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Table of Contents
News from the Underground - The Seasonal Progression
Understanding the seasonal progression of muskies is the bedrock of successful musky patterning. Knowing how muskies progress from spawning grounds to wintering holes allows you to predict where these apex predators will be throughout the year.
Spring: The Movement to the Shallows - The cycle begins in late winter. Even under ice, muskies migrate from deep wintering grounds toward shallow, oxygenated flats. As temperatures reach the mid-50s, spawning begins. Post-spawn, behavior splits based on available forage:
Pelagic Forage: In waters with shad or ciscoes, muskies move to deep mud flats but stay within the top 5 feet of the water column to utilize warm surface temps for healing and feeding.
Shallow-water Forage: Where pelagic forage is scarce, muskies remain near spawning grounds, sticking to cover to hunt panfish and suckers.
Keep in mind that there will always be a mix of pelagic muskies and shallow-water muskies. The particular mix for each water body depends on available forage.
Summer: Patrol Zones and Migration - Once summer patterns stabilize, muskies establish a "home range." These fish are anything but “home bodies”, however! Research indicates muskies travel an average of 14 miles per day. They are active patrollers, moving among various structural elements and open water. If food becomes scarce, they will migrate miles to establish a new patrol zone. Success during this period relies on identifying high-traffic structural complexes that are adjacent to deep-water basins rather than focusing on isolated spots.
Late Summer to Early Fall: The Shallow Push - As summer ends and water temperatures dip, summer patrol zones disintegrate. This triggers a dramatic move to the shallows—often into water two feet deep or less. Whether they are following migrating forage or seeking the most comfortable water temperatures, muskies become highly accessible. Anglers often find success moving from outside weed edges to the inside edges closest to the shore.
Autumn: The Deep Transition - Falling air temperatures bring instability to the shallows, pushing muskies toward the thermal stability of deep water. This is a period of rapid transition. Muskies exploit late-season opportunities, such as the cisco and whitefish spawn and remaining green weeds on steeply breaking inside turns, while gradually moving toward their final destination: wintering grounds.
Winter: Stability and Depth - Following turnover, which re-oxygenates the depths, muskies settle into deep-water basins. In ice-covered bodies of water, they often hug the bottom where the water is densest and warmest.
Applying Your Knowledge - Every lake is a unique ecosystem of forage and "underwater climate." By layering this seasonal timeline over the specific structural elements of your local water body, you can transform general knowledge into an actionable, high-percentage fishing pattern. Consistent success isn't about luck; it's about being in the right part of the migration at the right time.
The Bite - Your Musky Briefing
Wisconsin
Lakes in northern Wisconsin are now ice free with larger, deeper lakes shrugging off their cover within just the last week. Water temps are in the mid-40s and low-50s. Perch have just completed their spawning activities, and walleyes are just beginning. There have been isolated reports of muskies paired up in the shallows as well. With cool air temperatures leading into the weekend, look for water temperatures to warm very slowly in the coming week. Lakes in the south have been ice-free for some time and water temperatures are in the mid- to upper-50s.
Most muskies in northern lakes are likely to be in pre-spawn mode. Look for them on structure and break lines near shallow spawning flats in preparation for their push into the shallows. Muskies in the south are in the midst of the spawn and will be very elusive, although a few may be found in post-spawn patterns.
What’s Working Now – The season has been closed to this point, but pre-spawn activity is likely driving the future bite. Think moderate-sized presentations on structure and in cover near (but not in) spawning grounds.
What’s Out – Fishing in the shallows right now is probably wishful thinking. Spawning muskies are busy with activities other than eating. Few if any fish will be post-spawn at this point.
Minnesota
Lakes throughout most of the state have been ice-free for some time, while lakes in the far north (i.e. Lake Vermilion) are very close to ice-out. Lakes in the south have water temperatures in the mid- to upper-50s, suggesting that the musky spawn is now in play. Recent heavy rains in the central and southern part of the state are re-charging lake levels. Average seasonal temperatures have powered a slow but steady warming of water temperatures for open lakes; lakes are trending toward an “on-time” progression.
What’s Working Now – Sharpening your hooks! The season remains closed until June 6th.
The South
The South is currently experiencing drought conditions that are lowering reservoir levels, raising water temperatures into the mid to upper 70's, and changing how muskies are staging. With reduced current flow, fish are no longer positioning in traditional areas. Instead, they are roaming and showing up in places they are not typically found, actively searching for prey.
Timber remains the dominant pattern in the South during the spring, but the elevated, unseasonal water temperatures are pushing fish deeper than normal. Muskies are not just relating to shoreline timber right now. Deeper laydowns and vertical standing timber in deeper water are consistently producing.
What’s Working - Some of the most reliable targets have been isolated deep wood and thicker sections of submerged timber where fish can hold with minimal effort. Vertical jigging and slow-worked swimbaits are currently the most productive in these areas.
What’s Out - Traditional shallow timber is unproductive due to low current and elevated water temperatures.
Iowa and Illinois
Current surface water temperatures have been in the high 60s to low 70s. Muskies have been in a mix of patterns: pre-spawn, spawn, and post-spawn. The most accessible fish have been post-spawn sitting tight to structure adjacent to spawning areas, but a few muskies have transitioned to the basin well beyond the developing outside weed edge. The shallow fish haven’t been relating all that much to weeds, but rather just relating to structure with shad balls or other baitfish. While muskies have been tight-lipped, smaller stop-and-go presentations have been effective. Small dive-and-rise lures ripped hard with long pauses have been most effective, but down-sized rubber presentations and crankbaits have also put anglers in the game.
What’s Working Now - Small profile start-stop lures with long pauses worked near points and other structure near spawning grounds. The smaller lures have been key to drawing muskies into the figure-eight to get an eat. Structure with baitfish balls present is most productive. Some basin trolling with small crankbaits has also been effective.
What’s Out - The weed line bite is not yet in play. If you’re throwing at weeds just because weeds are present, you’re missing most of the fish.
Western Ontario
Sunset country is still well behind schedule. All lakes still have significant ice with even small ponds remaining locked up. Air temperatures have been unseasonably cool, so the progression to ice-out is slow. It is quite possible that many lakes will still have ice for the walleye opener on May 16th. With more than seven weeks remaining until the musky opener things can still change, but as of now conditions are progressing more slowly than normal.
Northeast US
After a stretch of volatile weather, conditions are finally stabilizing and setting up to be a more typical spring. Ice is out across most of the region, with only the far northern lakes still holding ice. All rivers are open and flowing. Water temperatures are currently in the upper-30s to mid-40s.
Fishing has been inconsistent due to significant weather swings, but when timed correctly within stable weather windows, action can be good. With conditions normalizing, the bite is starting to become more consistent.
What’s Working Now - Jerkbaits and slow-rolled spinnerbaits have been the most consistent producers so far this spring.
What’s Out - It’s just a bit early for the glide bait bite. Look for this presentation to emerge as water temperatures trend upward.
Eastern Canada
The rivers of eastern Canada are ice-free. Water temperatures are in the low- to mid-40s. While last year saw record low river levels, current water levels are near record highs. Flood conditions will strongly affect the progression throughout the month of May. With the musky opener split between the first Saturday of June on some waters and the third Saturday of June for others, there is still time for conditions to change dramatically.
What’s Working Now - Nothing! The season is closed for some weeks yet.
Underground Intel - Planning the Early Season
Thinking like a guide means recognizing the difference between simply going fishing and building a strategic early-season plan. While most anglers don’t notice the distinction immediately, it becomes obvious after a few trips; while one person is still guessing, the guide is already returning to patterns that have begun to repeat. Guides don't just chase muskies—they build into them.
Moving Beyond the "One Pattern" Myth
Most anglers fail because they are looking for "the bite"—the single answer that explains everything. However, the early season is far too dynamic for that. Water temperatures fluctuate, fish move in and out of spawning zones, and conditions change faster than your confidence. Instead of trying to solve the entire lake in one trip, your goal should be to identify the first few pieces of the puzzle that consistently repeat.
Starting With a Focused Plan
Before you launch, decide exactly what you are testing. Rather than trying everything, pick a specific lane and give it enough time to produce results. Consider comparing:
Wind-blown shorelines versus protected water.
Shallow sand versus rock transitions.
Basin-adjacent structures versus inner bays.
If you get a follow, a sighting, or even a strong intuition that things are lining up, don't dismiss it as luck. That is your starting point.
Building From First Contact
Early-season success is driven by small signals. Whether it’s the first follow or simply a spot that "feels" right, you need to log the details: water temperature, wind direction, structure type, and depth.
Once you have that data, do what most anglers won’t: try to repeat it. Find the same type of spot under similar conditions. Patterns aren't born from discovering something new; they are born from confirming a discovery twice.
The Underground Insight
While most anglers keep moving from spot to spot with new guesses, early-season fish are actually quite predictable. They aren't random; they are concentrated in small, efficient zones tied to spawning areas and stable access to deep water. If you find one fish in that system, there are usually more—you just have to slow down enough to prove it.
Early season isn’t about covering water; it’s about narrowing it. Once something repeats, you’re no longer searching—you’re understanding.
Underground and In the Net
Dustin with a beautiful Canadian musky.
Helen caught this nice one on a slow-rolled spinnerbait.
This early season fish was caught on the first deep-water point between a spawning bay and the main basin.
Want to share your pictures with the Underground? Send them to [email protected].
Gear Review - Savage Gear Sucker Flanker
Savage Gear’s debut in the lipped crankbait market, the Sucker Flanker, stands out for its versatility. The lure features a unique interchangeable lip system—secured by a small screw—offering two distinct profiles: a large round lip and a smaller shovel-style lip.
The round lip delivers a violent wobble and body roll, diving steeply to the 5’–6’ range. Its head-up, slow-rise buoyancy triggers strikes from neutral muskies and effectively pulls away from rocky snags. It is best suited for aggressive retrieves along rock reefs or deep weed edges.
The shovel lip transforms the Flanker into a subtle finesse tool. With a shallow 1’–3’ dive curve, it produces a gliding action when twitched. This configuration excels when worked slowly over dense, weedy cover with a gentler hand.
While the dual-action design is innovative, the execution has minor drawbacks. The adjustment screw is tiny, requiring an eyeglass screwdriver for swaps—not ideal for on-water adjustments. Additionally, Savage Gear currently lacks a replacement lip program, which is a concern for those fishing the round lip aggressively around rocky structure.
Underground Verdict: Despite our quibbles about the execution of the replaceable lip system, the Flanker is a versatile tool with two distinct presentation methods in one package.
Want a particular piece of musky gear reviewed? Make a suggestion to [email protected]. Lures, tackle, electronics - we’ll give you the Underground low-down, whether it’s positive, negative, or something in between!
Getting 1% Better…
You know where muskies were when the spring progression began: in their spawning grounds. Start your search for muskies there and move outward. If you start out on the fish, you can stay on the fish.
