Muskies on the Fly: Chasing Ontario’s Apex Predator in a Cold Start to 2025

The first 50" plus monster of 2025. Caught on opening weekend!

The 2025 musky season in Ontario kicked off under cooler and more stubbornly spring-like conditions than usual. That colder-than-average weather forced a shift in the usual early-season patterns and, in turn, how I approached fly fishing for musky in both the Kawartha Lakes and as of this weekend, Georgian Bay. As a full-time guide obsessed with connecting anglers to their first (or biggest) fish on the fly, musky is at the top of that list. Adapting to the season’s mood has been crucial — and rewarding.

Opening Day Adjustments: Go Shallow or Go Home

Kawartha musky season opened to low overnight temps, surface water hovering in the low 60s, and lingering cold fronts — the kind that keep fish parked in spring patterns longer than normal. That meant we weren’t running deep structure just yet. Instead, we pushed shallow. I’m talking about 2–4 feet of water in sheltered bays, areas that held the warmest water available, even if it was only by a degree or two.

I’ll never forget meeting a fellow angler at the launch that weekend who approached us and was shocked when he saw how shallow we’d been fishing. “You’re seeing musky in that skinny water?” he asked. We sure were — and more than a few.

In those first days, smaller flies were key. A single Buford in a 5-6" size, especially in neutral colors like olive, white, or natural baitfish hues, produced multiple eats. These smaller patterns moved with precision, and most importantly, looked like easy meals in colder, post-spawn water. They mimic stunned perch, suckers, or juvenile panfish trying to warm up near the shallows. Aggressive but short strips, long pauses, and covering water efficiently — those were the tools of the trade.

The first musky of our 2025 season. Caught in the first hour of fishing! A small white Buford fooled this fish.

Weeks Two and Three: A Shift to Transition Zones

As June progressed and the sun finally stuck around, water temps crept up. That slow, steady warmth pushed musky out of the extreme shallows and into what I call transition zones: weed edges in 7–10 feet of water, channel bends, or submerged points near spawning bays.

These fish were still somewhat lethargic but getting hungrier and more willing. Areas where cabbage beds met light current became especially productive. I can’t stress enough how important current has been this year — even subtle movement, whether wind-driven or natural, made a huge difference.

One particular pattern that emerged early this season was the value of fallen trees. We had one standout day where we only saw fish on wood — no action anywhere else. Two fish hooked, and every follow came off submerged trees. Here’s how I like to fish them:

Start wide: Cast across the outer edge and bring your fly parallel to the log’s outside edge. Fish will often hold just off the structure.

Strafe the face: Make lateral casts across the front of the tree’s canopy.

Work in tight: Only once the wide passes are made do I start bombing casts tight to the limbs, twitching flies just above the branches.

A good tree has some age to it — most of it submerged, no leaves, and ideally with visible algae growth. These are the ones that hold baitfish. If it’s hanging over 6–10 feet of water? Jackpot. In contrast, newly fallen trees with green leaves or those sitting in less than a foot of water rarely hold musky.

As musky activity increased, our flies got bigger. The 8–10" double Buford has started producing in a big way. Add in a Bauer Hover Fly, and now you’ve got a full-bodied, slow-sinking, highly visible meal. And of course, many of my best-producing patterns this year have included Paccarini Dragon Tails. Yes, they catch wind like a parachute and add a little weight to your backcast — but they also pulse and swim in a way that’s simply irresistible to muskies. The tradeoff in casting effort is worth it.

Flies with Dragon tails have accounted for 8 of our 10 hooked musky so far this season!

Georgian Bay: Cold Water, Hot Potential

Georgian Bay has always been the place where we go when clients want to swing for the fences. The fish are fewer, but the size potential? Unreal. This year, the big water stayed cold longer than the Kawarthas. In fact, just a week before opening day, while pike fishing, we spotted multiple musky still staged in classic spawning bays.

Come opening weekend, not much had changed. Those same fish haven't been far — just shifted slightly deeper, to rockpiles and cabbage beds just outside of their spawning locations.

That’s where we connected with our first 50+" musky of the season — a true tank that came from six feet of water in a dense cabbage bed, adjacent to a classic back bay. The winning fly? A white Bauer Flashabou pattern. Georgian Bay has such a mixed forage base — perch, suckers, shiners, even juvenile smallmouth — but they all have one thing in common: white bellies. White is my go-to color out here, especially early in the season when visibility is key.

Not only do white flies match the hatch, but they’re easy to track for both guide and angler. Watching your fly swim — how it moves, how it dips or darts — is critical to reading the fish and controlling your presentation. Seeing the fly lets you know when to pause, when to accelerate, and when to hang it in the strike zone.

The Bauer flashabou fly, and hover fly, both flies designed for European pike, have been working wonders on our Ontario musky.

Want Your First Musky? Or Your First Giant?

For anglers hoping to cross musky off their bucket list, there’s no better option than the Kawartha Lakes. It’s consistent, forgiving, and loaded with opportunities. Every trip so far this year has included follows, eats, or fish in the net. We’ve dialed in patterns that work across these lakes — locating warm water, reading weed growth, and adjusting fly size and retrieve to the season’s pace.

But if you’re not just chasing your first musky — you want your first giant — then it’s time to get serious about Georgian Bay. These are commitment trips. Booking two days in a row is recommended, especially since musky on this vast system are spread out and moody. But when we find one — and more importantly, when we can go back to it during a major moon window the following day — we can get that fish.

The reward? Fish that regularly push 48–50" and have the potential to break that magical 55-inch mark. These are the battles that clients remember forever. These are the fish that shake hands and test fly rods.

Fly Fishing Musky in 2025: The Takeaway

This season has been a lesson in patience and precision. Colder water delayed the usual patterns, forced us into smaller flies and shallow zones longer than expected, and demanded close observation of how and where fish were transitioning. But it also gave us clear cues on when to switch gears — from skinny water Bufords to deep-edge dragons, from subtle singles to flashy doubles.

We’ve caught fish by reading water temperature, identifying subtle structure like old submerged trees, and by adapting flies and retrieves to the day’s conditions. This kind of fly fishing isn’t about blind casting into featureless water — it’s about matching behavior with habitat and staying versatile.

So whether you’re a seasoned fly musky angler or someone ready to take their first crack at it, this season offers everything from steady action in the Kawarthas to mega-size fish on Georgian Bay. Just remember: fly selection matters, structure matters, and when it comes to musky — every cast counts.

Interested in a guided fly fishing trip for musky in Ontario?

Whether you're aiming for your first fish or a true 50-incher, I’d love to be part of that journey. Reach out via Smooth River Guiding to lock in your date and start your season right.

Matt