I've fished on Eagle Lake (0ntario) for them each fall for many years. Great fish - big, mean, and elusive. They may average out to a fish of a thousand casts, but they sure come in clusters.

95% of the time the fish just hang out. You'll get follows - they'll trail your plug or bucktail spinner right up to the boat. Sometimes they'll even lay there for a bit looking you and the boat over.

Then there's the other 5%, when the go ballistic and explode on your bucktail/plug/topwater. Amazing stuff when they go on the bite.

I've talked to local Tiger Muskie anglers and the word is to use slightly smaller baits than in the Great Lakes/Ontario. Over there it's nothing to use a 12" plug or tandem bucktail spinner. In WA it's more like 6-8" - think larger bass plugs and spinnerbaits and you'll be in the ballpark.

Muskies are ambush predators like bass- look for structure. Not always weeds - wood or rockpiles will also hold them.

Yeah, what Edgerat said . . . with all the closures I'm looking for other fisheries as well. May have to give the local lakes a try this summer.

FWIW,

Brian