Fishable populations are now found in approximately 667 lakes and 48 streams in 53 counties; the largest concentrations are found in the upper Chippewa, Flambeau, and Wisconsin River systems. Like most large predators at the top of the food chain, muskellunge are usually not very abundant.
Where can you find muskies in Wisconsin?
Distribution: The muskellunge occurs in all three drainage basins in Wisconsin (Lake Michigan, Mississippi River, and Lake Superior) but is most widely distributed in the Chippewa, Flambeau, St. Croix, Black, and Wisconsin rivers of the Mississippi basin.
Where is the best place to fish for musky?
The three best big-water producers of giant muskies are Green Bay, Lake St. Clair, and the Ottawa River/St. Lawrence River systems. Anglers have a legitimate shot at a 50- to 56-inch muskie nearly any day of the season there and it’s possible a record fish swims in at least two of these fisheries.
When can you fish for musky in Wisconsin?
The open season for muskellunge begins the Saturday nearest Memorial Day in the “Northern Zone” and the First Saturday in May in the “Southern Zone.” The season ends on November 30th in the Northern Zone and December 31st in the Southern Zone.
Where was the biggest muskie caught in Wisconsin?
Chippewa Flowage
According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the tiger muskie is the biggest on record. The biggest muskellunge ever caught was 68 pounds and 631⁄2 inches long. It was caught on the Chippewa Flowage in Sawyer County on Oct. 10, 1949.
Where is the best musky fishing in Wisconsin?
Here are five of Wisconsin’s top musky lakes, in no particular order.
- Boulder Lake. At just 524 acres, Boulder Lake isn’t the biggest lake in Vilas County.
- Big St. Germain Lake.
- Rainbow Flowage.
- Boom Lake.
- Lake DuBay.
How old is a 50 inch muskie?
Growth and ultimate size can vary among bodies of water, depending on factors such as lake productivity, forage and genetics. Depending on the body of water, muskellunge in Minnesota could take 13 to 21 years to reach 50 inches.
What lake has the most muskie?
Mille Lacs Lake
The world record muskie is currently living in Minnesota’s Mille Lacs Lake—or so biologists think. In a recent press release, the Minnesota DNR announced that earlier this year they landed the largest muskie they’ve ever seen.
Are muskie good eating?
People who love eating muskies will tell you that muskie tastes quite similar to bass. Others believe it tastes more like pike. Either way, muskie is more of a bland fish with not as much flavor as other fish species, like salmon or tuna. Much of the taste of the fish depends on how you cook it.
What is the best bait for muskie?
Bucktails – Bucktails are arguably the most popular bait used by musky anglers. Bucktails produce vibrations in the water that are easily felt by a musky’s lateral line. Bucktails can be retrieved at any speed, depending on the conditions. The most popular bucktails are double 9 blades and double 10 blades.
How big does a muskie have to be to keep in WI?
The minimum length for harvest in Wisconsin is 54 inches and the minimum length for harvest in Michigan is 50 inches. An angler cannot bring a harvested 50-inch fish over to the Wisconsin side of the river.
Is musky fishing open in Wisconsin?
BARRON, Wis. (WEAU) -The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is announcing that the 2022 Northern Zone Muskellunge Season starts May 28, 2022 and runs through Dec. 31, 2022.
What is the biggest fish in Wisconsin?
Fishing Wisconsin
| Species | Weight | Length (inches) |
|---|---|---|
| Muskellunge | 69 lbs. 11 oz. | 63.5 |
| Muskellunge, Tiger | 51 lbs. 3 oz. | 54.0 |
| Northern Pike | 38 lbs. 0 oz. | not available |
| Perch, White | 1 lbs. 8.5 oz. | 14.0 |
What’s bigger muskie or pike?
Muskie and Pike are often around the same size. This is part of the reason that people have trouble telling them apart. However, Muskie do grow to be much bigger than Pike. The average Pike is less than two feet, while Muskie regularly hit twice that size.
How much would a 40 inch muskie weigh?
18.83 pounds
MuskieLength To Weight Conversion Chart
| 38 in | 15.88 pounds |
| 39 in | 17.31 pounds |
| 40 in | 18.83 pounds |
| 41 in | 20.44 pounds |
| 42 in | 22.15 pounds |
What is the best month to fish in Wisconsin?
June. Make summer a great time with fishing. Bass and panfish opportunities are plentiful across the state, as they move into shallow water to build nests and spawn. Large and smallmouth bass are usually well into their spawning period in northern Wisconsin.
Are there musky in lake Wisconsin?
An average muskellunge lake has about 1 adult fish for every 3 surface acres. Expanding this average to all musky waters provides an estimate of about 200,000 muskies statewide. Muskellunge are found in a wide variety of habitats, typically thriving in large rivers, lakes, and flowages.
Are there musky in Lake Geneva?
Alternate year muskellunge stocking began in 2010 and the species has quickly become a fixture of the Geneva Lake fish community. Muskellunge relative abundance was 0.4 per net night, which matches the expected catch rate for A1 musky waters.
What eats a muskie?
Predators. Adult muskellunge are apex predators where they occur naturally. Only humans and (rarely) large birds of prey such as bald eagles pose a threat to an adult but juveniles are consumed by other muskies, northern pike, bass, trout, and occasionally birds of prey.
What’s the biggest muskie ever caught?
70.10 pounds
For muskies, the world records for length and weight are held by two different fish. The maximum documented length is 72.04 inches (183 cm), and the heaviest documented weight is 70.10 pounds (31.8 kg), according to FishBase. Holm notes that world-record fish are not always caught by sportsmen.
What is the lifespan of a muskie?
Adult muskies have no aquatic predators, but may fall victim to disease, large birds of prey, or people. Muskellunge can live to about 18 years old, but fish up to 30 years of age have been documented.