Tiger Muskies are the sterile hybrid of a pure-strain musky and a northern pike.  Occasionally they are called “norlunge” as well.  After a couple decades of being raised at the South Otselic Hatchery, not far from Whitney Point, they are now being raised up at the Oneida Hatchery adjacent to Oneida Lake.  The only Finger Lakes that are stocked with them are Otisco and Conesus Lakes.  Both lakes have good Tiger Musky fishing with Otisco being the best.   Onondaga Lake near Syracuse is also a good Tiger Musky fishery even though it isn’t stocked with them.  The Seneca River receives stockings, and the Tigers move into Onondaga Lake from there.

They are a gorgeous fish and have some traits of both pike and musky.  The average one caught in Otisco Lake runs 22″ to maybe 26″, but there are plenty of bigger fish around.  Good fishing for them runs from the season opener in early May right up through November. There is also a popular ice fishery for them on Otisco Lake.  Like pure-strain muskies, they can be pretty active during the heat of the summer.  They’ll hit just about any lure that anglers toss for bass.  Throwing huge musky lures for them doesn’t necessarily pay off as well as you might think, though it can be fun to do.