Okauchee and Oconomowoc are deeper and clearer than Pewaukee with plenty of sharp breaks and both deep and shallow structure. Early in the season, concentrate on water less than 12 feet deep, but fish the entire column, as muskies may be anywhere looking for spawning panfish.

For more information, contact Ben Kueng Guide Service at (414) 232-8459 or www.benkueng.com , or Dick Smith’s Live Bait & Tackle at (262) 646-2218 or www.dicksmithslivebait.com .

BIG AND LITTLE GREEN LAKES
Big Green Lake is the state’s deepest, at 237 feet. In fact, 7,325-acre Big Green holds more water than any other lake in the state, including sprawling Lake Winnebago. As far as muskies are concerned, however, you can forget water deeper than 15 feet here, with one exception -- and we’ll get to that in a bit.

Work Big Green’s shallow bays, weed edges and dropoffs with diving crankbaits and soft plastics. There are several bars and weedbeds from Dartford Bay to Lone Tree Point, and similar structure at the lake’s east end, all of which hold a variety of species, including the muskies that eat everything else.

In summer, and here’s that exception I mentioned, you might try probing the depths for suspended muskies. Look for schools of ciscoes and drop a blade bait, like a Fuzzy Duzzit or giant Cicada, down into the school, jig it up and down and hang on.

Little Green Lake covers 466 acres in central Green Lake County, just north of the village of Markesan. Spring muskie action here is tops, but a heavy algae bloom, thick weeds and recreational boat traffic make summer fishing a challenge. Fish the developing weeds and breaklines with topwaters and shallow-running baits.

For more information, contact the Green Lake Area Chamber of Commerce at (800) 253-7354 or online at www.greenlakecc.com

MADISON CHAIN
The Madison Chain deserves a book all by itself, as all the lakes on the Yahara River harbor muskies. Mendota has more structure than you can shake an Ugly Stik at, and plenty of muskies swim there. Pick up a good lake map and concentrate on humps, weeds and dropoffs, and you’ll narrow the lake’s 10,000 acres to a more manageable number. Dunn’s Bar, off Governor’s Island, is worth fishing, as are Second Point, Picnic Point and Commodore Bar. In early spring, weeds might be your best bet.

Monona is about a third the size of Mendota and much easier to fish. The Yahara River mouth and Monona Bay are good early-season spots. You’ll also find muskies near the underwater points and deep pockets along the entire shoreline from Turville Bay around to Monona Bay. If we have a cold spring, try the warmwater discharge off John Nolan Drive.

Waubesa and Kegonsa, located downriver on the chain, are shallower than Mendota and Monona, so they warm more quickly in spring. On both lakes, you’ll find muskies along new weeds as they develop. Kegonsa doesn’t have much structure, but look for muskies on the offshore bars. There’s one just west of Colladay Point, another off Williams Point and a third off Lund’s Point. Maps will show a couple of smaller bars also worth fishing.

Waubesa’s weedbeds hold muskies all season long. In spring, cast the edges of weedbeds between Goodland and Babcock parks or near the train trestle at the north end. In summer, look for open holes in the weeds along the south shore. These are springs that draw muskies to their cooler water. Bucktails, topwaters and shallow-running jerkbaits all work here.