cove, separating the unknown depths from the warm marsh. There were more encounters with fish, but they proved elusive, retreating to the depths after striking. 

         

Fair weather fishermen don’t catch fish. Overcast with a cold drizzle pushed by a slight wind; conditions were perfect. We motored out into the lake. Largemouth were biting, hitting topwater baits in shallow water, with a preference for spots that had a combination of stumps, weeds, and main lake proximity. We came up with an idea to troll up to the other end of the lake to find similar shallow habitat. Some average bass were caught on the troll, and then it hit. Like every story of a true giant, they first think their bait is snagged on the bottom. I could feel the tail beat- it’s a fish! I knew it was a fish, but I could not bring it in. The captain motored over near it; it was something huge just staying on the bottom. With my fighting angle now right over the fish, I muscled it, and the 20lb test fluorocarbon leader broke like cheap floss. Soon after a big mass of weeds floated to the surface. A giant pike, maybe, had taken the lure and buried into the weeds like an anchor. Continuing the trolling tactic, we found more fish and encountered a deep weed line, where a 30-inch pike and various other quarry were landed. As the cold front stalled we motored off into the calm.

         

On a clear and bright post-frontal day we set off to a vast lake named for the river that feeds it. The fair-weather wind blew hard, while a large snapping turtle perused the windblown rocks. The waves were turning into white caps. Continuing along the contour of the rocky bank we meandered into a small bay where some strikes were noted. Out from the bay, the strong northwest wind picked up again. Suddenly, we were trapped! With main lake white caps pinning us up against a bare windward bank, there was nowhere to go except straight into the wind allowing the bow of the boat to cut the great swells. The opposite side of the lake was calmer. While exploring an inlet to the lake some good largemouth were pulled from the shallow structure. Stiff emergent grass lined the edge of the shallows but it did not show many fish. A spot was found with bass fry, having hatched days earlier, and a largemouth, perhaps the male still guarding the fry, was caught and released. Towards the end of the day a vibrant patterned smallmouth was brought to the boat, near a small shallow rock shoal. By the end of the day the wind had settled to a breeze.

 

Towards the end of the day we launched into a pond known for its bass. Having been there before, we still brought an open mind to the outing. Reaching the pinnacle of a windblown island corner, a small smallmouth was brought in on a tube lure. Working in around the island some very big smallmouth showed as followers or short-strikers, but did not connect. The sun was on its way down and we were floating in relation to a wind chopped main lake bank. A fish struck at a large swimbait, leading us to continue with the current boat position pattern. I gave a tube jig a go, and soon found myself with a big smallie on the line. More large smallies were hauled in by the both of us, as well as some solid Maine largemouth. The sun declined and the biting moths emerged, and we were gone by sunset.  

 

MB   

Caught this fish in Maine..know what it is?

 

Tiger Musky...   Northern Pike/Musky cross?

Just now, desmobob said:

Tiger Musky...   Northern Pike/Musky cross?

That is what I suspected. Unsure if it was an uncommon or out-of-place catch.

It's a natural hybrid that's present in lakes with good populations of muskies and pike.  I think they're pretty common, although I have yet to catch one in Lake Champlain (I'm at the southern end and the muskies tend to be in the northern part; plenty of pike and pickerel in my end, though).

I think its a young musky, they have three different patterns and one is vertical bars just like pic. Wish the pic hadn't cut off tail, was it rounded or pointed at corners. Looks nothing like a hybrid or pike pattern. There are many defining features that help you tell a musky from a pike. The most obvious include horizontal spotted pattern (pike) vs. vertical lines (musky), rounded tail fins (pike) vs. pointed tail fins (musky), and 5 or less pores on the lower jaw (pike) vs. 6-9 on musky.

I think Dave is correct.  The Tigers seem to have pairs of slanted stripes vs. the bolder single stripes on a muskellunge.

 

Muskellunge

 

Tiger Muskellunge

 

(At least in these photos.  I've never seen one and shouldn't have responded to the OP!  Sorry...)

15 minutes ago, desmobob said:

I think Dave is correct.  The Tigers seem to have pairs of slanted stripes vs. the bolder single stripes on a muskellunge.

Check the tail fin it will tell the tale. 

 

I loved the days fishing story, by MassBass, well done! That central maine part sounds like some of my smallmouth sweetspots. Always unnamed rivers or lakes where the big ones swim. Enjoyed the post ?