Gear Up for Fall Tennessee Musky Fishing
- Steven Paul
- 14 hours ago
- 3 min read
Gear Up for Fall Tennessee Musky Fishing
By Steven Paul – Tennessee Musky Guide
Fall is upon us in the Volunteer State, and with the change in seasons comes one of the best opportunities of the year to connect with Tennessee muskies. Tennessee musky waters like Melton Hill, Great Falls, and Parksville Reservoir start cooling just enough to kick off the hot bite that makes fall musky fishing in Tennessee so exciting.
As temperatures drop, Tennessee muskies begin their seasonal movements toward the shallows, but anglers need to be prepared. These fish, fresh off a summer spent in deeper haunts, key in on very specific lure sizes and presentations. Having the right gear makes all the difference. Below are three of the most effective Livingston Lures for putting a trophy Tennessee musky in the net this fall—along with when and how to use them.
1. Livingston Lures Titan
I’m admittedly partial to the Titan, as I designed it, but rest assured it was built first and foremost with Tennessee musky fishing in mind. While Melton Hill and Parksville have plunging shorelines, other Tennessee waters run shallow, which is why I equipped the Titan with a versatile weight kit. This system allows anglers to adapt presentations to cover depth, water column, and seasonality.
The Titan works best with short rips and taps, causing it to dive and rise unpredictably while darting at different angles on the way up. In fall, it excels around weeds, timber, and other cover, especially during tough mid-day conditions when muskies need a little extra coaxing.
2. Livingston Lures Mustang
The Mustang, another one of my designs, was built and tested on Tennessee muskies from day one. The result is a high-thump musky swimbait with a rolling, highly visual action. It’s easy to use—cast it out and reel it in—but short pauses in your retrieve cause the Mustang to nose-dive just enough to trigger a strike from a following musky.
Because of its sinking design, the Mustang is deadly both in shallow cover like weeds and timber and on deeper breaklines and structure where Tennessee muskies stage during fall transitions.
3. Livingston Lures Pounder
Designed by musky legend Steve Herbeck, the Pounder is a super slow-rising deep-diving crankbait that shines during cold fronts and cold water periods. With its exaggerated action at even the slowest speeds, the Pounder is tailor-made for fall muskies that don’t want to chase fast presentations.
It can be fished with a simple straight retrieve, but it really comes alive when worked with short rips and long pauses. Thanks to its unique weighting, the Pounder surges forward, suspends in place, and then ever so slowly rises—a combination that triggers big Tennessee muskies when nothing else will.
Fall Musky Fishing Conditions in Tennessee
Keep in mind that early fall in Tennessee can still bring warm water temperatures. To protect the health and safety of muskies, pay close attention to water temps and dissolved oxygen levels. If you encounter warm conditions in September or early October, focus on upstream sections of rivers and reservoirs, where cooler flows provide a safer environment for both fish and anglers.
In the Net
If you’re serious about putting a trophy Tennessee musky in the net this fall, gear up with these proven Livingston Lures. Built and tested right here in Tennessee, the Titan, Mustang, and Pounder are designed to match the unique challenges of our waters and consistently deliver results when the leaves start to turn.