Can you readily identify the difference between a muskellunge and a northern pike?

1) Pike have 5 or less sensory pores per side on lower jaw, Musky have 6 or more.

2) Pike have fully scaled cheeks, while Musky only have scales on the upper half.

Thats 2 on the head.

Muskies are striped and they have no spots. A northern pike has spots that are yellow, or whitish.

Muskies do resemble northern pike, but one big difference is a musky doesn't have any scales like a northern pike.

Forgot the names...

Northern pike; Esox lucius.

Musky; Esox masquinongy.

I have caught many northern pike in my time here in Alaska. I have only seen musky on fishing shows and pictures that some friends have. I also have heard some stories about fishing for musky and some of them say long hours without a bite, or long hours for only one bite.

I have never caught a muskie, but I have caught enough pike that I think I could tell the difference. Pike have the horizontal rectangle pattern and a scalier head.

of course.

besides the obvious external differences that may or may not be confusing to the layman, the musky definitely has 7 or more spines in the dorsal fin and the pike has 7 or less. also the musky has 133 villi on the small intestine but it is necessary to kill the fish to prove this.

Besides color differences and all I can tell you pike have a hinged jaw. I got another guess but I think thats the ticket no?

Nope.

Since I've never caught either one, no... I have absolutely no idea what they look like or how to distinguish the differences between the two.

Color pattern and jaw