Winter Musky Fishing Tennessee Rivers
January and February usher in the dull drums of winter in the Tennessee musky habitat range. Icy boat ramps, rouge snow squalls and frozen musky reels are compounding factors during this time frame but come as no surprise. While the mighty Tennessee reservoirs of the south absorb the brunt of the winter musky fishing pressure, Tennessee musky rivers are for the most part untapped. This is due in part to the fact that most northern anglers heading south to get their winter musky fix are far more accustomed to natural lakes. Coupled with the fact that many Tennessee musky rivers lack quality navigational maps, fishing pressure on these rivers is light or practically nonexistent.
While Tennessee river muskies tend to do things a little differently regardless of where you are targeting them, things become a bit more complex when winter conditions and water temperatures are taken into consideration. With this in mind let’s look at a few tips to help you put more winter river muskies in the net.
1. Eddys
While slack water is key to river musky fishing year-round, it becomes of paramount importance in the winter months, Muskies are moving slowly and attempting to conserve calories during the winter. Eddys, pockets and pools by definition lack heavy current and allow winter muskies a place to hold while exerting minimal caloric output during winter months.
2. Structural Contouring
The vast majority of winter muskies are holding tight to structural elements. This demands that anglers choose lures that hit specific target depths while also retaining action in river current. While numerous scenarios might call for mid depth offerings for the most part lures like the Livingston Lures Kraken and other rubber style lures are staples for winter river musky fishing. Lures of a sinking nature allow anglers to count down their presentations as well as tailor their retrievers to contour river structures.
3. Gauge Current
With snow melting and winter rains river currents can change daily. These varying rates of flow will augment the running depth and action of your lures. In extreme cases crankbaits will run on tie sides and musky jerk-baits will end up so far downstream that they are entirely ineffective. While moderate rates of current are far easier to content with a keen eye should be kept on how they are influencing your lures action. Often at times lure weighting modifications can be made to counter the negative effects of river current. At other times anglers will find themselves relegated to a mere handful of lure options that retain action when heavy currents are present.
4. High Tide
Larger Tennessee musky rivers often have dams that control their level and rate of flow. These hydroelectric dams can raise and lower the level of these rivers in mere minutes. A good rule of thumb is that falling water levels have a negative influence of bait fish and subsequently musky actively. Conversely rising water will jump start bait fish movements coaxing sluggish winter muskies into action. When game planning for a winter musky fishing, focus your efforts on the “high tide” of rising water whenever possible.
5. Boat Control
Musky fishing Tennessee musky rivers demands quality boat control. Maintaining a controlled drift that allows for appropriate casting distance and factors in the apex of a lures running depth in conjunction with target break lines is far from an afterthought. With this in mind if often run my boat in a reverse manner with the bow pointed upstream. This allows me to use my trolling motor to slow my drift when necessary. With a little practice navigating in reverse will become second nature allowing you to move around obstacles and turns with ease.
While one could write endlessly about the differences between river and lake musky fishing these tips hopefully help you get dialed in a bit easier. River musky fishing at its core is just musky fishing with a few additional complicating factors, but once you learn how to manage these factors you will undoubtedly fins more muskies in your net.
Tennessee Musky Guides, Tennessee Musky Guide Service, Tennessee Musky Charter, Middle Tennessee Musky Guide. Melton Hill Musky.
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