With fishing opener only a couple of months away, anglers across the state of Wisconsin can’t wait to get their hands on a rod and reel. The waters of Wisconsin are primed and ready for an active season of muskie fishing.
Muskie fishing season begins north of Highway 10 on the Saturday nearest to Memorial Day. Although springtime isn’t known for its spectacular muskie fishing, anglers and guides in the Green Bay area have found ways to pull in trophy fish any time of the year.
They’re huge!
The muskies that lurk in the depths around Green Bay are monsters, plain and simple. These things are known to regularly grow larger than 50 inches and weigh over 40 pounds. The muskellunge in the Green Bay area grow so large for a number of reasons. The biggest reason, however, is because muskie fishermen in the area rarely keep the fish that they catch.
Most muskie fishermen don’t keep the fish they catch unless the fish is going to die or it’s a trophy. For some, this is out of respect for the sport. For others, it’s because muskie isn’t often eaten. It’s estimated by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources that less than 10 muskies are pulled from the waters of Green Bay each year.
The muskies of Green Bay are also growing to gigantic sizes because of the successful stocking done in the area. In a 2013 press release from the Wisconsin DNR, it’s estimated that muskie clubs in the area have helped stock at least 155,000 muskies into the Green Bay area over the past few decades. These muskie clubs, such as Dave’s Musky Club, Titletown Muskies Inc., and the Musky Clubs Alliance of Wisconsin, spend their time, money, and effort on helping the Green Bay muskie population flourish.
Good ecosystems are another reason why muskies grow to be so large in Green Bay. The waters in the area are filled with forager fish, providing an incredible amount of food for the muskies. There are more than enough forager fish like alewife, shad, and suckers around Green Bay, and these are what help the muskies become monsters.
Finding the Catch
So you’ve got the itch to catch some trophy fish in the Green Bay area, now what? There’s so much water around Green Bay—from the endless shores of Lake Michigan to the countless rivers and lakes. It seems like a task that only the best fishermen can tackle. However, there is hope.
If you want a professional guide with a lifetime of experience, Capt. Jake Kaprelian can show you where the monster muskellunge are hanging out. In an average day, Jake’s trips generally pull in somewhere between one and five muskies. He does this through a mixture of both trolling and casting.
If you’re interested in getting on the waters of Green Bay to catch some trophy-sized fish, you can contact Jake Kaprelian at (414) 484-7768 or fill out Epic Guide Service’s contact form.