• Characteristics - olive to dark gray above, sides lighter with dark spots or bars; upper 1/2 of cheeks and opercle lightly scaled, lower 1/2 of both scaleless; approximately 36 inches in length at age 5 in Iowa waters
• Distribution - has been stocked regularly into Brushy Creek, Hawthorn Lake, Pleasant Creek, Big Creek, Three Mile, Clear Lake, West Okoboji, and Big Spirit since 1996. Muskies can also be found in East Okoboji, Upper Gar, Lower Gar, and Lake Minnewashta due to their connection to West Okoboji. Muskies were also stocked in Lake Macbride in 1993, and some individuals are still being caught there.
• Foods - mostly fish
• State Record - 50 pounds, 6 ounces - Spirit Lake, Dickinson County, September August 2000 - Kevin Cardwell, Spirit Lake, Iowa
• Expert's Tip - the musky has been called the fish of 10,000 casts, be patient and use BIG lures

For more muskellunge information, see our printable pdf (85K) or Iowa Fish & Fishing.

This muskellunge was caught on April 23, 2004 at Three Mile Lake, Union Co. The fish was 44 inches long and weighed 25.8 lbs.