Muskellunge season opens across SW Ontario on Sat June 2nd with the exception of Lake Erie waters which opens 2 weeks later. Anglers have reported Muskie nearly 60 inches in length on Lake St Clair and many feel that a fish greater than 60 inches will soon be caught. Considered the "Water Wolves" of Lake St Clair, Muskie have sporadic, voracious appetites.

What can you expect a large Muskie to eat? Just about anything it can jam down its gullet!!! An angler recently reported that while he was Walleye fishing on the south shore, he found a dead Muskie floating. A measurement yielded a 58 inch fish and the cause of death apparently was a 4 pound walleye which was lodged in his throat!!!

Lake St Clair has become renowned across North America as one of the leading producers of quality Muskie fishing. The old adage that it takes 10,000 cast to catch a Muskie or 40 hours to get a strike just is not true anymore of Lake St Clair. The St Clair system went through some biological changes back in the 80's which seemed to pull it away from a great walleye fishery and more towards a smallmouth and Muskie basin. Zebra mussels were inadvertently introduced and flourished in the system. The result was crystal clear water and deeper sunlight penetration which promoted an increase in the lakes weed growth. Considering that Lake St Clair is only about 20 feet deep, excepting the shipping channel, one can easily see why light sensitive walleye are pushed out of the system at an early time In the season. 

It is those same conditions that have set the stage for other species like Muskie to flourish. Many charterboat guides will attest that the reason Lake St Clair is quickly becoming a trophy Muskie hole is due to the fact that most anglers catch and release their fish. The fish are never really taken out of the system but rather allowed to continue to grow bigger and bigger.
Managers of Lake St Clair have placed size limits accordingly which nudges the system even closer towards trophy status. On Lake St Clair, a Musky must cannot be kept until it is at least 42 inches in length... thats about a 20 pound fish!!!! Inland water Lunge must be at least 36 inches long and Lake Erie Muskie must be 40. Actually these size limits were placed by the MNR when they discovered that female Muskie don't spawn their first time until they are about 7 to 10 years old. This restrictive law guarantees that Muskie will have at least one chance to spawn in their lifetime before they could possibly be caught and kept. The other MNR law is that holders of a regular resident fishing licence can only catch and keep one fish per day and possess no more than two. If you are a holder of a conservation licence, you cannot possess any nor keep any.

Talking to guides on the lake, it seems that Musky are everywhere. The greater concentration of fish are found adjacent to shallow spawning bays just after opening day. Therefore a fast Musky troll in areas off of St Lukes Bay, St Annes Bay and further south off the Thames River are best bets for finding early Lunge. The south shore along Belle River is a grand producer of big and plentiful fish near a site called the dumping grounds. This area gets more attention as the season progresses into summer.

Big lures that can stand up to do battle with these wolves are required. Swim Whizz, Believers, Husky Rapalas, Bomber Long A's all fit the bill. You will need a stout rod something with as much action as a broom handle and a large capacity spinning or trolling reel that can handle a couple hundred yards of 20 pound test. With the amount of weed growth now in the lake, take time to check and clear your lures often, and be proud of your newest trophy fishery!