Muskie become more difficult to catch in the heat of summer and the cold of winter. Like many predatory fish, muskie are most active at dawn and dusk, and these times typically provide the most action, especially on warm, sunny days. Cool, overcast days are usually best for muskie fishing.

Try heavy action rods from seven to nine feet long. Pair a muskie rod with a large bait-casting reel, preferably in a fast gear ratio, to allow “catching up” to fast-moving fish. Heavy action rods have the backbone to not only fight such a large fish, but also to cast the jumbo-sized lures used to target muskies.

Quick glance of the top musky lures available today:

Given the opportunity to choose, Muskies prefer soft rayed, high protein based fish such as Suckers, Tullibee, Ciscoes, Bullheads, Carp, and minnows. In fact, the food sources Muskies prefer most are usually fish species that most people would desire to not have in their lake.

Muskies, or muskellunge, are predatory ambush specialists whose diet is mostly smaller fish, even smaller muskies. However, a Wikipedia description of the species includes this passage: “Although very rare, muskellunge attacks on humans do occur on occasion.”

Muskie is a highly regulated species of fish that is often hard to catch. Thus, most people shy away from this fish. As long as you are totally aware of all the risks involved in eating a Muskie, eating it is fine. If you can cook it properly, you will find yourself liking this fish for sure.

Muskie and Pike are often around the same size. 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. The IGFA record for Pike stands at just over 55 pounds, 12 pounds short of the record for Muskie.

Czech Lukas Matejka’s catch is considered by many anglers – but not all – to now be the World record pike. He caught the 133 cm-long predator, which weighed 26.7 kg (58 lb 14 oz), from a water in the Czech Republic.

Muskies are known as the “fish of 10,000 casts” for a reason. An elusive predator with razor-sharp teeth and a picky pallet, specific gear is needed to fish for the muskellunge — they reach up to five feet long, and can put up a strong fight against the most seasoned of anglers, including Animal Planet’s Jeremy Wade.

The 7 Best Waters to Catch a Trophy Muskie

• Georgian Bay. A giant muskie caught on Georgian Bay.
• St. Lawrence River.
• Eagle Lake. The author, Christian Laettner, and Steve Herbeck fishing Eagle Lake for the show The Next Bite.
• Lake Vermilion. Sunset on Lake Vermillion.
• Bay of Green Bay.
• Lake St.

Muskies spawn at around 55 degrees so ideal spawning sites are located in shallow, flat, marshy areas usually lees than 3 feet in depth. Protection from wind and colder main lake water temperatures make isolated bays, islands and small creek inlets all good spawning sites.

This classic Mepps has always been a great producer of large fish because it’s so well suited for water depths of four to 12 feet. Big musky are found in these depths all summer long.

If you hook a smaller musky and don’t want photos, you don’t need to net it. Just reach down with the pliers and grab the back of the hook, and lift. The weight of the fish will usually cause it to fall back into the water, unhooked quickly and easily.

Fall is the best time to catch a trophy muskie. Most seasoned muskie guides agree that September and October are the peak trophy months. The water temperature drops to the mid-60s and muskies start putting on fat for the upcoming winter. Spring tactics will work in early fall, although you should fish with large lures.

Muskellunge can reach speeds of 30 miles per hour and live for as long as 30 years.

Pike usually spawn first, but once in a great while a Pike will spawn late enough to match the Muskie spawn and presto – the Tiger Muskie. Tigers grow faster than either pure strain parent and are usually infertile – part of what makes them so rare.