The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources changed the inland musky fishing season to a unified statewide opening date of May 2. It starts in 2026 and replaces the previous split opener with the northern and southern zones. It is scheduled to run through December 31.

Wisconsin's northern zone usually opened up on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. The thinking behind it is that muskies up north are in cooler water and they need those two or three extra weeks to be able to properly spawn. Muskies can be more aggressive, and they move into shallow water primarily to feed and regulate their metabolism. 

There has been some debate regarding this change.

Jim Piwowarczyk is a state representative of the 98th Assebly District in the Wisconsin State Assembly. He is leading the charge to change the northern zone musky fishing opening date back to the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend.

"For some reason that is still not clear to me, the DNR this past year changed it. I have talked with numerous musky experts throughout the state, I've gone to musky shows. There is no musky expert out there, fishermen or guides that were in favor of this happening. Already we're seeing numbers of muskies decline in Wisconsin."

Piwowarczyk told WTKM that he introduced a bill to change it back. He went on to say that it's important to preserve our musky fishing. Up north in Wisconsin, businesses and resorts count on muskies. 

The bill will be reintroduced in January in the new session so it can get the proper hearings and get to the floor.