Check these out!

http://www.wnrmag.com/stories/2002/dec02/musky.htm

http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/water/fhp/fish/pubs/muskydoc.pdf

By the way I really like what Frank Pratt says, he's obviously had some "time on the water".  Frank- thanks for helping some of it make sense.

Al Warner

http://www.zaltnad.com

I am one of the 'old guys' who has lived the last thirty plus years fishing Wisconsin waters for muskie with my Dad as a 'tourist', and then on my own after moving here in the early 70's. Although everyone always wants to pine for the good old days, I submit the good old days are now, and into the future.

I have a been lucky enough to catch a few 50" fish out of Wisconsin, most caught in the 80's and early 90's when I was guiding full or near full time. ( I still believe those who fish LOTS on water where there ARE big fish will bethe anglers who regularly CATCH big fish) 

I have a heck of a bunch more that were 46" to 48", many of those recently on waters where there were few of those in the past. In my humble opinion, I feel if I was fishing now as much as I was then, more big girls than ever would hit the bottom of the net.

We now are protecting the fish here more than ever.  80% or more of the muskies caught in the state are released. The fish is managed as a renewable resource with an eye to quality. Our fisheries managers here have limited resources and facilities. Wisconsin features much smaller waters than our neighbors to the North and West, challenging the Fisheries Managers and the Muskie Anglers here to develop trophy fisheries where the potential is not as high as other lakes in other places with a budget and facilities that could be worse, but are definitely in need. Despite limitations, the fishing here improves every year.

There is concern about the spearing, but spearing rights are set in stone by the United States Supreme Court, and are not open to discussion as far as the right to spear is concerned. Native American spearing of Muskies can only be approached successfully a a social issue, working with the Native Americans in the future to attempt to build a new and wider bridge spanning over 100 years troubled waters, not an easy task; but possible!

The number of fish speared out of the lake I like to fish most, Pelican, is less or sometimes roughly equals what used to be on the bragging board in Lakeview Inn; poloroids of kept fish numbering in the dozens some years. Management has improved, and catch and release also, making the fishing there MUCH better than it was in the 70's for Muskie.

Overall, the DNR here is doing an admirable job. Things here in the North are slow to change, but change they do as new ideas and practices replace the old. I figure I have about 35 more years to fish muskies, and feel I am looking forward to the best fishing WIsconsin and the rest of the States now managing for Muskies have ever seen.