Most anglers associate musky fishing with northern lakes, but Tennessee's highland waters tell a different story. Elevation offsets latitude, creating ideal musky habitat in places few people think to look. After nearly two decades fishing these overlooked southern waters, Cory Allen explains why the best musky fishing might be closer than you think.
Musky fishing involves different boatside etiquette, with the best technique being to drop the bait slowly and pop it out of sight. Figure 8s are not a uniform method, but rather continuations of the presentation. The boatside technique offers an advantage in angles, unlike the rest of the retrieve.
Musky and jigging have not always been synonymous, but with the advent of the Bondy bait, musky jigging has become more common. Spinnerbaits, rubber, and inline bucktails can be used in jigging. The H20 Barbarian is a versatile musky jigging bait, while the double dawg is a personal favorite for vertical jigging.
Reservoir musky fishing often overlooks the riprap, or dam face, due to its limited surface area between the shoreline and the primary break. This results in muskys being caught by casters, who fish directly over their heads. To move en masse, fish must have surface area.
Trolling motors are commonly used for trolling, but they have limitations in speed control and are less effective for slower fishing. Advances in remote control technology offer efficient boat control with auto correction and precise speed control. Trolling motors offer hand-free operation, constant resistance on baits, and can cover breaklines without limitations.
