Kentucky has several native Muskie streams. These fish have always been here and stay in the system year round. I rotate between 4 streams that are here close to me.
This particular creek, there is no way to get a boat in with an outboard unless it was a small 2-5hp motor as there is no access for a trailers boat to launch, I'm almost certain they are form spawning but I could be wrong. But coming from an outboard; highly unlikely.
As I mentioned earlier, I thought it looked like a prop injury too. Given what you say about the smaller outboard seems even more plausible to me. I certainly know nothing about Muskies or their spawning behavior, but those wounds appear to me, based on the angle and equal distance between them, seem like they could have been caused by one revolution of a small 3 bladed prop. Regardless, I enjoy your photos and you do have an amazing fishery!
