Ecology Like all predators at the top of the food chain, muskellunge are rarely abundant. An average muskellunge lake has one muskellunge greater than 30 inches for every two to three surface acres of water. Using this average it is possible to estimate the total number of adult muskellunge in Wisconsin waters at about 200,000. Muskellunge are found in a wide variety of habitats but seem to thrive best in larger lakes and flowages. Some good muskellunge lakes are fertile and shallow and have an abundance of submersed vegetation.
Rivers contain muskellunge also, especially in areas of deep water and slow currents.
Typical muskellunge lakes in the native range usually have thriving beds of submersed aquatic vegetation. Large lakes which have both extensive deep and shallow basins and tributary streams are preferred waters and are well suited to meet muskellunge food and cover requirements. Muskellunge are lone, sedentary fish that usually lurk concealed among vegetation near channels, bars or rocky ledges and shoals. Muskellunge in some waters, however, will move offshore and remain suspended over deep water. Such behavior is usually associated with prey populations such as cisco.