There are numerous weedlines on Leech Lake, but in recent years, some have disappeared. Those weedflats you fished a decade ago could be missing, but Woodruff said he's seen weedbeds come back that were gone for 10 years. "If your spots lose their weeds, then you have to fish different and in a different area," he said.

Woodruff's secret is to continue changing baits, always have somebody in the boat with a topwater lure and everybody else with something different. Diversification is his key to success and until you find what works, keep throwing.

Lake Minnetonka
Most likely, this is another surprise "sleeper" lake, but it's here for the same reason as Leech -- plenty of water and too few anglers working the lake.

Similar to Vermilion, this metro lake is a series of interconnected bays with a wide variety of structures both in deep water and shallow. "Plus, it's cool to be on a body of water where you can have a nice dinner right on the lake, which is something you don't get many other places," Widlacki said.

Josh Borovsky is a muskie guide on Minnetonka who has plenty of experience on the entire lake. He said many anglers don't fish the high-quality locations to the best of their ability.

"I'll see boats get on a spot before me and I'll watch them for a bit to see how they work it -- you can tell right away if they know how to fish the spot or if they are just there because it looks good," he said.

Being in the right location at the right time is only part of his equation. Knowing what to throw at the right time is the key between catching fish and not catching fish. One of the big "secrets" on Minnetonka is that with all the milfoil beds out there, the inside weed edge is an untapped resource.

FIND YOUR OWN LAKE
One of the best things anybody said about muskie fishing in Minnesota was in response to a posting I made on FishingMinnesota.com "What might be a sleeper to you could be renowned to a big group of other people," he said.

In the end, there are plenty of lakes around the state to wet a line this summer in hopes of catching a massive muskie. Muskie anglers go after different things when they are fishing, whether it is solitude, adrenaline, big fish, numerous fish or a straight-up challenge.

With 98 lakes identified and listed by the DNR, there is plenty of research to be done. Check the list and see if it fits your idea of a perfect muskie experience. Go to fishing Web sites for Minnesota and muskies and see what people are posting. As much as muskie anglers like to claim their ability to keep their mouth shut, in the end, they can't help themselves.

The key to successful muskie angling today and into the future is more than just simple catch-and-release. Catching a fish over 3 feet long, upwards of 5 feet, requires some specialized handling skills. Anglers should always support the body and if photographs are important, take them as fast as can be and gently get that fish back in the water so the next angler in line can have a shot.

Check out the WriteOutdoors Podcast to hear interviews with Ron and other muskie experts as well as other fishing topics.