Expert Musky Fishing Guide
Experience elite trophy musky fishing in the Brainerd Lakes area and Central Minnesota with Captain Nick Retka of The Fish Guyd Guide Service. As a premier Brainerd MN Musky Guide, Captain Nick combines a deep understanding of musky biology with decades of local knowledge to put you on fish. Whether you are targeting giants on Gull Lake, Lake Alexander, the Mississippi River, or hunting for a personal best on the world-renowned Mille Lacs Lake, our guided trips provide the premium gear and advanced electronics necessary for success. Scroll down to explore our “Complete Seasonal Guide” below, which breaks down exactly where muskies move each month, the specific water temperatures that trigger feeding windows, and the expert tactics we use to catch them. Book your adventure today and experience the thrill of chasing the fish of ten thousand casts with a professional who knows these waters inside and out.
Biology
Understanding the species of fish you are targeting on a scientific level will aid in quickle locating walleyes as well as selecting the proper lure and presentation!
Tactics
Tactics can be one of the most confusing as well as important pieces of the puzzle to catching fish!
With So many options in lure selection, colors, weights, live bait selection, and retirieve styles, Here at The Fish Guyd Guide Service we are here to help!
Seasonal Patterns
As seasons and water temperatures change, so do the fish. Knowing What they are doing and Why during every season is a major key to successfully putting fish in the boat on a regular basis!
Musky Biology and Seasonal Patterns
Muskellunge (Esox masquinongy), often called muskies, are one of the largest and most powerful freshwater predators in North America and are widely distributed throughout the lakes and rivers of the northern United States and Canada. Built for ambush, muskies have a long, torpedo-shaped body, exceptional acceleration, and a mouth filled with sharp teeth designed to capture large prey. Their coloration—typically olive, silver, or barred patterns—provides excellent camouflage in both vegetation and rocky habitats. Muskies are apex predators that feed primarily on perch, suckers, ciscoes, panfish, and other fish species, often targeting large prey relative to their body size. Their seasonal movements are closely tied to water temperature, spawning cycles, and forage availability. Muskies typically spawn in early spring shortly after ice-out when water temperatures reach approximately 48–55°F, often in shallow bays with emerging vegetation or soft-bottom marsh areas. As water warms through the summer months, muskies commonly relate to healthy weed beds, rock reefs, and deeper structure near baitfish concentrations, while fall cooling triggers aggressive feeding behavior as fish prepare for winter. Understanding muskie biology and seasonal behavior helps anglers predict where these fish will be located throughout the year and apply the most effective tactics to successfully target them.
Where to Catch Musky Each Month (Complete Seasonal Guide)
June Musky Fishing
Typical Water Temperature: 55–65°F
Where Muskies Are:
Muskies move to early summer locations like the edges of weed flats, points, and near-shore breaks. They are actively feeding after recovering from the spawn.
Best Techniques:
- Casting bucktails, topwater baits, and jerkbaits over and around weed beds and structure.
- Trolling can also be effective along weedlines.
Guide Tip:
Focus on areas with healthy green weeds, as these attract baitfish and, consequently, muskies. Early morning and late evening can be prime feeding times.
July Musky Fishing
Typical Water Temperature: 70–75°F
Where Muskies Are:
Muskies are often found near deep weedlines, main-lake points, and offshore humps. Thermocline development concentrates baitfish and muskies.
Best Techniques:
- Trolling large deep-diving crankbaits along weedlines and structure.
- Casting large plastics and bucktails over deep cover.
Guide Tip:
Night fishing can be very productive in July as muskies become more active after dark in warmer water.
August Musky Fishing
Typical Water Temperature: 70–78°F
Where Muskies Are:
Muskies often seek cooler water, either deep or near areas with upwelling or current. Deep weedlines, offshore humps, and thermoclines remain key areas. Nighttime can find them shallower.
Best Techniques:
- Trolling deep-diving crankbaits is very effective.
- Casting large bucktails or plastics over deep structures or after dark near shallower areas.
Guide Tip:
August can be tough due to warm water. Fish deep during the day and consider night fishing when muskies are more active. Look for suspended schools of baitfish.
September Musky Fishing
Typical Water Temperature: 60–68°F
Where Muskies Are:
Muskies are very active, feeding heavily before winter. Look for them on deep weed edges, rock reefs, and points with access to deep water. Baitfish schools are key.
Best Techniques:
- Casting large rubber baits, bucktails, and crankbaits.
- Trolling large baits over structure can also be very effective.
Guide Tip:
September is a prime time for big muskies. Pay attention to wind-blown structures as they often concentrate baitfish and active predators.
October Musky Fishing
Typical Water Temperature: 50–60°F
Where Muskies Are:
Muskies continue to feed heavily and are often found relating to healthy green weed beds that still hold baitfish, or near hard-bottomed structures like rock reefs and points.
Best Techniques:
- Casting large jerkbaits, rubber baits, and slow-moving topwater lures.
- Trolling large crankbaits and swimbaits at moderate speeds is also very effective.
Guide Tip:
Fall is trophy time. Big baits and slower presentations often trigger the largest fish as they look for substantial meals before winter.
November Musky Fishing
Typical Water Temperature: 40–48°F
Where Muskies Are:
Muskies are often deep, relating to steep breaklines, basin edges, and areas with late-season baitfish concentrations. Cisco (tullibee) spawns can attract muskies to shallower areas at night.
Best Techniques:
- Slow-trolling large deep-diving crankbaits and swimbaits near the bottom.
- Jigging large soft plastics or suckers in deep holes can also be effective.
Guide Tip:
Fish slow and deep. Water is cold, and muskies will be less active, but they still feed before true winter sets in. Look for the last remaining green weeds.
December Musky Fishing
Typical Water Temperature: 32–38°F (early ice)
Where Muskies Are:
As ice begins to form, some muskies may be found suspending deep, near schools of ciscoes or whitefish. However, targeting muskies through the ice is less common and often incidental.
Best Techniques:
- Primarily ice fishing for other species, but large live baits (where legal) set under tip-ups in deep water can occasionally attract a late-season musky.
Guide Tip:
Focus shifts to ice safety and targeting other species. Musky activity is very low as water temperatures drop to near freezing under the ice.
January Musky Fishing
Typical Water Temperature: 32–36°F (mid-ice)
Where Muskies Are:
Deep water, often suspending near baitfish schools (ciscoes, whitefish) in the main basin or near sharp drops. Musky activity is minimal under the ice.
Best Techniques:
- Ice fishing for other species is the norm. Any musky catches are usually incidental while using large baits for pike or walleye, or live bait on tip-ups in deep water.
Guide Tip:
Musky season is closed in many places during the winter. Always check regulations. Focus on other species and enjoy the hard water season.
February Musky Fishing
Typical Water Temperature: 33–38°F (late ice)
Where Muskies Are:
Similar to January, muskies are deep and relatively inactive under the ice, often near deep baitfish schools.
Best Techniques:
- Ice fishing for other species. Musky catches are very rare and incidental, usually on large live baits set for other predators.
Guide Tip:
The musky season is typically closed. Check regulations. Late ice can be dangerous; always check ice thickness and conditions.
Trophy Musky Caught on our Charters
We cover a large area in Central Minnesota, if you have any questions about a certain lake or a certain species of fish don’t hesitate to call. We are very accommodating and can come up with a plan to make any sort of trip work. If you need multiple boats we are also able to get more guides to handle larger group trips! Our goal is to make your fishing trip easy, comfortable, and full of fish catching excitement!