Why this big fish caught in downtown Toronto is a big deal for the environment

Why this big fish caught in downtown Toronto is a big deal for the environment

By Trevor Dunn

Source: msn

11/1/2022

Credit: Will Sampson

The water was calm last Sunday morning as Sampson and a friend trolled their usual spots between Toronto Island and the downtown waterfront. A layer of fog still covered the city's towering skyline.

With the CN Tower and other Toronto landmarks just a few hundred metres away, Sampson landed a big fish rarely seen in the big city.

"It was definitely a shock and we knew we had caught a unicorn."

At first Sampson thought he had a large pike, a species more common to the area. But as the fish, which was just over a metre long, emerged from the water, he got a closer look at its lighter colours and spots — features that are typical of muskellunge, commonly known as muskie.