Freshwater

Muskellunge (muskie)

Muskellunge (maskinongé)

Esox masquinongy

Freshwater

At a glance

Typical size

30–45 in.

Depth

5–25 ft along weed edges, rock points and open water over deep basins.

Best time

All day in spring; mornings and evenings in summer.

Found in

3 areas

Spot it, size it up and learn its habits.

Identification: Like a giant pike, but with DARK bars or spots on a light green-gold body (pike have light spots on a dark body), pointed tail lobes, and no scales on the lower half of the cheek.
Typical size: 30–45 in.
Maximum size: About 6 ft and over 60 lb.
Diet: Fish of almost any kind (including other pike), plus frogs, ducklings and mice.
Behavior: Ambush hunter that lies still in weeds and shallow bays, then strikes with a fast burst.

Where, when and how deep to look.

Where to find it: Found from Ontario Great Lakes, Northern Ontario and Quebec. The St. Lawrence River, Lake St. Clair, Georgian Bay, the Kawartha Lakes, Lake of the Woods and the Ottawa River.
Habitat: The St. Lawrence River, Lake St. Clair, Georgian Bay, the Kawartha Lakes, Lake of the Woods and the Ottawa River.
Depth: 5–25 ft along weed edges, rock points and open water over deep basins.
Fishing depth: 2–15 ft in weedy bays and sloughs; deeper weed edges in summer.
Best season: Right after ice-out in shallow bays, and again in fall.
Best time: All day in spring; mornings and evenings in summer.
Best tides: No tide.
Best weather / conditions: Overcast, windy days push pike to the edges of the weeds.

What to tie on and what to throw.

Best bait: Large suckers under a float where legal.
Best artificial lures: Big bucktails, jerkbaits, glide baits, rubber baits and topwaters, often 8–12 in long.
Tackle setup: 7 ft medium-heavy spinning or baitcasting rod.
Hook size: Single or treble hooks on spoons, spinnerbaits and swimbaits; long-nose pliers to unhook.
Line: 20–50 lb braid.
Leader: Wire or 60–80 lb fluorocarbon leader, 12–18 in — pike teeth cut regular line.

The rod, reel, line and lures BigJoe would use.

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Step by step, from first cast to landing.

Go where it lives: The St. Lawrence River, Lake St. Clair, Georgian Bay, the Kawartha Lakes, Lake of the Woods and the Ottawa River.
Rig up: 7 ft medium-heavy spinning or baitcasting rod. Wire or 60–80 lb fluorocarbon leader, 12–18 in — pike teeth cut regular line.
Pick your bait: Large suckers under a float where legal. Lures: Big bucktails, jerkbaits, glide baits, rubber baits and topwaters, often 8–12 in long.
Fish it: Cast big lures along weed edges and points, and ALWAYS finish each cast with a figure-8 beside the boat, since many muskies follow without biting. In fall, troll big crankbaits along breaklines.
Time it: All day in spring; mornings and evenings in summer. No tide.

Fishing techniques: Cast big lures along weed edges and points, and ALWAYS finish each cast with a figure-8 beside the boat, since many muskies follow without biting. In fall, troll big crankbaits along breaklines.
BigJoe's tip: They call it the fish of 10,000 casts. Bring heavy gear, a big net, long pliers and bolt cutters, and expect to work for it.
Catch and release: Catch and release: wet your hands, keep the fish in the water when you can, and release it quickly. Use circle hooks and a dehooker.

Is it good to eat, and how to prepare it.

Safety, rules and taking care of the fishery.

Safety warnings: Razor-sharp teeth and gill rakers — never put your fingers in the mouth; use jaw spreaders and long pliers.
Regulations: Ontario has high minimum size limits (often 40 to 54 in depending on the zone), so almost every muskie must be released. Licenses, limits and seasons are set by each province, territory or state, and many lakes and rivers have special size limits, slot limits or closed spawning seasons — check the current regulations for the water you fish.
Conservation: Muskies grow slowly and there are never many in a lake. Keep them in the water in a big cradle net, and release them quickly.

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Sources & photo credits