Muskellunge: Where and How to Catch Them by Season
Where Muskellunge hold, what to throw and when the bite peaks, season by season, with lakes to try.
When the bite is on
Across 416 lakes in our guide that list this fish, the bite rates highest in July, September, October. Bars show how strong the bite is, month by month (tallest bar in red is the peak).
Season by season
At 45-55F, muskies move to shallow bays, weeds and rocky points. Slow-rolled bucktails, jerkbaits, and big suckers on warm afternoons work.
When temps rise to 70-80F they roam weed edges, humps and rock bars at 8-20 ft. Big bucktails, topwaters and glide baits are staples. Fish first light, last light, and after dark.
Fall is the best season: at 50-60F, big fish feed heavily on weed edges and points in 6-20 ft. Large jerkbaits, bucktails and live suckers produce. Midday is also productive.
Muskies feed little in cold water. Fish deeper structure at 15-30 ft with slow-moving large baits when you can, or take a break.
Spawn is in spring at 49-59F, over shallow flats of muck and weeds, mostly in the evening. Fish are hard to catch while spawning.
Baits that work
- Large bucktails
- Glide baits
- Jerkbaits
- Topwaters
- Live suckers
Common mistakes
- Skipping the figure-eight at the boat
- Using light gear
- Poor handling and release
- Reeling too fast in cool water
Lakes to try
Lakes in our guide where this fish rates at its best, with maps, boat ramps and bait shops on every page.