Not many years ago, tiger muskies were in the news more than they are now. Half northern pike and half muskie, this fast-growing, toothy, large predator had something akin to a cult following, mostly in the metro, the primary region where they were stocked by the Department of Natural Resources.
Perhaps no one was more enthusiastic about tigers than Josh Stevenson, who holds the state record for these fish, caught in 1999, weighing 34 pounds, 12 ounces.
In the years since, Stevenson hasn't lost his zeal for tigers, especially big ones.
"When you get one over 42 inches, my personal opinion is they act more like northern pike than muskies," said Stevenson, a muskie guide and owner of Blue Ribbon Bait and Tackle in Oakdale and White Bear Lake. "They just cream a bait when they hit it, and then go airborne. They rocket themselves out of the water."
For Stevenson and his tiger-seeking clients, the past two weeks have been monumental. One catch measured 45 inches, another 47.5 inches. These, along with a handful of smaller specimens, were caught while trolling.
"They're called tiger muskies, but to catch one, you have to fish them more like northerns," Stevenson said. "Like northerns, they spend a lot of time in deeper, cooler water when temperatures warm up."
Unlike Leech Lake, Mississippi or other muskie strains, tigers, Stevenson said, prefer smaller lures. Spoon plugs. Shad Raps. Super Shad Raps. Even spinner baits.
These and other, similar baits often yield strikes that larger lures won't.
