Musky fishing is often misunderstood as being set up in the north, but it is actually a "southern fish" to some. Tennessee, located to the east of the Rockies, is more elevated than Kentucky. Despite this, there is a vast amount of untapped musky water in the state. This highlights the importance of perception in both musky fishing and life.
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.
