Delaware Fish Facts for The Recreational Angler

Tiger Muskellunge are long, slender fish with a large duckbill shaped mouth full of needle sharp teeth.

It looks much like a Muskellunge but on its sides are broken and often out of line dark bars (stripes).

Illustration by Duane Raver, Jr.

Season	Open Year-Round
Size Limit	No Size Limit
Daily Limit / Person	No Limit
Delaware Range	Brandywine Creek and Christina River
Abundance in Delaware Waters	Uncommon
General Habitat and Food Preferences	The Tiger Muskellunge can be found from deep open water to shallow weeds and fallen trees. The fish are carnivores to the extreme and, because of their size, will eat most anything that is smaller than they are, including small birds and mammals.
Did You Know?	Tiger Muskellunge are non-native to Delaware. They occasionally stray to Delaware from Pennsylvania where they are often stocked. The Tiger Muskellunge is a cross between a female Muskellunge and a male Northern Pike. They are incredibly strong and have a crushing blow as they grab a lure. Tiger Muskellunge also go by the nickname "Tiger Musky".
Common Lures and Baits	Because of the large size of its prey, big jerk baits, large spinners, and topwater lures are often the top choices. Large Golden Shiners or small Common Carp are favorite live baits for Tiger Muskellunge.
Typical Sizes Caught	Tiger Muskellunge can be as big as 15 pounds in Delaware waters.
Citation Minimum Length and Weight	Live Release Award Adult: 30 inches minimum Youth (age 15 and under): 26 inches minimum Sport Fishing Tournament Award Adult: 10 pounds minimum Youth (age 15 and under): 7.5 pounds minimum Tiger Muskellunge are eligible for the Delaware Sport Fishing Tournament and Live Release "Musky" awards, but not currently eligible for an individual species award.
Delaware State Record	20 pounds 8 ounces Thomas Sutton 2013 "Musky" is a general category and can be any muskellunge species. Tiger Muskellunge is not currently eligible for an individual Delaware record.

Delaware's Government