For people anglers who would like to get not only any muskie, however a real trophy fish, picking the best destination is more important than choosing the right appeal. In the event that you set aside all of the exciting recommendations, tactics, and tackle, the greatest fishermen regularly place themselves where in actuality the biggest seafood are. Reality check: few locations have actually 50-pound muskies. And muskie history’s shenanigans of “I’ll beat your record” have set a bar that is unreasonably high. It’s important to remember that 50-pound muskies are world-class.
You will find three demands for growing a true giant: good genetics, great forage, and wide-open spaces. A massive and diverse forage base is needed for a muskie to reach it’s full potential while muskies that possess prime genetics always grow faster and larger in any fishery. The biggest muskies originate from huge waters into the regions that are northern where muskellunge develop slower but live much longer. Despite the fact that this might be considered un-PC in today’s age, we should be gender-specific: females grow bigger and carry eggs, meaning they weigh more. In the event that ultimate objective is get the largest muskie feasible, you want to fish in late-fall, and catch a large female holding eggs, soon after she’s consumed a hearty dinner. If you’re able to achieve that in the waters I’ve down the page, it’s feasible that old Ethel might be pressing 60 pounds.
Georgian Bay
Here is the water that is only in the list that I haven’t physically fished. We asked my friend Johnny Dadson, who’s invested their life fishing Georgian Bay, for their ideas. Here’s his take: “The Bay spans significantly more than three million acres of Canadian wilderness. Each inlet through the coast that is southeast the north channel offers its very own experience and each area has its own genotype of muskies. We have residents and what we call вЂocean fish’—these are spotted, iridescent leviathans that haunt our desires. They’re inaccessible most of the time, leaving the inlets (spawning zones) before the season opening in mid-June and don’t return until belated autumn. Spring and summer offer some great bucktail and jerkbait fishing for resident seafood, however the Bay is best-known for fall trolling with BIG plugs for giant muskies.”
History shows that Georgian Bay can prove tankers. Two anglers have actually reported getting 60 pounders. Johnny and their group have weighed many fish in the 40- to 50-pound class (they weigh big fish quickly prior to discharge). Georgian continues to be a front runner to break the world record.
St. Lawrence River
This can be a huge, vast, Great Lakes river system and my fishing right here was primarily round the Montreal area with my buddy Marc Thorpe. Another popular and zone that is productive the Thousand isles area of New York. There’s tremendous history that is big-fish and present catches back the fishery’s potential. Captain Rich Clarke’s client released what was likely the largest muskie ever here—the fish calculated 60 inches and had an unbelievable create (it’s pictured above). When a genuine 60 pounder was released, that was it. Numerous females here attain top of the 50’s in size and also the knowledgeable people who pursue them all period will boat a few fish in that course every year. While late fall is prime time, good fishing is available through the entire period. The toughest part is selecting exactly what part to seafood. There’s tons of structure in many areas and a lot of current. These seafood spend a lot of the time in deep, open water. If you’re looking for a real trophy fish, the most readily useful tactic is trolling open-water areas within proximity to spawning sections on the river.
Eagle Lake
You will find numerous tremendous muskie fisheries into the western part of Ontario that it’s almost impossible to choose the single most readily useful. Each has its own “strain” theoretically as there’s no possible dilution from stocking. But if I’m forced to choose only one, Eagle Lake stands out. There exists a reported 60 pounder with this water and a continued history of big seafood. It’s drawn many hardcore muskie fishermen through the years, in fact, if there is a disadvantage to Eagle, it is that the product quality fishing has brought numerous good fishermen. There might be more muskie that is exceptional per area acre on Eagle than on just about any trophy fishery. Yet, many thanks to get and release the muskie populace is as healthier as any right amount of time in current years. Knowing that, it’s far better focus your time and efforts far from classic framework and which draws fishing pressure that is heavy. View a muskie episode shot on Eagle Lake right here.
Mille Lacs
The world-record fly-rod muskie had been caught on Mille Lacs.
This lake doesn’t have a long muskie history like a number of the others on the list and, it is just a little on the little side for a top-end trophy muskie water. But, for the last 20 years it is turned out giant muskies in main Minnesota. Stocking created the fishery that is modern mainly with Leech Lake strain fish. There was clearly a period that is peak ten years ago whenever size prospective paralleled high amounts of fish that were comparatively very easy to catch. Even though that top is seemingly over, a great populace of ultimate-growth monsters in top 50-inch range still remain. I’ve caught and seen big girls, like the biggest muskie I’ve ever had on. Currently, overall numbers are down due to reduced stocking and some control (and maintaining) mortality. Nonetheless 
it’s nevertheless an extraordinary and fishery that is comparatively low-pressure.
Lake Vermilion
Here is the other stocked pond in the Minnesota that, like Mille Lacs, simply grows bigger fish. Vermillion muskies develop to top 50-inch lengths and boast heavy builds. It does not hurt that this can be a stunning destination to fish as well. It resembles the Canadian Shield with plenty of cool-looking rocky islands, tough shoreline, and reefs. Along with this myriad of classic structure, there are many deeper areas with open-water forage bases. Interestingly, the pond varies gradually from clear and deeper sections to stained and shallower water. There’s big-fish throughout that is potential. The angling pressure right here could be fairly high, therefore roam far to locate waters to your self.