It doesn t have to be. Our muskie fishing seasons here in the upper Midwest and southern Ontario begin in late May to early June. They are structured to begin after the muskie population has finished their spawning cycles. With typical spring weather conditions, the season opens with the fish having completed spawning but still holding fairly shallow. Because water clarity is typically very good and weed growth is not at summer levels, this is one of your best times to put good numbers of fish in the boat.
Spring can also be a good time to contact a big fish or two.
When I started muskie fishing I was taught to use scaled down lures in the early season. Lures like small bucktails, minowbaits, and jigs were your best choices. I always did well with this approach, but over time I found myself substituting normal size jerkbaits and topwaters and having fantastic results. Our Minnesota season opens the first week of June and we usually have very warm water temperatures. Most of the lakes and rivers we fish for muskies receive moderate to heavy pressure.