1. Use the right gear: Musky fishing requires heavy-duty rods and reels, along with large and heavy lures. If you’re looking to catch musky, you’ll need a heavy gear setup. A 7-9 foot medium-heavy to heavy rod is ideal, paired with a powerful reel capable of handling a high-pound test line. A net is also essential for landing and releasing your catch.

2. Choose the right bait: For use live bait like suckers, bullheads, or shiners. You’ll also need a selection of lures, including crankbaits, jerkbaits, and spinnerbaits. Another good option is to use baits that the musky do not see every day such as the Delong Giant Witch and Flying Witch.

3. Choose the right colors: General guidelines are as follows

Clear Water: Silver, gold, white, black, and chartreuse.

Turbid Water: Orange, yellow, black, purple, and green.

Stained Water: Red, purple, black, white, and blue.

4. Fish in the right areas: They are most commonly found in cool, deep waters with plenty of structure, such as weeds, logs, or rocks. Popular musky fishing spots include the Great Lakes, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, New York, Ohio, and Ontario.

5. Know when to fish: The best time to fish for musky is during the early morning or late evening when the sun is low and the water is cooler. During these times, musky are more active and tend to be more aggressive. Also be sure to look for actively feeding musky as they are more apt to bite.

6. Don’t give up: It can take a lot of time and patience to catch a musky, so be prepared to spend a lot of time on the water! They call musky the fish of 10,000 casts for a reason.