Musky Fly Fishing

Scientific name: Esox masquinongy (Esox comes from the old name for pike in Europe and masquinongy comes from the Cree "mashk" meaning deformed and "kinonge" is a pike.)

Meet the muskellunge—a lean, mean fightin’ machine that’s the most sought‐after trophy fish in Wisconsin. Named the official state fish in 1955, this ferocious member of the pike family is often implicated in fish stories as “the one that got away.” Legends about Old Sawtooth, Big Max, the Terminator, Scarface and other monster muskellunge lurking in Wisconsin lakes are told by seasoned northwoods veterans to wide‐eyed novice anglers. The feared muskellunge has even been the star of a full‐length feature film entitled Muskie Madness (the title was later changed to the less ambiguous Blood Hook). The muskellunge also plays a starring role in Wisconsin’s tourism industry. Wisconsin offers some of the best muskellunge fishing on the planet; yet it still takes the average angler more than 100 hours to catch a legal muskellunge. Hooking a muskellunge is a first‐class fresh‐water thrill no angler will ever forget.

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Bureau of Fisheries Management
July 2008
Click here for the complete DNR Muskellunge Fact Sheet

Despite the vast array of options the northwoods fly angler is blessed with, Musky have taken center stage in the minds of MCO guides, and their fishing brethren.  There's something slightly twisted about devoting yourself to such a notoriously fickle pursuit, but the reward for spending countless hours on the water is well worth the price of admission.  These river monsters can be truly unpredictable at times, but their devoted (and maybe slightly demented) followers know that time on the water is key.  You have to be there, with your eyes wide open, when it goes down- 'cause you can't make them bite, but when they do you're unlikely to ever forget it.

Throwing big flies on ten weights all day can be a bit like running a marathon.  If you get too crazy right away you'll probably be burnt out halfway through.  The trick is to pace yourself in a way that allows you to cover water consistently throughout the trip.  There will be some silence, but there could just as well be some chaos- and that's what it's all about!

Coming along for a float with the MCO crew will allow you to absorb some of the experience and information that only comes from time on the water.  We're motivated by the desire to be on the water as much as possible because this is a game in which you just can't say what will happen next- but you won't see it from the couch!  We truly enjoy sharing our knowledge of this amazing resource, and love giving folks the chance to encounter these amazing creatures.