Snub Nose Muskie

Type: Nontidal
Region: Western
Location: Upper Potomac River

I just recently caught a young muskie with a funny looking snub nose. He didn�t have any issues eating. I have seen pictures of other species having snub noses but it seems like a rare occurrence. The fish didn�t appear injured and looked like more of a birth defect than an injury. Just a really cool fish that I wanted to share.

Response from John Mullican, Biologist, MD DNR:
Injuries and deformities occur in wild and farmed/hatchery produced fish. The "snub nosed" condition has been documented on many fish species from around the world. This could occur from an injury to the mouth structures that occurred in the early life stages. However, the most likely cause are genetic mutations or "mistakes" that occur when incubating eggs are exposed to inappropriate temperatures. This could be colder, warmer, or a rapid fluctuation in temperatures as the eggs are developing. Adult fish displaying these genetic "mistakes" are fairly rare as they usually don�t survive to a catchable size.