Basic Muskie Fishing by James Smith
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Muskie, musky, muskellunge, etc. whatever you call it, it is the fish of 10,000 casts. I guarantee you they’ll wait you out. I told this to a friend on one of his first trips muskie fishing with me. An hour or so later I noticed his mouth moving and no voice. I asked him if he had had a follow and was talking to himself under his breath. “No,” he said, “just counting.” “It’s a joke I said,” I don’t think he was impressed.

Let me explain the different spellings. Muskie is predominately a Minnesota spelling, and Musky is the Wisconsin version. Depending on where you began fishing for muskies, that will be the way you spell it. There is no particularly “politically correct” way to spell it. Some magazines require their writers to use it only one way, others don’t care. Muskie Magazine was first published in Minnesota where Muskies, Inc was founded. On the other hand Musky Hunter Magazine was founded and is published in Wisconsin. So there you have it. According to Webster’s 10th Edition either spelling is correct and equally accepted.

Esocidae is the family of fish from which the muskellunge is a member. Along with the northern pike, amur pike from the United Kingdom, and an assortment of pickerel; chain, redfin, and grass. Within the family of muskellunge Esox masguinongy, there are distinct color variations, that kind of point to areas of the country. For example the “clear” muskie is generally found in northern Wisconsin. The “spotted” muskie is considered the Leech Lake strain from Minnesota. The “Barred” muskie appears to originate from the Ohio area. There is also a color variation called by some the “silver” muskie. Finally, there is the hybrid muskie. This is a cross between a northern pike father and a pure muskellunge mother. Generally this is a hatchery-reared fish, which a number of states use in their muskie stocking programs. However, this cross can and does happen in the wild. It is thought to occur in lakes where both northern pike and muskellunge frequent, and when there is a late spring. Normally the northern spawn first, a couple of weeks earlier than muskies. If there is a late spring they may be spawning together in the same areas. Muskies, Inc. has laminated charts to assist you in identifying your muskie.

Distribution

Muskies are a game fish native to North America. Their distribution historically was limited to about 8 or 10 Midwestern and northeastern states and a couple of Canadian provinces. Within the last quarter century wildlife agencies have begun stocking true muskellunge and, in particular, hybrid muskies in their waters. Today thirty-five of the lower forty-eight states have active muskie stocking programs, many with record class muskies and fishable populations. As was mentioned above the muskie spawns a couple of weeks after the pike. Because of this the pike tend to reduce the number of muskie that survive. Being a couple of weeks older the young pike find muskie fry easy prey. Supplemental stocking by DNR agencies tends to maintain minimal levels of muskies in good waters. Studies show that for every 1,000 muskies stocked approximately 99 reach 30”, approximately 26 reach 40” and only 5 to 7 fish reach a 50” size. There are a couple of major factors that cause the muskie to be rare and difficult to catch. One is sheer numbers, or the lack thereof as previously mentioned.

Second is muskies are particularly vulnerable to fishing pressure. Further, increased fishing pressure, pollution, habitat alteration, and introduction of exotic species, all threaten our muskie populations. “Catch and release” which was the foundation block for Muskies Inc. has done a great deal to increase the numbers of muskies today. Gil Hamm’s fore sight in 1966 to espouse the catch and release philosophy may ultimately prove to be the salvation of this great sport fish.

Growth & Size

Without a doubt, “Big is Better”, when it comes to muskie fishing. Size limits within the various states are working to protect the harvest of smaller fish. Most minimum size limits begin around 36”. I know of no state with a minimum size limit less than 30” and in the better muskie states the minimum size limit is start at 44”, 46”, 54” etc. Many times certain lakes within the state will have varying size limits.

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