Muskellunge

Where to go

Muskellunge lake by lake

Ranked by how good the fishing actually is, not alphabetically. If a lake is not on this list, it is because the fish is not worth targeting there.

1. 01

   Lake St. Clair

   Lake St. Clair holds the densest muskellunge population on the continent, and the old line about ten thousand casts does not apply here. A competent angler on a good October day can raise a dozen fish and boat several.

   Prime time: June through mid-November, with October and early November the trophy window · Depths: 8–16 ft over cabbage and sand; 18–24 ft along the shipping channel edges in late fall

   Full guide
2. 02

   Lake Huron

   Lake Huron muskie fishing is a northern-island game and it is nothing like St. Clair — fewer fish, more water, and long days between bites. Fish the St. Marys system and the Drummond Island bays in September and October and be honest with yourself about the odds.

   Prime time: Late July through October, with September and October the best window · Depths: 5–14 ft over cabbage and rock; 14–22 ft on the outside weed edges in late fall

   Full guide
3. 03

   Lake Erie

   Lake Erie is not a muskie destination and you should not plan a trip around it. Where the fish do concentrate — Presque Isle Bay, the upper Niagara River at Buffalo, and the western basin near the Detroit River mouth — they are genuinely large, and a fall fish there is a real trophy.

   Prime time: September through November, with October the best window · Depths: 6–16 ft over weed flats and river-mouth structure; 18–28 ft on late-fall current breaks

   Full guide