I live in the Rhinelander area and can vouch for the great Muskie fishing available here. There are literally dozens of lakes and rivers withn an hour's drive that support numbers, size, and great atmosphere. If you centered out of Rhinelander, you could stay on Lake George or another small lake in the area and be on Pelican in 15 minutes, Boom in 5 minutes, Crescent in 5 minutes, and in Boulder Junction in 50. Minoqua and all the great fishing there is 40 minutes away, and Eagle River 35. To the south are Bass, Enterprise, Mocccasin, the some of the best Muskie angling in the entire Wisconsin River system, and many more good lakes all within less than 30 minutes drive to no more than an hour. Most days it isn't necessary to move around all that much, but it is fun. There is no 'better' time of the year for muskies here. The lakes are for the most part uncrowded, too. No worries about big winds, because the lakes at hand are so diverse. Adventurous anglers would also set a day aside to take a smaller boat and float the Pelican River. The Moen Chain is a must to try if you're here, too. Don't forget Thompson, either.

There are lots of comfortable resorts in the area, too. The Chamber of Commerce can help you there.