With over 700 fishable musky waters spanning nearly 600,000 acres, Wisconsin has long been the flagship of American musky angling. Historically, its stocking program has been second to none, introducing nearly 70,000 fingerlings annually between public and private efforts. To put that in perspective, neighboring Minnesota averages just 27,000, and few other states even reach 20,000.

Yet, trouble has been brewing beneath the surface at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for years. Rocketing operational costs—such as the price of minnows to feed baby muskies more than tripling—have forced the DNR to quietly divert resources from habitat renewal and research efforts to stocking expenditures to maintain stocking levels for anglers. But while anglers were shielded from these budget woes for a time, this slow-motion car wreck finally arrived this spring. Forced to make a drastic decision, the DNR instituted a 70% cut to musky stocking. Though private contributions from the Wisconsin Musky Club Alliance helped cushion the blow, the state still faces a net reduction in stocking of over 50%.

The solution to this fiscal crisis is obvious. Wisconsin's fishing license fees—$20 for residents and $55 for nonresidents—have remained unchanged for more than two decades. Anglers who care about the future of the fishery should be howling for a fee increase. In reality, funding that increase would cost each angler the equivalent of just one musky bait per year.

But instead of pounding the table for more resources to be given to fisheries to sustain high-quality musky stocking, many Wisconsin musky anglers found a different issue to pound the table about. Following years of public comment and research on the impact, the DNR unified the statewide musky opener to coincide with the standard game fish opener on the first Saturday in May. The response from the angling community on social media was…odd.

Critics loudly complained that an earlier opener would disrupt the musky spawn, despite studies showing angling has little to no impact on "lay ’em and leave ’em" spawners like muskies. Others claimed an extra three weeks of fishing would deplete populations, ignoring research showing that even fully self-sustaining musky fisheries can support a continuously open season. Many vowed to boycott the new dates until the late-May "traditional opener." Ironically, a cool spring meant the musky spawn in northern Wisconsin actually peaked during “traditional opener”. Yet somehow very few traditionalists seemed to refrain from fishing over Memorial Day weekend.

In Wisconsin’s struggles there are vital lessons for musky anglers across the country. Most importantly, we ought to collaborate with fishery managers rather than fighting them. Outraged by the new opener, some Wisconsin anglers took the issue to the state legislature. Predictably, the legislators suggested that if a longer season is bad, perhaps the state should shorten it by closing December AND waiting until Memorial Day weekend to open. The status of this legislation is unknown, but sidestepping fisheries experts by asking for politicians to intervene invites such unintended consequences.

Instead of pushing back counterproductively, anglers would be better served offering management teams constructive input. Answer public comment calls, be honest in creel surveys, and ask what resources fisheries managers need to succeed. Remember, being deeply passionate about catching muskies does not make someone an expert on musky population dynamics. No one has all the answers, but the experts have more than most.

There is a strange stretch of time between the Wisconsin opener and the start of the season in Sunset Country. The internet wakes up first, with photos of catches trickling in from south of the border and exaggerated stories passed along from boat landings to social media. In the north, the musky opener remains weeks away. Yet, the lakes are already telling stories—if you know how to listen.

The primary mistake most anglers make early in the year is hunting for muskies directly. A better strategy is reading the water through everyone else: walleye anglers, crappie fishermen, and families watching bobbers off the dock. These anglers are unintentionally mapping the food chain. Post-spawn muskies are recovering from the chaos of reproduction; they feed in short windows and prioritize proximity to food over traditional "spots."

This is where anglers get trapped by shallow-water thinking. A warm bay is only part of the equation. The best early-season locations tie three elements tightly together: shallow warming water, mid-depth transition zones, and nearby deep-water access. A musky might slide shallow to feed for twenty minutes, then disappear into an adjacent basin edge for the next six hours. The fish hasn't left the area; it is simply utilizing the entire water column. Think vertically rather than purely horizontally.

While many anglers scan only the shoreline, the most successful ones read the layers of the lake. This is where simple 2D sonar still shines. You don’t need complex side-imaging or live sonar screenshots for social media; you just need to see life. Soft bait clouds, hooks suspended off a break, or panfish staging in 8 to 10 feet outside spawning bays are invaluable clues about the ecosystem. Muskies may not be sitting directly on those fish yet, but they are rarely far from an available food source.

Look for shallow areas immediately connected to depth—such as a four-foot, dark-bottom bay that drops quickly into 14 feet. This edge becomes a revolving door for multiple species. Pay attention to angler concentration, too. When anglers targeting different species independently stack up in the same area, the lake is organizing there for a reason, whether due to wind, temperature, or bait.

Three Strategies for Early Success

The best musky anglers lean on their knowledge of the whole ecosystem to find their muskies.

The new offering from Musky Frenzy lures for 2026 is The Ringer. Available in 7/8 and 8/9 combos, The Ringer features the same one-piece clevis system as its popular Stagger series of bucktails. The new feature is the addition of a slotted sleeve among the beads that separate the blades from the skirt. This bucktail is also slightly heavier for its size compared to similarly-sized baits in the Stagger series, increasing its depth when slow-rolled and resisting blowing out when retrieved at high speed.

The main selling point of the bait is the addition of the slotted sleeve that attracts muskies to the lure by ringing as it is retrieved. This is another bucktail offering along the lines of the Vibrax (Rapala), 7/9 Trigger (Musky Mayhem), The One (Angling Revolution), etc… where a noise-making element (a bell, a sleeve, a specialized clevis) is added to the bait to increase its attraction. The Ringer is definitely audible by the angler as it is retrieved, but it is difficult to say whether this will set it apart from similar offerings. The blade configurations for The Ringer are slightly different from the Stagger series, so Musky Frenzy fans who want a subtly different presentation from Staggers may find The Ringer appealing over and above the inclusion of the slotted sleeve.

Build Quality:  4 out of 5

Versatility:  3 out of 5

Ease of Use:  5 out of 5

Innovation:  2 out of 5

Big Fish Potential: 3 out of 5

Underground Verdict: Another bucktail that distinguishes itself only a little from its competitors. Musky Frenzy fans may want to complete their collection, but there are other similar offerings from competitors that are just as innovative.

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