A good base of operations for muskie fishing on the St. Marys is Little Munuscong River Resort. Contact them for information on lodging, guides and amenities at (906) 647-2024, or online at www.musky-guide-resort.com.

ELK RIVER CHAIN
"The whole Elk River Chain has muskies in it," offered Central Lake Michigan Management Unit fisheries biologist Mark Tonello. "Every one of the lakes -- Skegemog, Elk, Torch, Intermediate, Clam, Bellaire -- has muskies in them, but not a lot. Skegemog and Elk probably have the most muskies, and Skegemog has the best habitat."

Muskies migrate throughout the system, and quite often can be found in the shallow, weedy confines of 2,561-acre Skegemog Lake near Kalkaska. The muskies are the Great Lakes spotted-strain variety and are particularly abundant in Skegemog in the spring and early summer. This shallow lake warms quickly and has plenty of forage for hungry muskies. Oversized crankbaits, spoons and spinners all take fish on occasion. Known muskie hangouts are near a hole in the center of the lake that averages 15 feet and near the outflow to Elk Lake. Later in the summer, the leviathans migrate to the comfort of deep water in Elk and Torch lakes. The muskies gorge there on a diet of trout, herring and whitefish.

Access to Skegemog can be gained via a launch on the west side of the lake. For information on Skegemog and other lakes in the Elk River Chain, contact Jack's Sport Shop at (231) 258-8892. For information on lodging and amenities in the area, contact the Kalkaska Chamber of Commerce at 1-800-487-6880, or online at www.kalkaskami.com.

LAKE MARGRETHE
"Lake Margrethe is an up-and-coming lake for muskies," claimed fisheries biologist Mark Tonello. "In another couple of years it should be a very viable muskie fishery."

Tonello said there are some muskies already in Lake Margrethe from plants made in previous years, but an aggressive stocking program was just initialed in 2002. In that year, the DNR planted 2,000 10- to 13-inch muskies. In 2004, another 6,000 were stocked, and a plant of 5,000 was made in 2005.

"The fish from the 2002 plant should be in the mid-20-inch class right now and should be catchable size in a couple of years," Tonello said.

Tonello said muskie plants are often met with opposition from anglers.

"What we're trying to do is provide diversity in the fishery," Tonello stated. "People are afraid of muskies eating game fish, but the preferred prey of muskies is soft-rayed fish like suckers and sheepshead."

The benefit of removal of trash fish by predatory muskies is going to far outweigh the loss of the few game fish that muskies may eat, and they provide anglers with the chance to catch a trophy fish.

Located in west-central Crawford County, 1,920-acre Lake Margrethe is ideally suited to growing muskies. The lake features humps, steep contours, points and shallow flats where muskies like to hunt. There is plenty of forage already present. Lake Margrethe has an established game fish population that includes good numbers of pike, walleyes, bass and panfish. Muskies are an added bonus to the mix. All we have to do now is let nature take its course. For more information on bait shops, lodging and accommodations near Lake Margrethe, contact the Grayling Area Visitors Council at 1-800-937-8837, or online at www.grayling-mi.com.