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Best muskellunge lakes in Wisconsin

700 Wisconsin waters hold muskellunge, 34 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. The fish of 10,000 casts. Apex predator that shadows weed edges, rock and open-water bait schools.

1. Lake Michigan — Green Bay North and Bays de Noc — 129 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, MuskellungeWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 12 public access sites
2. Lake Michigan — Green Bay South — 128 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Channel CatfishWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 19 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
3. Petenwell Flowage — 44 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #3: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 12 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
4. Chippewa Flowage — 92 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #4: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 6 public access sites
5. Turtle-Flambeau Flowage — 50 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #5: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 5 public access sites
6. Menominee River — 15 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Muskellunge, Rock BassWhy #6: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 12 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
7. Lake Mendota — 80 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 12 public access sites, 4 carry-in or shore-oriented
8. Castle Rock Lake — 35 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #8: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 9 public access sites
9. Lac Vieux Desert Lake — 38 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
10. Lake Du Bay — 30 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #10: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 6 public access sites
11. Trout Lake — 110 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Rainbow Trout, MuskellungeWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 5 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
12. Willow Flowage — 30 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #12: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 4 public access sites
13. Namekagon River — 7 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Rainbow Trout, MuskellungeWhy #13: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 6 public access sites, 3 carry-in or shore-oriented
14. Lac Courte Oreilles — 90 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #14: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 4 public access sites
15. Rhinelander Flowage — 10 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #15: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
16. Holcombe Flowage — 62 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #16: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
17. St. Croix River — 15 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Channel Catfish, MuskellungeWhy #17: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites
18. Shawano Lake — 39.5 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #18: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 7 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
19. Tomahawk Lake — 84 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #19: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
20. Dairyland Reservoir (Flambeau) — 70 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #20: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites
21. Biron Flowage — 23 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #21: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
22. Smoky Lake — 60 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
23. Big Muskellunge Lake — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
24. Chippewa River — 12 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Channel Catfish, MuskellungeWhy #24: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 4 public access sites
25. Lake Winneconne — 9 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #25: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached

…plus 675 more Wisconsin waters holding muskellunge.

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When to fish muskellunge in Wisconsin

• Spring 3–12 ft — Post-spawn fish recover in shallow, warming bays — smaller baits, slower work.
• Summer 8–25 ft — Deep weedlines, rock points and open-water humps near bait schools.
• Fall 8–30 ft — The trophy season: big baits worked slow on steep rock and remaining green weeds.
• Winter 15–35 ft — Mostly dormant; deep basins adjacent to structure.

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