While bass fishing in a small lake last summer my wife and I made an amazing discovery. We witnessed something that has not been seen in a Tennessee lake in many years. As we paddled our canoe to the back of a creek we saw some violent explosions in the water ahead and as we crept closer to see what was going on we saw Muskie! We counted six of the beast near the forty inch length and they appeared to be in attack formation like a squadron of fighter pilots heading into a dog fight, as they herded baitfish into the back of a creek to feed.      

 
 Musky also called Musky or Muskellunge, are among the biggest freshwater predatory fish found in Tennessee. Thanks to the efforts of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and Anglers over the last ten years, the fish has been restored back to its native waters in this state. Musky have a reputation for being extremely aggressive and hard fighting. In the 2011 Tennessee Fishing Guide, a Musky takes the cover shot and a featured article about the legendary fishing being restored to Tennessee. The article features Will Renfro with a 49 inch Dale Hollow beast. The state has done a remarkable job restoring this fish.      

  The day of our encounter with these amazing creatures, my wife and I cast to the school and one massive fish followed the lure along side of our canoe and I got a closer look. The large cat like eye of the fish rolled back to look at me and then he turned away. That day I had no idea how to catch a Musky, how to land or hold one if I ever got one to the boat, but over the last year I have been researching this fish, its habits and what it takes.       

 In talking to local walleye fishermen who occasionally hook up on a Musky, I have learned that the big fish will hit smaller lures as well as the large lures on the market designed for musky. 

   
 These lures can be difficult to locate in my area, but on a recent trip to Michigan I brought back a few inline Bucktails and some larger jerk baits. Musky Hunters in the north tell me that the best way to fish for Musky is to slow troll (two mph) and fish will be caught on both larger and smaller lures. In areas of weeds the smaller lures seem to be better suited, and the large lures are better for open water.      


 The large spinners are better suited for casting. When trolling is not an option or fishing from the bank these are the lures of choice. Casting the spinners to the heavy weed cover and slowly reeling with a few quick jerks of the rod on the retrieve will get the massive fish’ attention. Unlike bass, the musky feed more during constant weather patterns than they do when the weather changes, morning or evening does not have the same affect on musky as it does with the feeding cycle of other fish. Mid day in periods of consistent weather hot or cold, you can catch Musky.      

 One thing my wife and I were not prepared for the first time that we saw musky was to actually catch them. When fishing for toothy fish a steel leader must be used. The line recommended is braided in at least the fifteen-pound range. A rod with backbone is a good idea as well, so if one of the big fish had hit our bass lures that day, the lure would have been lost. I am told that he secret to Muskie fishing is to have patience and learn before you’re on the water. Musky require a large net and careful handling.   


   
  With several hours of research and interviewing other anglers, I feel that I am ready to peruse one of these magnificent creatures. At first it was to satisfy the requirements of the master angler program, but the more I learn about these giants, the more respect I have gained for the species and the hard work of those men and women responsible for their restoration in Tennessee water. Some people call Muskie the fish of 10,000 casts. This may be true but I am willing to cast a million times to hold one of these beautiful fish in my hands just for a picture. In fact I hope that 2012 is the year of my first. Scott Berrier from Clinton Tennessee is pictured above with what may have been the Tennessee State Record, but Scott chose to allow the fish to live instead of challenging the record by taking it to the check in station to weigh it. The 53 and 3/8 inches long fish had a 26 inch girth, The current record is 42 lb and 8 oz.

Happy Fishing!