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Tennessee Musky Rivers 2025

Writer's picture: Steven Paul Steven Paul

Updated: Jan 11

Tennessee Musky River 2025


Tennessee musky fishing isn’t all about reservoirs as the state has plenty of moving water to keep musky anglers and enthusiasts happy. From wide and deep to waters too skinny for most boats Tennessee has a number of musky rivers that can put you and your lures in front of trophy class fish. With Tennessee moving water musky fishing on the mind let’s take a look at a few of Tennessee’s most popular musky rivers.



Tennessee Musky River Guide

 

Collins River Musky Fishing

The Collins River is relatively shallow but is perfect for musky anglers with Jon boats, kayaks and drift boats. With its average depth being just a few feet, muskies tend to be adjacent to deep holes, pools and eddy’s. Lures like the Livingston Lures Titan Junior are perfect for the Collins River as its dive and rise action doesn’t snag on shallow rocks but looks irresistibly appealing to hungry Collins River muskies year-round.   Another great lure for the Collins River is the Figure 8 Lure Company Meat Grinder spinner bait, with its oversized blade it has plenty of thump and also will not get caught or snagged on rocks and timber.  While fishing the Collins River for musky, be prepared for some swift water sections and shallow rocks areas. Also make sure to have a plan for getting back up stream when your fishing trip is finished.  

 


Tennessee Musky River Guide


Emory River Musky Fishing

The Emory River is a sleeper when it comes to Tennessee musky fishing rivers. With few anglers knowing about this hidden gem muskies on the Emory River seem more than happy to cooperate on most days. Lures like the Livingston Lures Magnus and Titan weighted shallow are perfect for contacting trophy class muskies on the Emory River. Classes like the Shallow Raider and Slammer twitch baits are highly productive throughout the year. While the Emory can be rather shallow and filled with timber in its north most sections plenty of open water is available and easily accessible by boats of an average size.

 


Tennessee Musky River



Nolichucky River Fishing 

The Nolichucky River is a fickle beast that can change in depth and velocity in the blink of an eye. It is shocking how little precipitation it takes for the Nolichucky River to move a lighting speed. While there are small dams on the Nolichucky musky anglers will simply have to contend with unannounced and unpredictable changes in rate of flow. But fear not contending with these variables takes just a bit of preplanning and fore thought as Nolichucky musky fishing is well worth the effort.  Muskies on the Nolichucky tend to like dive and rise lures like the Livingston Lures Titan glide baits like the six-inch Phantom. Throw these lures into pockets pools and slow sections of the river and muskies are bound to rise to the occasion.

 


Tennessee Musky River
Tennessee Musky Guide




Clinch River Musky Fishing

The Clinch River from below Norris Damn well into Watts Bar Lake are well known Tennessee musky waters. The Clinch is deep in comparison to most Tennessee musky rivers giving plenty of shelter and places for muskies to retreat. Anglers should focus on presentations that cover the water column as not only does weather influence Clinch River musky, but the damn release levels can be one of the biggest factors. Lures like the Magnus, Titan and Bulldawgs can be used year-round for Clinch River muskies. While the Clinch is wider than other Tennessee musky rivers special attention still needs to be paid to pockets, pools and eddies as muskies will use current and current breaks as ambush points.


Powell River Musky Fishing

The Powell River is another sleeper for Tennessee musky fishing. With its consistent rate of flow and native population, muskies on the Powel can be found on timber, bars and the classic pockets, pools and eddies that river muskie tend to hold in. Lures like the Shallow Invader and Spinner baits can be useful tools when targeting musky on the Powell as snags and timber are ever present. Pay special attention to entering water and creeks mouths as muskies will stage around these areas as a means to ambush bait fish.

 


Good luck on the water!




Tennessee Musky River Guide



Tennessee musky fishing. Moving Waters Guide, Tennessee Musky Guide, Tennessee Musky Charter, Tennessee Musky River. Melton Hill Musky Fishing, Melton Hill Musky Guide.

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