- Steven Paul
Melton Hill Muskie Fishing Report 2021
Updated: May 4
Tennessee Musky Fishing Report 2021
Melton Hill Fishing Report 2021
Bi-weekly Melton Hill Musky fishing report.
Melton Hill Lake : Oak Ridge Tennessee
Center Hill, Great Fall Lake, Rock Island, Parksville Lake Musky Fishing.
Tennessee Muskie Fishing Guide Steven Paul
Melton Hill Musky Fishing
January 1st-15th 2021
January 2021 is off to a fine start with weather ranging from mild to frigid, knowing what to wear each day on the water has been the biggest struggle.
Tennessee Musky Fishing has been dialed in on musky locations as the water levels and temps have remained stable for the most part. Melton Hill and Center Hill musky fishing has been solid as muskies are using predictable locations and responding to methodical winter presentaions.
Water Temps are ranging from 44*-49*
Top Casting Presentations Tennessee Musky Fishing January 2021
Whale Tail Magnum : White
Bondy Magnum : Zug Island Special
Joe Bucher Depth raider Suspending Purple Tiger
Top Trolling :
Spit Fire Big Norm : KY Crush
Legend Plow : Black
Headlock : Black Rice
Tennessee musky fishing in the winter is a methodical process, anglers need to have their seasonal patterning locked down. Winter musky fishing is a game of fishing less spots but fishing them at maximum effectiveness. Success is based on a combination of proper presentation, patterning and patience. Putting a trophy Tennessee musky in the net its imperative to have all three.
January 15th - 31st
Mid and late January 2021 musky fishing conditions are as wild as they get. Day time temps are ranging from the low 20's with a crazy pike of nearly 65 degrees on one particular day. Finding Tennessee musky is the easy part knowing what to wear on the water and how much of it seems to be the most difficult part of the day. Water temps are low even for this time of year but these cooler temps have put muskies in classic winter patterns which makes selecting target areas exponentially easier than years with major variance.
Water Temps 39-44
Top Casting Presentations Tennessee Musky Fishing January 2021
Llungen 50 Cal Walleye 2.0 :
This magnum crank-bait from Llungen seems to have the perfect dive curve to trace the tight contours of steep breaks and shorelines. It's large profile grabs attention from negative and neutral muskies.
Chaos Monster Mega Medusa :
This thing is big and moves an enormous amount of water, while it does generate strikes it is an excellent search bait for upper forty and fifty inch fish during winter months. Throw it till they show and come back with a "down sized" presentation. But keep in mind just about every musky bait on the market is "down sized" compared to the Monster Mega Medusa.
Top Trolling
Joe Bucher Depth Raider 8" Color Sucker
8" Jake Color Fire Tiger
Spit Fire Musky Baits Big Norm Color Brain Damage
Tennessee Musky Fishing Report 2021
Melton Hill Musky Fishing Report
February 2021
February Tennessee Musky Fishing Report 2021
February is off to a cold start but the musky fishing is hot. Cold water temps in the region have some fish moving in slow motion but when confronted with the proper presentations Southern muskies get fired up.
Water temps have been in the low 40's so slowing down retrieves has been imperative to connecting with active fish. The weather patterns have been all over the map with days ranging from frigid to some mild days mixed in.
52 x28 February Tennessee Musky caught on a Spit Fire Big Norm DC Destroyer Pattern
Top Casting Presentstions
Joe Bucher Depth Raider : Sucker Pattern
Spit Fire : Big Norm DC Destroyer
Spit Fire : Kamikaze Dirty Chart
Lake X Toad : Tape Face
Top Trolling Baits :
Cisco Kid : Perch
10" Jake : Fire Tiger
Baby Depth Raider : Cracker Jack Tiger
Casting is a main consideration in the early mourning hours but when things begin to flatten out trolling the mid-day becomes a serious consideration. Big cranks and and small cranks seem to be the ticket with mid sized musky presentations being particularly fruitless. Reading the Tennessee conditions is often a moving target. Anglers need to accurately read the current conditions in conjunction with weather and forage movements.
Tennessee Musky Fishing Report
March Musky Fishing Report 2021
With colder that usual temperatures Tennessee muskies have been in a pre-spawn holding patterning. While some muskies have been found in shallow zones larger fish are still on the deeper breaks. Knowing when to go shallow and when to be targeting deeper zones is the key to connecting with actively feeding muskies. Speed control is essential during this time frame, the right reel and rod combo also are helpful for proper presentations.
While casting is the top method for this time frame some small trolling runs have been productive. Reaction strikes from structure tight muskies is the target when making accurate passes. Short lines and tight boat control can't be stressed enough. Muskies are finicky during this period and rarely fall for anything less that perfection.
Top March Casting Presentations:
Spit Fire Big Norm : White
Spit Fire Triple Barrel Buckshot : Lime
Joe Bucher Shallow Raider : Perch
Crane 207 : Creme
Top Trolling
Super Shad Rap : White
Llungen 50 Cal : Walleye
Joe Bucher Baby Depth Raider : Perch
March musky fishing in Tennessee is a game of presentation size, speed and depth control. You have to have all three components working in harmony to put trophy muskies in the net.
Tennessee Musky Fishing Report April 2021
April musky fishing in Tennessee has been amazing this year, regardless of local flooding and tough conditions big muskies are on the move. Tennessee Musky Fishing in the spring takes patience and persistence but the musky of a lifetime could be there behind your next cast.
Tennessee Musky weather in April has been tricky to contend with. Major storms have impacted the region leading to flooding and colder than usual water temps.
Muskies can still be contacted in their typical haunts but big fish seem to be doing things a little differently this year.
Top Casting Musky Lures April 2021
The Titan - Livingston Lures Prototype Musky Lure : I will share more details about this lure in the near future.
Joe Bucher Shallow Raider : Shimmer Shad
Slammer 5": Shad Pattern
Spit Fire : Kamakaze Mid : Dirty Chart
Tennessee musky really seem to respond to some serious speed in the spring. High gear reels and a quick pace will trigger negative and neutral fish during this time frame.
Top Trolling
SS Shad : Black
Baby Depthraider : Baitfish
May Tennessee Musky Fishing Report 2021
Tennessee Musky fishing conditions in May have been solid but a few major storm fronts have moved through the region leading to high skies. But generally speaking conditions have been favorable. Late April and early May have been somewhat drier than years past making patterning a slightly different affair. Post spawn southern muskies have been running deeper than in years past and finding the right break line is the key to a successful day on the water.
Top casting presentations
Rapala Peto - This swim bait is the perfect size for spring time musky fishing and has a ton of wobble on the pause. This is a Rapala pike lure from Europe and is tough to get your hands on but is worth the wait. Color Ghost & Halloween
Lake X Toad - The toad is a great rubber bait for negative and neutral muskies. Black
Big Fork Sand Cat - This hybrid dive and rise twitch bait is a funky combo of and the best of both worlds, high speeds seem to trigger strikes. Blue Sparkle and Black
May Tennessee Musky Trolling
I do some limited trolling in the spring but with muskies hugging break-lines this May it seems to be an important part of the game.
Top May Musky Troller
Crane 207 - Brown
AC Shiner - Black
Dig Fork Avatar - Carp
Spring time musky trolling is all about short lines and laser focused boat control.
Tight turns and contouring are the most important factors in generating musky strikes in the spring.