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TN Musky, The Hunt for Big Fish
Ask a Northern angler to name the best
musky fishing destinations, and they will
never think of Tennessee. Most
fishermen may not realize it, but world-
class muskellunge can be caught where
the ice is rarely seen. These flourishing
fisheries are remarkably the only places
to catch world-class musky any month
of the year and are largely underutilized.
The possibility of catching a certifiable monster of a fish from water that hasn't been
jerkbaited and bucktailed to death adds to the mystique. I've heard tales from local fishermen
of encounters with downright scary fish. Consider the Tennessee angler who hooked a
musky in the Collins River that was so big it pulled his canoe upstream.
When you mention muskellunge, most anglers think of lakes and rivers in the northern United
States and Canada, but if your heart is set on landing one of these razor-tooth fighters, you
might want to think about Tennessee. The muskellunge, also known as the musky or muskie,
is native to the headwaters of the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers, and the fish is stocked
in several rivers and reservoirs in Middle and East Tennessee.
With the exception of a few high- profile bodies of water the musky maintains a low profile in
consequently musky fishing is somewhat of a cult activity here. This is bass and crappie
country, and an angler thrashing the water with oversized Cowgirls and Top Raiders are apt
to garner some stares. That doesn't keep Powell, TN musky addict, Billy with TNmuskies.org
, from his appointed rounds through his home waters of Melton Hill, where he's caught and
released hundreds of muskies.
Muskies are native to some rivers and streams in Tennessee and have been stocked with
varying degrees of success as far south as Alabama. The hotbed of the Volunteer state’s
musky angling is the mountainous region stretching from eastern Unicoi County through the
reservoirs of middle Tennessee, where several excellent fisheries attract anglers from around
the country. The best known of these, Melton Hill Lake, Collins River and the Nolichucky
River.
Tennessee's musky waters fall into three basic categories: highland reservoirs, timbered
reservoirs and rivers or streams. Natural lakes with thick weed cover -- the kinds of places
most Northern musky anglers fish -- are virtually nonexistent.
Highland reservoirs are deep, clear and rocky, with little submerged wood cover. The main
forage consists of threadfin and gizzard shad; occasionally the mix includes alewives and
rainbow trout. While these lakes are best known for their smallmouth bass fishing, some of
them contain muskies. One of the best highland reservoirs for muskies, Melton Hill Lake,
produces fish that nudge 40 pounds regularly.
Muskies are voracious predators and one of our largest and fastest-growing fish. The 42 lb. 8
oz. Tennessee state record was caught from Norris Reservoir in 1983. The world record 69
lb. 11 oz. musky came from Chippewa Flowage, Wisconsin in 1949.
Muskys are native to Tennessee, the Ohio River drainage, upper Mississippi River drainage,
Great Lakes, southern Hudson Bay tributaries, and some northern Atlantic Coastal
drainages. They have been widely propagated and stocked elsewhere in the US for sport
fishing.
Native Tennessee muskies originally occurred in both the Cumberland and Tennessee
watersheds. Impoundments have destroyed most of these native populations, but some may
still persist in streams and river systems. The TWRA has stocked 39,366 muskies into
Melton Hill since 1998 at an average rate of 0.58 fish/acre/year.
Anglers are having increased success catching muskies and the TWRA routinely collects
them while electrofishing. Since the population is limited and no natural spawning has been
documented, anglers are encouraged to practice catch and release when possible.
Substantial harvest of this species would negatively impact the quality of the fishery as it
develops. Melton Hill's creel limit allows only one musky per day with a minimum length limit
of 50-inches. A Tennessee State record musky (> 42.5-pounds) would likely have to be a
very plump, 53- to 54-inch fish.
Tennessee rivers contain both native and stocked musky species. Native muskies are found
primarily in rivers and streams on the Cumberland Plateau, and they have been located as far
south as the Tennessee River near Chattanooga. Other rivers with musky populations
include the Collins, Caney Fork and Big South Fork rivers.
The TWRA stocks muskellunge species in several reservoirs, including Dale Hollow, Great
Falls and Melton Hill. Dale Hollow Reservoir is on the Tennessee/Kentucky border,
northeast of Nashville on the Obey River in Middle Tennessee.
Even on water where muskies are thought of as abundant, biomass and natural predator-prey
balances immediately fall in their favor. But all it takes is the right cast or trolling pass, and all
the hours of searching, preparation and effort come together. An up welling of water half way
back to the boat turns into an outright explosion, and there she is.
To be sure, not all musky destinations are cut from the same cloth. Some can produce
numbers of fish daily, with some very nice fish mixed in. Tennessee has spring bites that
produce huge fish while we're still icefishing up in the rest of 'musky country.' There's just no
substitute for watching one attack a lure, feeling one on the end of the rod and letting one go.
Whether brief and fleeting or bold and intense, all encounters with the fish called musky are
something special. They sometimes strike within inches of the boat, as soon as your lure hits
the water, in the dead of night or anytime in between.
Muskies are a powerful, acrobatic and wild fish and a single brush with one can be all it
takes. They even smell a certain way. Maybe the thrill lies in the pursuit. Musky fishing
requires dedication, endurance and skill. Musky fishermen have a well-earned reputation for
commitment, desire and relentless optimism. These fish will do that to a person. We're also
some of the most vehement and serious conservationists in fishing. It goes back to
appreciation: muskies are a different and special fish in many ways. That’s why these
fishermen hunt for big fish.
Ask a Northern angler to name the best
musky fishing destinations, and they will
never think of Tennessee. Most
fishermen may not realize it, but world-
class muskellunge can be caught where
the ice is rarely seen. These flourishing
fisheries are remarkably the only places
to catch world-class musky any month
of the year and are largely underutilized.
The possibility of catching a certifiable monster of a fish from water that hasn't been
jerkbaited and bucktailed to death adds to the mystique. I've heard tales from local fishermen
of encounters with downright scary fish. Consider the Tennessee angler who hooked a
musky in the Collins River that was so big it pulled his canoe upstream.
When you mention muskellunge, most anglers think of lakes and rivers in the northern United
States and Canada, but if your heart is set on landing one of these razor-tooth fighters, you
might want to think about Tennessee. The muskellunge, also known as the musky or muskie,
is native to the headwaters of the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers, and the fish is stocked
in several rivers and reservoirs in Middle and East Tennessee.
With the exception of a few high- profile bodies of water the musky maintains a low profile in
consequently musky fishing is somewhat of a cult activity here. This is bass and crappie
country, and an angler thrashing the water with oversized Cowgirls and Top Raiders are apt
to garner some stares. That doesn't keep Powell, TN musky addict, Billy with TNmuskies.org
, from his appointed rounds through his home waters of Melton Hill, where he's caught and
released hundreds of muskies.
Muskies are native to some rivers and streams in Tennessee and have been stocked with
varying degrees of success as far south as Alabama. The hotbed of the Volunteer state’s
musky angling is the mountainous region stretching from eastern Unicoi County through the
reservoirs of middle Tennessee, where several excellent fisheries attract anglers from around
the country. The best known of these, Melton Hill Lake, Collins River and the Nolichucky
River.
Tennessee's musky waters fall into three basic categories: highland reservoirs, timbered
reservoirs and rivers or streams. Natural lakes with thick weed cover -- the kinds of places
most Northern musky anglers fish -- are virtually nonexistent.
Highland reservoirs are deep, clear and rocky, with little submerged wood cover. The main
forage consists of threadfin and gizzard shad; occasionally the mix includes alewives and
rainbow trout. While these lakes are best known for their smallmouth bass fishing, some of
them contain muskies. One of the best highland reservoirs for muskies, Melton Hill Lake,
produces fish that nudge 40 pounds regularly.
Muskies are voracious predators and one of our largest and fastest-growing fish. The 42 lb. 8
oz. Tennessee state record was caught from Norris Reservoir in 1983. The world record 69
lb. 11 oz. musky came from Chippewa Flowage, Wisconsin in 1949.
Muskys are native to Tennessee, the Ohio River drainage, upper Mississippi River drainage,
Great Lakes, southern Hudson Bay tributaries, and some northern Atlantic Coastal
drainages. They have been widely propagated and stocked elsewhere in the US for sport
fishing.
Native Tennessee muskies originally occurred in both the Cumberland and Tennessee
watersheds. Impoundments have destroyed most of these native populations, but some may
still persist in streams and river systems. The TWRA has stocked 39,366 muskies into
Melton Hill since 1998 at an average rate of 0.58 fish/acre/year.
Anglers are having increased success catching muskies and the TWRA routinely collects
them while electrofishing. Since the population is limited and no natural spawning has been
documented, anglers are encouraged to practice catch and release when possible.
Substantial harvest of this species would negatively impact the quality of the fishery as it
develops. Melton Hill's creel limit allows only one musky per day with a minimum length limit
of 50-inches. A Tennessee State record musky (> 42.5-pounds) would likely have to be a
very plump, 53- to 54-inch fish.
Tennessee rivers contain both native and stocked musky species. Native muskies are found
primarily in rivers and streams on the Cumberland Plateau, and they have been located as far
south as the Tennessee River near Chattanooga. Other rivers with musky populations
include the Collins, Caney Fork and Big South Fork rivers.
The TWRA stocks muskellunge species in several reservoirs, including Dale Hollow, Great
Falls and Melton Hill. Dale Hollow Reservoir is on the Tennessee/Kentucky border,
northeast of Nashville on the Obey River in Middle Tennessee.
Even on water where muskies are thought of as abundant, biomass and natural predator-prey
balances immediately fall in their favor. But all it takes is the right cast or trolling pass, and all
the hours of searching, preparation and effort come together. An up welling of water half way
back to the boat turns into an outright explosion, and there she is.
To be sure, not all musky destinations are cut from the same cloth. Some can produce
numbers of fish daily, with some very nice fish mixed in. Tennessee has spring bites that
produce huge fish while we're still icefishing up in the rest of 'musky country.' There's just no
substitute for watching one attack a lure, feeling one on the end of the rod and letting one go.
Whether brief and fleeting or bold and intense, all encounters with the fish called musky are
something special. They sometimes strike within inches of the boat, as soon as your lure hits
the water, in the dead of night or anytime in between.
Muskies are a powerful, acrobatic and wild fish and a single brush with one can be all it
takes. They even smell a certain way. Maybe the thrill lies in the pursuit. Musky fishing
requires dedication, endurance and skill. Musky fishermen have a well-earned reputation for
commitment, desire and relentless optimism. These fish will do that to a person. We're also
some of the most vehement and serious conservationists in fishing. It goes back to
appreciation: muskies are a different and special fish in many ways. That’s why these
fishermen hunt for big fish.
