Predator and Prey

There is one key factor to a better understanding of how muskies fit into nature's scheme -- the muskie is the top predator in any body of water in which it occurs. Once a muskie reaches adult size there is nothing that it fears, not even humans.

As the top predator, the muskie has the run of the lake or river and it will always choose the structure that allows it to forage most efficiently -- a fact that is essential for anglers to successfully locate the larger fish. In some bodies of water, muskies will roam open water feeding on ciscoes and whitefish. In other waters they may use deep rocky shoals and feed on walleyes or smallmouth bass. And in some lakes and rivers they use weeds to attack unsuspecting prey from an ambush position.

For any fish to attain its maximum growth potential, it must make the most efficient use of available forage. This means that a fish must take in more calories than it uses in capturing its prey. A muskie living in a weedbed feeding on four- to six-inch perch will spend much more energy capturing its prey and will not grow at the same rate as a fish living on a shoal that feeds on one- to three-pound walleyes.

So why are big muskies so difficult to catch if adult muskies have no natural enemies other than humans? The answer is found in nature's system of checks and balances. Any body of water with a lot of big muskies would soon be thrown out of delicate balance. Although adult muskies have little to fear, life for small muskies is a battle for survival that few win. In this way, natural order ensures that the population of all top predators is kept in close.

Click to Listen!