Tough call, but it’s pure muskie: Illinois’ tiger muskie mark stands

I just received word the from the geneticist that we had ID’ing the possible state record tiger muskie (see below). It was a pure muskie not a tiger. I hated to hear that. It was beautiful fish and looked like a tiger to me but again, that’s why we do the testing. Rob Miller has been in contact with the angler to let him know. He was understandably disappointed but still happy with the fish. 36 pounds 0.4 ounces is a very nice muskie in anybody’s book. I can send the report if any are interested but it is pretty technical.Good afternoon,I hope this message finds you well. I apologize for the delayed response, but please find attached a report detailing our genetic results on the putative state record Tiger Muskellunge. The samples presented some technical difficulties, hence the delay in delivery of our results. However, we have completed our assessment. It is our determination that the putative record fish is in fact not a hybrid Tiger Muskellunge, but is indeed a pure Muskellunge. For technical details, please see the report. If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or need for further clarification, please do not hesitate to contact me at your earliest convenience.Sincerely,Mark DavisMark A Davis PhD Conservation Biologist Coordinator: Collaborative Ecological Genetics Laboratory Science Advisor: Upper Midwest and Great Lakes Landscape Conservation Cooperative Illinois Natural History Survey Prairie Research Institute University of Illinois Urbana Champaign