--- type: fish_guide title: "How to Catch Muskie in Minnesota: Seasons, Tactics & Trophy Waters" description: "Minnesota muskie fishing explained: the 54-inch minimum, 2026 season dates, seasonal patterns, gear that protects the fish, and the best-known waters." updated: 2026-10-01 url: https://www.minnelakes.org/fish/muskellunge --- # How to Catch Muskie in Minnesota: Seasons, Tactics & Trophy Waters ## Key Takeaways - The 2026 muskie season on inland waters runs June 6 through Nov. 30, with a possession limit of 1 fish and a 54-inch minimum size. - In practice Minnesota muskie fishing is catch and release; almost nobody keeps a legal fish. - Finish every retrieve with a figure-eight at the boat. A large share of muskie strikes happen in the last few feet. - Mille Lacs, Vermilion, Leech, Cass, Bemidji and Minnetonka are among the best-known muskie waters, and Mille Lacs holds both state records. - Heavy tackle, a large net and the right release tools are not optional; they are what keeps a released fish alive. Minnesota is one of the best places in the world to catch a muskellunge over 50 inches, and the rules are built to keep it that way. For 2026 the inland season runs June 6 through Nov. 30, the possession limit is one fish, and the minimum size is 54 inches, which makes the fishery effectively catch and release. Catching one means covering water with big lures around weeds, rocks and baitfish, watching for follows, and finishing every cast with a figure-eight. ## Identification and habits Muskies are the largest member of the pike family. Coloration varies by lake: some are clear silver-green, some carry dark vertical bars, others dark spots. The reliable rule is dark markings on a light background, the reverse of a northern pike, along with pointed tail lobes, a cheek scaled only on the upper half, and six or more sensory pores along each side of the lower jaw. Tiger muskies, the hybrid with northern pike, show bold irregular bars and rounded tail tips. They are apex predators at low density. Even a great muskie lake holds far fewer muskies per acre than it holds pike or walleye, and each fish feeds in short windows. They eat suckers, ciscoes (tullibee), perch, bullheads and whatever else fits. Individual fish tend to use the same spots repeatedly, so a fish that follows a lure without striking is worth coming back to at sunset or moonrise. ## Season by season ### Early season (June) There is no spring muskie season on inland waters; the June opener protects spawning fish. In early June, muskies are recovering in and near shallow bays with new weed growth. Smaller baits such as bucktails, small jerkbaits and soft plastics worked at moderate speed fit the cooler water. Clear lakes can offer sight-fishing in the shallows. ### Summer Peak activity. Fish spread across weed flats, rock reefs, points and open water where ciscoes suspend. Fast-moving double-bladed bucktails and topwater lures draw the most strikes, especially at dawn, dusk and after dark. When surface temperatures reach about 80 degrees, many muskie anglers stop fishing or stick to cooler periods, because fish fought in very warm water die at much higher rates after release. ### Fall The trophy season. As the water cools, muskies feed heavily and the heaviest fish of the year are caught in October and November, often near rocky shorelines and reefs where ciscoes spawn. Large rubber baits, big jerkbaits, trolled crankbaits and live suckers on quick-strike rigs take over. The Minnesota weight record came from Mille Lacs in late November. ### Ice The muskie season is closed in winter. It ends Nov. 30, and muskies may not be speared. If one takes a pike tip-up, keep it in the water and release it immediately. ## Techniques and rigs - **Casting bucktails.** The workhorse. Burn them over weed tops and along edges. - **Topwater.** Prop baits and walk-the-dog styles on calm evenings and at night. Wait until you feel weight before setting the hook. - **Jerkbaits and gliders.** Erratic side-to-side baits trigger fish that only follow bladed lures. - **Big rubber.** Large soft-plastic baits worked in a pull-and-pause cadence along deep edges, especially in fall. - **Trolling.** Large crankbaits along breaks and over open water. Remember Minnesota allows one line per angler in open water on most inland waters. - **Live suckers.** A fall tactic. Use a quick-strike rig and set the hook immediately so the fish is hooked in the mouth, not the gut. **The figure-eight.** At the end of every retrieve, push the rod tip down into the water and sweep the lure through wide ovals beside the boat, speeding up through the turns. Do it on every cast, not only when you see a fish. ## Gear Muskie tackle is heavy for the fish's benefit as much as yours: a quick fight is a survivable fight. - 8 to 9 foot heavy or extra-heavy casting rod and a large baitcasting reel - 80 to 100 pound braided line - A fluorocarbon or wire leader rated around 100 pounds or more - A very large, deep, coated net that lets the fish stay in the water - Long-nose pliers, a hook-out tool, heavy hook cutters, jaw spreaders and gloves If you do not own the net and the cutters, you are not ready to land one. ## 2026 season and limits Verified against the 2026 [Minnesota DNR fishing regulations](https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/regulations/fishing/index.html), which run through Feb. 28, 2027. Confirm before fishing. | Species | 2026 inland season | Possession limit | Minimum size | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Muskellunge | June 6 to Nov. 30 | 1 | 54 inches | | Tiger (hybrid) muskellunge | June 6 to Nov. 30 | 1 | 40 inches | The DNR lists the 2027 opener as June 5. Border waters differ: the 2026 booklet shows different seasons and smaller minimums, commonly 50 inches, on waters shared with neighboring states and Canada, and a few waters are catch-and-release only for muskie. A kept muskie must be transported with head and tail intact so it can be measured. Read the section for the specific water, and see [Minnesota fishing regulations explained](https://www.minnelakes.org/guides/minnesota-fishing-regulations-explained). ## Where muskies thrive in Minnesota Muskies are native to the Mississippi River headwaters lakes and the Rainy River drainage, and the DNR has extended the fishery through stocking, largely with the Leech Lake strain known for reaching large sizes. The best-known waters fall into a few groups: - **Native northern lakes.** Leech, Cass, Winnibigoshish and the connected Mississippi headwaters chain, plus Lake of the Woods and its Northwest Angle islands. - **Stocked big-fish lakes.** Mille Lacs and Vermilion, both producing fish in the mid-50-inch class, and Lake Bemidji and Plantagenet near Bemidji. - **West-central lakes.** Miltona near Alexandria and the Detroit Lakes area lakes. - **Twin Cities metro.** Minnetonka, White Bear, Bald Eagle and Independence give metro anglers a real shot at a large fish. Lake Elmo in Washington County produced the state record tiger muskie. - **Rivers.** The Mississippi and St. Croix hold muskies as well. Good muskie lakes share a few traits: size, deep cool water, healthy weeds or rock, and a fatty forage base of ciscoes or suckers. ## State record From the [DNR state record fish program](https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/fishing/staterecords.html): - **Certified weight:** 55 pounds, 14 ounces; 57 3/4 inches long with a 29 inch girth; Mille Lacs Lake, Nov. 22, 2021. - **Catch and release:** 58 1/4 inches; Mille Lacs Lake, June 11, 2022. - **Tiger muskie (certified weight):** 34 pounds, 12 ounces; Lake Elmo, Washington County, July 7, 1999. ## Handling and release - Keep the fish in the net, in the water, while you work. Unhook it there. - Cut hooks with heavy cutters whenever a hook is hard to remove. Replacing a hook is cheap. - If you take a photo, have the camera ready first, lift the fish horizontally with a hand under the belly, and get it back in the water within several seconds. - Never hold a muskie vertically by the jaw or gill plate. - Support the fish upright in the water until it swims away under its own power. Do not drag it back and forth. - In hot weather, fish early or late, or leave them alone. ## Bottom line - The season is June 6 to Nov. 30 in 2026, one fish, 54 inches minimum on inland waters. Treat it as catch and release. - Figure-eight every cast, and return to fish that follow. - Buy the net and release tools before the lures. For a more forgiving toothy fish, start with [northern pike](https://www.minnelakes.org/fish/northern-pike). ## Top Minnesota Lakes for This Species | Lake | County | Acres | Lake Score | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [St. Louis River Estuary](https://www.minnelakes.org/lakes/st-louis-county/st-louis-river-estuary) | St. Louis County | 10,255 | 82/100 | | [Lake St. Croix](https://www.minnelakes.org/lakes/washington-county/lake-st-croix) | Washington County | 8,393 | 83/100 | | [Leech Lake](https://www.minnelakes.org/lakes/cass-county/leech-lake) | Cass County | 103,444 | 92/100 | | [Lake of the Woods](https://www.minnelakes.org/lakes/lake-of-the-woods-county/lake-of-the-woods) | Lake of the Woods County | 725,583 | 84/100 | | [Lake Vermilion](https://www.minnelakes.org/lakes/st-louis-county/lake-vermilion) | St. Louis County | 39,272 | 80/100 | | [Mille Lacs Lake](https://www.minnelakes.org/lakes/mille-lacs-county/mille-lacs-lake) | Mille Lacs County | 128,250 | 81/100 | | [Cross Lake](https://www.minnelakes.org/lakes/pine-county/cross-lake) | Pine County | 925 | 54/100 | | [Cass Lake](https://www.minnelakes.org/lakes/beltrami-county/cass-lake) | Beltrami County | 15,958 | 92/100 | | [Lake Winnibigoshish](https://www.minnelakes.org/lakes/cass-county/lake-winnibigoshish) | Cass County | 56,471 | 79/100 | | [Pike Bay](https://www.minnelakes.org/lakes/cass-county/pike-bay) | Cass County | 4,756 | 78/100 | | [Deer Lake](https://www.minnelakes.org/lakes/itasca-county/deer-lake) | Itasca County | 4,093 | 72/100 | | [Gull Lake](https://www.minnelakes.org/lakes/cass-county/gull-lake) | Cass County | 10,010 | 90/100 | ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is the minimum size for muskie in Minnesota? On inland waters the 2026 minimum is 54 inches for muskellunge, with a possession limit of one. Tiger muskie, the pike-muskie hybrid, have a 40-inch minimum. Some border waters and special regulation lakes use different minimums or are catch-and-release only. ### When does muskie season open in Minnesota? The 2026 inland season opened June 6 and closes Nov. 30. The DNR lists June 5 as the 2027 opener. The season opens later than walleye and pike so muskies can finish spawning. ### What is the Minnesota state record muskie? The certified-weight record is 55 pounds, 14 ounces, a 57 3/4 inch fish caught on Mille Lacs Lake on Nov. 22, 2021. The catch-and-release record is 58 1/4 inches, also from Mille Lacs, caught June 11, 2022. ### How do you tell a muskie from a northern pike? Muskies have dark bars or spots, or no markings, on a light background, and the tips of the tail are pointed. Pike have light spots on a dark background and rounded tail tips. Muskies also have scales on only the upper half of the cheek and six or more pores on each side of the lower jaw. ### Is muskie fishing good for beginners? It is demanding. Expect long stretches with no fish, heavy tackle and a real cost of entry. Hiring a guide for a first trip is the fastest way to learn the handling skills, which matter as much as the catching. --- *Source: [MinneLakes.org](https://www.minnelakes.org/fish/muskellunge)*