Dwayne Hickey

Dwayne Hickey, a passionate outdoorsman and a renowned musky fishing guide, hails from the picturesque McMinnville, Tennessee. His reverence for nature and the environment he calls home are evident in his deep appreciation of the divine beauty around him. Born into a life of hunting, fishing, and sports, Hickey’s dedication to the great outdoors is matched only by his devotion to God, family, and country.

Instructor's videos

Dwayne Hickey, a passionate outdoorsman and a renowned musky fishing guide, hails from the picturesque McMinnville, Tennessee. His reverence for nature and the environment he calls home are evident in his deep appreciation of the divine beauty around him. Born into a life of hunting, fishing, and sports, Hickey’s dedication to the great outdoors is matched only by his devotion to God, family, and country.

As a musky fishing expert, Hickey primarily conducts his expeditions in the waters of Center Hill Lake and Great Falls Reservoir. Known for its natural bounty, Center Hill Lake is what Hickey describes as a 'bonus lake', teeming with giants that have never been artificially stocked. His intimate knowledge of these waters and their connected rivers - the Caney Fork, Rocky, Calfkiller, and Collins - is the product of years of dedicated exploration and study.

His lifetime's worth of experience is encapsulated in his simply lethal fishing techniques for targeting big muskie on the regular in the Collins River. Dwayne possesses a knowledge repository painstakingly acquired over the years. Hickey's deep familiarity with the river and its seasonal patterns informs the methodical approach he adopts towards fishing. His philosophy of simplicity extends to his fishing gear as well, often carrying a minimalistic set of lures aboard his boat.

Hickey is not merely a skilled angler but an ardent student of the river ecosystem, so attuned to its rhythms and patterns that he has been likened to a river rat - a creature deeply interwoven with the river's environment. His encyclopedic knowledge of the Collins River extends to every weed bed, deep hole, downed tree, and hard-bottomed stretch, which he uses to exploit the muskellunge's (or musky) feeding and resting patterns.

His expertise extends beyond the Collins River to the Rocky River, Collins River, Caney Fork River, and Calfkiller River on Great Falls Lake. Eastern Tennessee, according to Hickey, offers abundant opportunities to land solid catches across various species – from walleye and bass to trout, crappie, catfish, musky, and stripers. However, he strongly emphasizes the significance of understanding the specific water body, its topography, and how fish respond to water movements.

His renowned instructional videos, including one detailing post-spawn muskie fishing, are revered for their precision and depth of information. They reflect his fishing philosophy, deep understanding of the local environment, and his determination to impart this knowledge to his audience, thus improving their angling success.

Throughout his illustrious career, Hickey has been celebrated as a custodian of Eastern Tennessee's river systems and the Godfather of the region's muskie fishing. His commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and respect for the river ecosystem reflects his life’s philosophy, which centers around God, family, and the outdoors. His wisdom and experience continue to inspire many budding and seasoned anglers, making Dwayne Hickey a true embodiment of the river spirit.