I know its still early in the year but its never to early to start planning. I am planning a trip to Minnesota or Wisconsin to attempt to catch some muskies. I have been to MN before and fished the IA great lake a couple of years but no luck yet. Where does anybody suggest I go to to catch my number one? I am not particular on the size of the fish just yet, but eventually I will chase a giant.
Depends what your close to, I fish the IGL’s almost daily during season while not easy fish are there and in decent numbers. Best we have boated is a 52 1/4, and as many as 6 at or over 50 in 1 season with 3-4 others lost. You’ll see many more than you’ll have a real shot at but when the window opens things can get busy in a hurry. I do 99% of my fishing on Iowa waters with 1 week to Vermilion in MN for my vacation. Maybe take a few weekend trips north of the border this summer if things work out.
How far do you want to travel ?
How big of water can your boat handle ?
Here in the TC I suggest Minnetonka during the week.
Mille Lacs and Vermillion are the next best bets for giants, but they do get pressure.
Plenty of smaller lakes to choose from also, just a matter of some of the above questions.
I always hear abot the pressure on V, my question is where??? I was there last year we had 35 or so in our camp and there was something like 160 in the Gill Hamm the same week, and I’m sure more from other camps just on a muskie vacation, 1 day we saw several other muskie boats but never felt crowded and a few different days/ nights never saw another boat fishing…. Far cry from my every weekend and sometimes almost daily pressure at home where on any given day there may be a dozen boats out castin on a 3700 acre lake.
If I was going to chase a behemoth, I would go to MN or Canada. I am sure there are numbers lakes in MN, but that is what I would be looking for if I was looking for my first. High Density Lakes!!! Looking for a great water with few anglers, I was impressed with Leech last year, the pike (up to 37″ and I lost one larger) kept things interesting and there was a musky or two that showed up and I don’t think other than one troller we saw another musky fisherman.
Mark
There’s no muskies in Leech 
The Walker area has a lot to offer up to a guy looking to huck baits. Leech and Cass are two great lakes if a guys is looking for big water options. The area is loaded with smaller lakes that offer up some BIG fish. This fatty came from a small lake in the area, big water was not an option because of the wind, but the small lakes up there hold some big big fish.
So far I am hearing some good options from the members here. I will definately be hitting Rush lake and one other smaller lake just north of minneapolis for like 3 days then I may be heading north or east to wisconsin. I only have a 14 foot tracker super guide boat so really big water is out. I passed up a trip to canada based mostly on the money its gonna cost to get up there. I will make it up there eventually. Any small lake options that are a good place. I dont mind pike or tiger muskies either.
If you are talking a little north of the Twin Cities and into Wi are, 3 muskie lakes in that area would include:
Forest Lake – Mn
Deer Lake – Wi
Ceder Lake – Wi
Bone Lake – Wi
None of these are huge lakes and all are within 1.5 hours of the Twin Cities.
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If you are talking a little north of the Twin Cities and into Wi are, 3 muskie lakes in that area would include:
Forest Lake – Mn
Deer Lake – Wi
Ceder Lake – Wi
Bone Lake – WiNone of these are huge lakes and all are within 1.5 hours of the Twin Cities.
If you wanted to many lakes in the Twin Cities are good too. Minnetonka, Wiconia, White Bear, Bald Eagle etc. all have produced some big fish as well as some numbers in the last few years too. If you want depending on when you will be up here I may be able to head out with you on one or two of the lakes I fish. Send me a PM if you want.
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There’s no muskies in Leech
All’s I’m saying is that Maas guy said there were some in there. I saw Keyes show a couple of weeks ago and he said there were fish in ML again!!! Get out of here!!!
Mark
Back to your question nextbite, those are three good lakes in close proximity to the Twin Cities…
You might try to do some research in the Hayward area as there a many, many lakes under 3000 acres that would make you feel comfortable in your boat in almost any wind.
Over here in the Minocqua area, we have tons of lakes that you would feel comfortable on and with ‘skies over 50″ in many of them too!!!
Mark
a friend brought up the idea to head to iowa in a month or so for a day of musky fishing but we haven’t been to iowa to fish at all. we were thinking clear lake because we r from rochester and that is the closest lake so the question is have u fished this lake early in the season and what are some good tactics-color patterns work good down there?? any advide would be great. thanks a bunch
sry guys that question was a private message for shaley. hit me back with an answer plz
For clear, spinnerbaits, gliders, alot of luck and stay shallow.
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