I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m ready for spring and look forward to open water. Hopefully we will have total ice out by the opener, and we can get back on the water casting for the big girls once more. I believe understanding how and when musky spawn will help anglers catch post spawn fish. The dates posted below are in place to ensure that muskies have a successful spawn.

If you’re patiently waiting for musky season, here is the dates. Musky season in Wisconsin starts SOUTH of highway 10 May 3rd, NORTH of highway 10 May 24th and for those who fish the Cisco Chain (Wis/Mich Boundary Waters) it’s June 1st. Wisconsin minimum length is 50 inches on most waters but there are some waters where it is 54 inches, so check the DNR booklet. Also, only one fish can be harvested at those lengths and REGISTRATION IS MANDATORY. Michigan has different size limits depending on location, but most are 50 inches, and mandatory registration is also required.

Depending on what type of spring weather occurs, spawning usually starts when water reaches 50 to 60 degrees, but 55 is the perfect temperature. Knowing that Muskies will return to the same spawning location each year helps with the possibility of catching post spawn musky. These areas are shallow shorelines or mouths of inlets (oxygen levels are crucial for musky fry to survive) with vegetation, sand or gravel. And because the north side of the lake warms faster (direct sunlight) this is where most spawning takes place.

During spawn, while the female is spreading (depending on her size) 20 thousand or over 200 thousand eggs over several hundred yards, the male will swim alongside of her depositing milt over the roe. This spawning activity can take place over 10 days which happens during the night and depending on the water temperature, the eggs will hatch in around 2 weeks. After the musky roe hatches, their mortality rate is incredibly high, and it’s possible only 1 or 2 percent will call that lake home in the future.

The fry that does survive, will dine on zooplankton, tiny insects, water bugs and those that make it till August can be 12 inches and will start chowing on minnows and other small fish. Muskies that make it 5 years will be 27 to 30 inches and can reach legal size (50 inches) in 13 to 14 years. I will say, the loss of spawning shoreline to development has not only hindered spawning for muskie but walleye also.

Even though anglers can keep musky over 50 inches, please consider putting the big girls back. By doing so, this will not only help future anglers, but in years to come, you might catch the same BIGGER musky again. Instead, take pictures and measurements and have a replica made. It will still look great hanging on your wall, and the fish will be able to spawn again next year.

                    Next week, we will cover post spawn locations and tactics for catching the fish of 10,000 cast.