By Jacob Priegel
Tennessee Valley Muskie Authority

During an impulsive “early life crisis” this spring, I made a move to Tennessee and joined forces with Cory Allen and Matt Lynch to create the Tennessee Valley Muskie Authority muskie fishing resource and guide service (TVMA) and haven’t looked back.

We are just beginning to scratch the surface of the “wild wild south” of muskie fishing. Included is some good footage I got of a few fish off a run that we discovered a little too late in the year, a main channel “highway” split by a sunken island Cory later deemed “the brass knuckles” describing its series of mid-lake points off a defined part of the main channel. One day we had 3 muskies that somehow shook the hooks after maw-smashing 6mph trolling hooksets, another that hit with such speed from behind a tooth came up and cut my mainline above a 2’ leader after I reeled in 3′ feet of slack, and a boated 44″ all in about 10 minutes. As the summer went on, we were getting less and less action off the knuckles and realized it was not a summer staging area, but merely a rest stop from fish coming back downstream after attempting to spawn on their way to set up summer fort. We think we discovered the run a little too late in the year and can’t wait to intercept next spring when they begin coming back downstream. During a post crime-scene like investigation of the area, I discovered a perfectly preserved tree laying into the main channel on my graph that I later named the “guaren-tree” in a picture text to Cory with a 48″ muskie I pulled from it by prodding the branches 22′ down with a strike king 10-XD (first fish in the video). As the summer went on guaren-tree was the last place I continued to, and finally stopped catching fish off that run, which tells me when I set up prime time next spring, there is going to be a big mamma muskie occupying the best branch (bench) at the bus stop.

This is just a small snapshot of what constantly consumes our thought about these complex fisheries that make up the furthest reaches of the muskie’s native range. What’s even cooler, almost all these TVA reservoirs have muskies in them. While many in very low, almost unfishable density, these artificially controlled systems present many opportunities to shoot fish out of proverbial barrels, but finding these barrels requires intimate understanding of each specific ecosystem and muskie habits that of which we admittedly know very little about in scale. We are beginning to realize local tales of 6′ muskies on Norris and Melton might not need to be taken with a grain of salt. The combination of TN topography and geography creates many metabolically ideal and incredibly stable/stress free environments for muskies to eat, grow, and roam as they please without competition from high stocking density and fishing pressure making for very tough, but very rewarding fisheries. TVA dams and mountain springs feed each embankment down the chain with cool water, balancing healthy growth rate with abundant forage that produce some of the youngest, prettiest, biggest, and healthiest looking muskies I have ever seen.

TVMA’s, Matt Lynch, with a Melton Hill Lake muskie from June, 2014.

My passion and literal addiction to fishing, specifically muskie fishing, is not merely the act of pulling a living creature out of its environment but an activity that presents an outlet for higher-thinking. I’m a conceptual person and fishing allows me to constantly test new concepts and theories. Transitioning from a fishermen to an angler requires a profound path of humility to accept and understand the concept of the old adage “The more you learn, the less you know”, of who fish for the intrinsic reward of figuring out a piece of a puzzle that is unmasterable. The art of angling does not associate with the frying pan or fire place trophy.

Aside from the character building aspects of the game, muskie fishing allows for an opportunity to learn an impressive kinesthetic art. Roll and hip chucking a 12oz tools with the accuracy of a seasoned bass flipper with 8-9′ extra heavy outfits and looking cool doing it requires years of improving hand-eye coordination and can be quite physically demanding. Soreness lingers in my right pec and left oblique from casting and ripping big rubber baits all night. With one eye on the graph, one on the water, and the eye in the back of my head controlling the dance of my weapon of choice within a foot of my desired depth range along a tightrope strike zone while fighting doubts of my lure ever crossing paths with even muskie for hours on end takes a little crazy and imagination to enjoy. Now try doing this and controlling your boat bundled up on a windy winter day in a turbulent dam discharge. It’s a multitude of multitasks. Failure to focus and messing up your one-chance strike results in a long drive home with opportunity to reflect on one’s discipline.

The sport-fishing world, especially the muskie fishing world, is a very small circle relative to other popular sports and hobbies. Muskies are like the untouchable hot chick at the bar that every guy wants, but no one can catch because they don’t understand the process of seduction, i.e. what she responds to in one’s favor. Ultimately you are seducing the fish, you are hacking a psychological response, triggering a strike by replicating sound, profile, and/or sight signatures that the fish has been conditioned to or genetically ingrained to respond and trying to do so within small feeding windows. The process to crack this code, in addition to considering topography, time of year, weather conditions, water condition, and other site-specific factors is the art of angling. Some days you can do everything right, but an unknown site-specific factor can give you false feedback regarding your pattern, which is where determination comes in. Angling is not just a hobby, but also a discipline that will carry over into other aspects of your life.

One day I pummeled a spillway area on the WI River I knew was loaded with muskies during the spring. I fished all day with all my go-to baits following all my go-to tactics and patterns without a mere follow. I noticed a pod of white bass about 4 inches long in the area. As a last resort before leaving with my tail between my legs I skeptically threw a 4” Storm Kickin Minnow into the turbulent spillway, feeling like a big muskie would never even notice this “quiet” little lure amongst the turbulence and within 10 minutes I hooked and lost a mid 40’s and had about 5 hot follows. Instead of feeling accomplished, I felt humbled, overwhelmed, and questioned my skills as an angler. The one bait felt would go un-noticed in the turbulent spillway got more attention in a few casts than an arsenal of go-to baits fished hours on end. This was an eye opening moment that helped me realize we cannot fathom how they “see” their world but only guess and test.

I have found myself beginning to enter “the industry” but not for fame. I don’t want sponsor names plastered on my boat and truck, I don’t want millions of people to see my face and hear my voice, I just want to fish with some like-minded people and show people what the actual sport-side of fishing is all about. And of course get paid for doing it! I think of fishing as a combination of both a sport and the arts, both of which can benefit highly from professional lesson. We can give you the information and tools you need to become a better angler and create your own style of patterning your species of choice, making for a much more rewarding pastime. Muskies have become a destination for us after the pursuit of many other species. Fishing through a client is far more rewarding than catching a fish myself. My own time on the water has transitioned from hobby, to discipline, to primarily guide trip prep work, all the while retaining the same excitement and imagination that will keep me young as I grow old.

We don’t want fame, but we do want infamy. We are gonna pull some true giants out of these systems and I can’t wait for it. I have learned a lot about myself through angling. It brings out the best and points out the dysfunctional parts of my personality, ultimately forcing me to become more mindful of my environment. It’s no surprise the majority of my closest friends are fishermen. While many relationships of the avid angler are put to the test, others are built on the shared interest and personality similarities. I want to give a shout-out to some great anglers, great men, and close friends Les Hillberg Matt Jacobs, Josh Drew, Brandyn Shepherd, Marc Cooper, Keith Severns, Chad Perry, and Paul Stanley.

Great minds think alike. I look forward my future in the “industry” and will stay true to what makes the art of angling a rewarding experience.

Tennessee Valley Muskie Authority (TVMA) is your comprehensive fishing guide and outfitter service for Tennessee. The TVMA specializes in the pursuit of trophy muskies on our year-round southern fisheries. We are committed to educating, and providing the best fishing experience possible to our clients.