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Posts: 61
Location: Janesville wi | Wdnr website list the Muskie opener as may 2 this year.
Is that a typo or did they change it?
Will most guys still wait until the traditional time? |
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Posts: 1343
Location: E. Tenn | Sure looks that way, replete with "New for 2026" in bold print.
Edited by miket55 1/18/2026 8:37 PM
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Posts: 167
Location: West Central WI | At our Muskies Inc meeting in October, our local DNR biologist, told us it was changing in 2026 to match the regular fishing season in WI. Only allowed on open water so even if the season is open, you can't fish through the ice that hasn't cleared. |
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| Rotorhead - 1/18/2026 8:37 PM
At our Muskies Inc meeting in October, our local DNR biologist, told us it was changing in 2026 to match the regular fishing season in WI. Only allowed on open water so even if the season is open, you can't fish through the ice that hasn't cleared.
I am in the northern zone and saw an online version of the DNR season but didn't know if it might have been AI. Also, any other old guys who remember when it used to open the same time as other fishing? Seems like it was that way in the 1970s when I started fishing for muskies. I then lived in Michigan for 20 years and it definitely was Memorial day weekend when I returned. |
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Posts: 594
Location: deephaven mn | if thats for northern Wisconsin i think that could be prespawn in some years. maybe not the best idea
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| kap - 1/19/2026 8:10 AM
if thats for northern Wisconsin i think that could be prespawn in some years. maybe not the best idea
Some years it would be before spawning is done. Musky spawn along the shore line in front of my house and time does vary, weather/water temp dependent. 7 or 8 years ago, we had a late spring/ice out and they were not there until mid May. If we have early ice out, see them in April. The area where I see them is shallow and gets morning sun. |
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Posts: 1628
Location: Brighton CO. | Well another older guy here, back in the 70's when I started fishing in Wisconsin there was a general opener first Saturday in May for everything and second week of may for the U.P. and the size limit was 30". Well most years someone fishing for Walleyes would catch a monster muskie and kill it. (I think in the early 80's a Walleye fishermen got a 45 pounder on opening weekend out of Round lake by Hayward on a minnow) That's when they started thinking about the later opening. We are not going to catch a Muskie while it's spawning they don't feed, However you can walk right up to a spawning Muskie and touch it with a stick! So someone can walk up on a spawning giant and whack it and go have it mounted and say you caught it on a rod and real. Minnesota has a first weekend in June and Ontario third weekend in June. If you want to protect your big fish have late opener. |
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Early Wisconsin northern opener