In the summer, the deep weedlines are a great place to fish, especially along the numerous weedflats and underwater points surrounded by deeper water.

Being adjacent to the city of Detroit Lakes also makes it a popular recreational destination. Kaiser said waiting until sundown is a great idea, especially with topwater lures.

Additional information can be found at www.visitdetroitlakes.com or by calling 1-800-542-3992. Also go to www.kaisertail.com.

LAKE MINNETONKA
Big water and heavy recreational use has defined each of the top three lakes, and that trend continues when you're on this metro lake. However, Minnetonka has 219 muskies on the list, though most Esox anglers think the lake is still underfished.

"There are fish all over that lake and some tend to stick shallow, while others spend most of their time in deep water," said Steve Jonesi, a fishing guide and employee of the famed Thorne Brothers in Fridley.

Jonesi's advice is basically to find a weedline and start fishing, and that includes the shallow side as well as the deep side.

"I think a lot of anglers focus only on the deep side on Minnetonka, while the inside weedline, especially where there are cabbage weeds, can be just as good," he said.

Muskies on Minnetonka tend to go more for brighter colors like lime, chartreuse, orange and hot red, though natural colors will work as well, especially in the fall. This angler tends to stick with the lower lake east of Big Island into Wayzata Bay, although follows have occurred all over the lake.

Additional information can be found at www.minnetonkaoutdoors.com.

LAKE MILTONA
With 211 muskies on the list, Miltona is close to Minnetonka in ranking, though significantly smaller in size and has less boat traffic. Miltona is located north of Alexandria.

Brad Hoppe runs Musky Mayhem Guide Service and is also the new owner of Eagle Tail Lures.

"Obviously, I throw many bucktails like Showgirls and double cowgirls, but it's also tough to beat for crankbaits and topwaters," he said.

Brighter colors tend to work best on Miltona, Hoppe said, with greens, reds, oranges and fluorescent colors being the best.

"The best fishing seems to be during the day, though some people have had limited luck at night," he added.

The Miltona flats in the middle of the lake are a great location. There is plenty of fishable water, and there are cabbage beds running from 2 to 25 feet of water.

"If you can find some of the few rocky areas adjacent to weeds, then fish it," said Hoppe. "Otherwise, anywhere you find crisp green cabbage is good."

Additional information on the Alexandria area can be found at www.alexandriamn.com or by calling 1-800-235-9441. Hoppe can be contacted at www.muskymayhem.com.

LAKE PLANTAGENET
Located just south of Bemidji in the heart of Minnesota's muskie country, Plantagenet is a tremendous muskie fishery, with 174 Esox on the list. As a father, teacher, owner of Custom Silk Screening and employee of Gander Mountain, one would think that Bryan Sathre never has time to guide fishing clients.

"I keep busy, but there's always time to do some fishing, and Plantaganette is a great one," Sathre said.