You guessed it! The maskinonge is none other than our old familiar barracuda of the north! A time-honored tradition in Ontario and Quebec has conferred the label "maskinonge" on this, the largest member of the pike family. The "official name" according to the American Fisheries Society has long been "muskellunge." But in earlier times (American Fisheries Society. 1960. A List of Common and Scientific Names of Fishes from the United States and Canada (Second Edition). Ann Arbor, Michigan. Page 12, Footnote 4), this august group was able to concede the alternate spelling "maskinonge ." Alas, this courtesy has escaped recent printings of the fish list, but I'll bet you knew all along just what fish we were talking about! Consult Scott and Crossman (Freshwater Fishes of Canada , Bull. 184, Fisheries Research Board of Canada, 1973, Pages 369-370 for an interesting account of names and etymology. Here's another link you might enjoy.
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Date created: 12/28/95 Last modified: 12/28/95 Copyright © 1995, George R. Spangler Maintained by: G. Spangler GRS@finsandfur.fw.umn.edu