"As a general rule of thumb, fish the cabbage weeds and the breaklines with walk-the-dog lures and small bucktails," he said.

More seasoned Cass anglers can venture out onto the big water and fish along the depths for the monsters roaming around.

"It's basically 26,000 acres of cabbage, rocks and deep water, which is all you need for producing some monster fish," Jones said.

For more information, go to www.casslake.com or call the Cass Lake Chamber of Commerce at 1-800-356-8615.

LAKE BEMIDJI
Any lake with a section known as "Muskie Alley" has to be a good one to fish. Lake Bemidji, located right in town, is a muskie factory that is known for kicking out fish of tremendous size. With four fish over 55 inches in the last decade and 135 on the list for the last two years, it's a lake not to overlook.

Sathre is no stranger to this lake, having fished it for the first time when he attended Bemidji State University right on the lake.

"The west side of the lake from Cameron Bar up to the northwestern corner is known as Muskie Alley, and it gets tons of pressure, but there's a reason why," Sathre said.

"The secret with Bemidji is to find the fresh cabbage, but don't be afraid to fish the midlake humps like Grassy Island and Rock Pile Bar," he continued. "Most people just don't fish those spots in the summer, which is a big mistake."

Bucktails are his chosen lure, though adding a white 4-inch twistertail to the back hook provides an extra flavor the muskies on Bemidji can't resist.

Additional information on the Bemidji area can be found online at www.visitbemidji.com and also at www.firstchoiceguide.com.

LAKE ALEXANDER
Just south of Brainerd along the border of Fort Ripley, Alexander is a high-quality muskie lake with 122 fish on the list. It's odd in that it requires a finesse approach to really get on the best muskie locations.

"The spots tend to be smaller and the dropoffs so sharp, boat control is critical to keep your bait in the fish-producing zone," Edinger said.

"Points and shoreline stretches with significant cabbage growth are what you are looking for, and it's tough to beat a bucktail in these areas," Edinger said. His top spots include the north end as well as the area around Soldier's Island.

"This is also a great lake for night-fishing during the full moon, and I love making a quick run to Alexander when I know a storm is approaching because the fish just turn on," he added.

Additional information can be found at www.littlefallsmn.com or by calling 1-800-325-5916.

MOOSE LAKE
Just northeast of Deer River, Moose Lake has 119 fish on the list and a reputation for being very friendly to muskie rookies and first-time visitors.

"There's great midlake structure, tons of cabbage and bulrushes, and for a lake of this size, it does not receive a lot of pressure," said Jim Doyle of Musky Connection Guide Service.

Doyle has caught some big muskies in the lake, including one over 54 inches two years ago.

"Downsized lures tend to work the best on Moose, with bucktails and minnow baits working best early on, and jerkbaits and bigger topwaters later in the season," he said.