Weird and Odd Looking Muskies: Rare Deformed Musky Catches
- Steven Paul
- 20 hours ago
- 4 min read
Weird and Odd Looking Muskies: A Rare Deformed Musky Catch
Over my decades of guiding for muskies, I have run into a few, shall we say, characters that stand out. These muskies are unforgettable, not because of their enormous length, massive weight, or stamina during a fight, but because they simply look so odd.
On a recent trip to a rather secluded cold-water musky fishery, well off the radar for most southern musky anglers, I ran into a fish that took the absolute cake for looking weird. While fishing an extremely deep point with a prototype Brute from Livingston Lures, I saw what every musky angler is looking for, a follow.
What started as a deep shadow in gin-clear water quickly turned into a moment of confusion. I saw what I thought was an open mouth, but in an instant, I knew something was not right. In the first corner of my figure eight, the muskie charged hard to strike, but simply could not open its mouth wide enough to eat the Brute.
I was hit with a real bit of confusion and left scratching my head. What happened? How could this fish, with its gills flared, launch headlong at the bait and look like its mouth was open while somehow also looking like its mouth was shut?
Mind you, all of this happened in the blink of an eye, and I was left somewhat baffled. After regrouping, I cast back with a Livingston Lures jerkbait and had the same thing happen again. This time, my eyes were fixed on the fish. In the first turn of the figure eight, I saw a muskie that was so deformed it barely looked like a muskie. Long story short, this fish “struck” and ended up in the net.
I can barely describe my level of confusion when I saw this muskie in the net. As you can see in the photos accompanying this article, the muskie’s top jaw and face are curved so far downward that it presses into its bottom jaw, leaving its bottom row of teeth and mouth permanently exposed.
This deformity has obviously slowed this muskie’s ability to feed, as the fish was substantial in length but rail thin. To be honest with you, I was so mesmerized by this muskie’s appearance that length was the furthest thing from my mind. Nonetheless, this fish was definitely nearing or past the ten-year-old mark in age, so it had in fact been a successful hunter countless times throughout its lifespan.
For reference, I am unsure of its exact age, but it is safe to say any muskie nearing or over the 40 inch mark is pushing a decade old, if not older. In theory, this fish could be in its teens, but this muskies exact age is a mysterious that will remain unsolved. Regardless, this muskie, while it looks different from the rest of its kin, has been able to keep itself viable for a long while.
It may come as a shock, but this is in fact not the first muskie I have caught with a facial or top jaw deformity. In 2021, I landed a muskie whose top jaw was what I referred to as “snubbed,” giving the fish a short top jaw with a slight hump. While nowhere near as extreme as this most recent deformed muskie, that snubbed-nose fish stood out as an oddity and has grabbed the attention of anyone who has seen its photo as a biological curiosity.
But in comparison, this latest deformed muskie put all others to shame. Its extreme top jaw curve stood out immediately, and by all accounts, the jaw seemed complete and appeared to have all of the teeth in all of the typical places. I did notice what seemed to be a black or dark brown stain around the edge of this muskie’s bottom jaw, along with some dark marks on its bottom teeth.
While both muskies I am referencing were deformed, both were seemingly healthy from all other standpoints. This simply goes to show you that muskies are both fragile and resilient creatures. Quite frankly, just like people, they come in all shapes and sizes.
While this heavily deformed muskie might not win any beauty pageants, it will undoubtedly be one of my more memorable catches. It is also a photo I will probably be showing anglers far more than any big muskie for years and years to come.
And in case you are curious, facial and jaw deformities in muskies are highly uncommon, but they can be found in populations of muskies where stocking has taken place. While information on muskies and their deformities is basically nonexistent, facial deformities seem to be the most prevalent seen.
But regardless of whether a muskie is picture perfect or as surreal and unique as this one, treat them all with kindness and care when handling them to ensure a safe release, even if they have a face only a mother could love.
