• CAPTAIN JIM'S LAKE CUMBERLAND STRIPER FISHING REPORT

    StriperFun and Tennessee Walleye Charters
    (931) 403-2501 http://www.striperfun.com captainjim@striperfun.com
  • Specializing in "Trophy" fishing as the owner of StriperFun Fishing Guide Service in KY and TN and TN Walleye Charters, Captain Jim Durham is a licensed guide who has fished the Cumberland Plateau and KY and TN year round for over 50 years. Captain Jim is a U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Marine Captain and is the creator of the “Striper Fish like a Pro” instructional DVD series as well as his own line of fishing lures.

  • CAPTAIN JIM'S LAKE CUMBERLAND STRIPER FISHING REPORT

    THE LAKE CUMBERLAND STRIPER FISHING REPORT

    Provided by Captain Jim Durham
    Owner StriperFun Guide Service, Dale Hollow Fishing Charters, Superbaittanks.com
    Captain Jim Marine Electronics & Captain Jim Lures

    Staff Writer for fishin.com

    DATE OF REPORT: April 7th, 2015

    • Latest water temperature: 59.6 ° F surface (Beaver Creek): April 6th, 2015
    • Latest water temperature: 59.1 ° F surface (Indian Creek): April 6th, 2015
    • Latest water temperature: 57.4 ° F surface (Main Lake): April 5th, 2015

    Currently, the lake level is right at 726.91 feet above sea level. The lake is now about 2 feet above the tree line which is 725' above sea level. Peak discharge of water through the power generation turbines is running at 28,600 cubic feet of water per hour.

    THIS IS MY 187th EDITION OF MY LAKE CUMBERLAND STRIPER FISHING REPORT!

    It has been two weeks since my last report! Overall, fishing has remained strong!

    Due to a corporate trip rescheduling, this coming Saturday April the 11th is now available! We have several Captains available (me included). We would love to have you come visit and go fishing with us!

    The fishing on Lake Cumberland is as good as it gets right now! The fish are moving quickly in huge schools back in the creeks chasing bait fish and we are catching some nice limits most days!

    If you want to make some"fun" last minute plans and come enjoy the thrill of "trophy hunting" big Stripers then click the above photo (or click below) to go to the booking page, or give me a call at 931-403-2501!

    SUPPORT THE VETERANS

    As a former United States Air Force Airman - military veteran and as a current U.S. Merchant Marine Captain and U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Patrol Coxswain (Captain), I understand the great importance that our brave service men and women play in our society. Their service is why you speak English, can vote and can enjoy the freedom that you do!

    We also cannot forget the duty and service provided by our Policemen, Fish and Wildlife Officers and Firemen.

    STRIPERFUN OFFERS A 10% DISCOUNT on all charters to currently active Policemen, Fish and Wildlife Officers and Firemen as well as to all active military AND retired military veterans (with proper verification ID provided by the person booking the trip).

    This is our way of saying “THANKS” to these important men and women for your service.

    God is amazing in his creation! I am blessed to spend another day pursuing my passion of putting clients on big fish on our magnificent lakes of Cumberland and Dale Hollow! I give it all to God!

    FISHING CONDITIONS AND TECHNIQUES - MOST RECENT REPORT

    Kapow! Kapow! “Wham” and Kapow!

    Yee Hii! It has been limits of heavy fish the last week or so (except for a few days – sorry Roger)! StriperFun guides have been “tearing them up” with rod tips getting “yanked hard” into the water with fish after fish!

    The water is now warming up nice back in the creeks and is in the high 50 ° degree range (59.6 yesterday). The Stripers (as they always do this time of year!) have “high tailed it” way back into the creeks where the water is warmer. The bait fish are thick and are stacking up heavy on the main creek turns and drop offs near flats!

    It is here that you want to “key in” on the fish.

    Check out this photo below of a big school we ran into a couple of days ago! It went on like this for 5 minutes! What a huge school of Stripers!




    There is a big Striper out there with "your name on it"! Sign up now to come and get it! Come catch your own wall mount trophy! After all the boat shows we did, we are really booking heavily! Be sure to get your prime spring dates locked in for some tremendous Lake Cumberland Striper fishing!

    Click this link to book: https://www.striperfun.com/pages/bookacharter.php

    See below the photo of the Ackerman family from Cincinnati (John and his sons Jason and Justin) who fished with me personally a few days back! They caught some really nice keeper fish!! Just great Americans through and through! The boys earned their StriperFun “first mate” certificate!



    See also the photo of Stephen Higgins and his daughter who fish with me personally. She was a great fisherman and they caught a nice overall limit!



    See also the photo of John Markowicz who caught a nice 6 fish limit fishing with me personally!!



    See also the photo Ranor Relators and his family (they fished with me personally) with a nice 6 fish limit:



    To see more photos of all the other customer’s limits, click to www.striperfun.com and scroll down to “recent catches”.

    Strange Bait and Tackle Chuck Strange, owner of Strange Bait and Tackle can help you get set up to catch big fish! Located in Burkesville KY right on the Cumberland River, Strange Bait and Tackle is “the” place to get your fishing gear and live bait!

    You can find Strange Bait and Tackle at 849 S Main St, Burkesville, KY. Call Chuck for Dale Hollow, Lake Cumberland and Cumberland River information at 270-864-2248. Tell him Captain Jim sent you!

    Sportsmans Center



    Captain Jim depends on Sportsman Center for all his outboard needs and so should you!


    Sportsman Center offers over 40 years of experience in quality marine service and sales. As a factory authorized dealer, they sell and service new and used Mercury, Evinrude and Yamaha outboards.

    Be sure and ask for Bob when call them at 931.823.5388 or click the link below to go to their website.

    http://www.sportsmancenter.com/

    CAPTAIN JIM ON THE RADIO!

    I did a fishing radio talk show recently on WHAS 840 out of Louisville on the “Jim Strader” Great Outdoors show. It is broadcast to 17 States. I had the pleasure of being on the air with Jim Strader for almost 2 hours, covering fishing on Lake Cumberland, Dale Hollow and the Cumberland River.

    You can listen to the radio show by clicking: http://www.whas.com/media/podcast-gr...2014-24935145/

    I hope you enjoy it! I am generally on Sunday nights at 6:30 pm eastern.

    WHERE THE FISH ARE!

    As stated above the Stripers (as they always do this time of year!) have “high tailed it” way back into the creeks where the water is warmer. The bait fish are as thick and are stacking up heavy on the main creek turns and drop offs near flats! This is where the “hot” action is! They will spend most of their days way back in the creek for the winter months.

    “BLOOD RED” CLAY BANKS

    For whatever reason, the food chain in the late winter / early spring tends to “bunch up” at the depth of the thermocline directly out from these “blood red” clay banks. Such banks may only be 50 to 100 feet long. I would have to believe that this “rich earth” somehow holds a little more heat or provides an extra dose of nutrients that the plankton like. The bait fish eat the plankton and the entire process of life and death occurs etc. (“Find the bait fish and you find the Stripers”)!

    All I can tell you is that this technique works!

    You can always look for a “vortex” of swirling birds actually diving into the water to help you find fish. As explained above, what this means is that the fish are eating the bait from below, driving the bait fish to the surface right into the feeding birds!

    Early in the morning, do not be afraid to fish as shallow as five to ten feet deep (with weightless boards). Many times, the warmest water on the lake will be flowing in to the very backs of the creeks. The water is always warmer in shallow water and on the mud flats.

    Also, the water is always warmer on the north shore of the creek.

    The simple reason being, the Sun is in the southern sky this time of year and the majority of direct sunlight falls on the Northern shore line. Always use your temperature gauge on your fish finder and hunt for the “warmest” water you can find. There you will find the strongest concentration of bait fish (and large predators).

    There is a lot of truth to the old adage; “Find the bait fish and you find the Stripers”!

    One of my favorite tricks this time of year is to position the boat perfectly “still” (possible only with a Minn Kota I Pilot!) and then drop a Captain Jim Striper Dominator hair jig right into a big ball of bait. If your fish finder is high quality, you can actually see the jig going up and down. The secret then is to be sure to let the lure drop “below” the bait ball “bail open” to let it “flutter down” at least 6 to 10 feet (below the bait ball). Keep your thumb lightly on the line to feel for strikes, as many times the big predators will then eat the lure hard as it drops because the fluttering hair jig looks like a wounded minnow in a death spiral! If they do not hit it, then “rip” it back up into the bait ball and “bounce it” for a few seconds in place then repeat the process.

    This hot little technique can turn on the fish! Additionally, using the same technique to “drop shot” live bait also works (making a slow day into a frenzied bite)!

    We are moving around a lot to find the fish. When we do find a school, we can catch fish using multiple methods:

    • We are pulling planer boards with live bait using weightless lines and or very small weights Carolina rigged.

    • We are occasionally catching surface feeding fish in the mid mornings, catching multiple nice keepers throwing Captain Jim Special “Little Friends” and “Dominator” hair jigs.

    • Down lines with live bait are also getting “viciously” ripped down as we move through these big aggressive schools of Stripers! We are also catching nice smallmouth, large mouth and the occasional Walleye or Bass that are congregating with the Striper schools to tear into the huge schools of bait fish!


    Seeing the big predator Stripers take the live bait on boards or balloons is like watching a prehistoric moment! It is “KABAM” and the rod gets “ripped” down in 1/10th of a second!! Sheer adrenaline and pure excitement! Yee Hii !!! Bam! Bam! Kapow! “Zing” – your rods will be bent with the reels singing!

    I demonstrate these techniques on my “STRIPER FISH LIKE A PRO” Trilogy series. Click onto my photo above to go to the StriperFun website for more information on how to order this informative “how to” DVD Trilogy series.


    Casting
    We are casting Captain Jim lures to the occasional (this time of year) surfacing fish:

    STRIPERFUN’S FULL LINE UP OF LURES

    Captain Jim Lures, a Division of Striperfun.com, sells the top of the line hair jigs (captain Jim Specials) and blade baits (Little Friends), as well as the “Striper Mugger”, the "Kentucky Thumper" the “Tennessee Thumper” and the “Walleye Dazzler”! These lures have been heavily field tested, are super easy to cast (or troll) and besides being Striper magnets, they also absolutely wear out the Large Mouth, Spots, Walleye and Small Mouth!

    Click the link below to go to the StriperFun website and watch the new lures as their photos will appear (a new photo “pops in” every few seconds) in the middle of the top of the screen on the first page. Click any photo of any lure that to go in and read more about the newly designed lures and to see enhanced photos!

    You can also watch them demonstrated on YouTube by clicking the links below:

    "Kentucky Thumper": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXEQaTkleb8

    To buy this lure click: http://www.striperfun.com/store/kent...mper-p-41.html

    “Tennessee Thumper”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ba8uN6NYhk8

    To buy this lure click: http://www.striperfun.com/store/tenn...l?%3CosCsid%3E

    “Walleye Dazzler”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfuizmHF9r0

    To buy this lure click: http://www.striperfun.com/store/wall...zler-p-43.html

    “Striper Mugger”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46aVV...e=results_main

    To buy this lure click: http://www.striperfun.com/store/stri...gger-p-46.html

    “Captain Jim Hair Jigs and Blade Baits”: http://www.striperfun.com/store/stri...b2964914829f7a

    “Captain Jim Umbrella Rigs”: http://www.striperfun.com/store/umbrellas-c-13.html

    Slide Divers
    We will soon (beginning next month) also starting to catch them good on Slide Divers trolling my Captain Jim Special hair jigs! You can read about this and watch an instructional video at:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezJKL....o6N1CTRO.dpuf


    Grider Hill Resort Marina is StriperFun Guide Service “Headquarters”!

    Grider Hill Resort Marina offers the most comprehensive recreation, entertainment, fishing and houseboat experience on Lake Cumberland. Grider Hill provides great dining at their “on the water” restaurant along with terrific lodging in their beautiful landmark lodge, luxury suites with balconies and lake views and beautiful secluded cabins in the woods! When you add in the cleanest and best priced houseboats on Lake Cumberland, as well as great prices on boat slips, day boat rentals and with new ownership dedicated to excellent customer service, it is no wonder that Grider Hill Resort Marina is the fastest growing resort on Lake Cumberland!

    When you book any service with StriperFun or Grider Hill Resort Marina, be sure to ask for the “Captain Jim Special” to get a great FREE gift!

    SUPER BAIT TANKS


    To really hit the “monster” Stripers, you need to use the freshest live shad. Not only can catching fresh shad be tough, keeping them alive used to be virtually impossible! Not any longer!

    The SUPER BAIT TANK has a triple filtration system, a built in oxygen infuser, a built in light for night use and is insulated. This system has been tested to hold gizzard shad & blue black herring for up to one week.
    I use only the SUPER BAIT TANK. Every guide I know uses it and so should you! StriperFun is the exclusive NATIONAL "on line" dealer of the SUPER BAIT TANK.

    For “new” Super Bait Tank orders - call me or click:

    http://www.striperfun.com/store/supe...tanks-c-3.html


    “SPECIAL NOTICE - NEW SERVICE OFFERED BY STRIPERFUN – MONSTER STRIPER TRIPS AND WALLEYE AND TROUT FISHING ON THE CUMBERLAND RIVER!”

    I am pleased to advise that StriperFun Guide Service has expanded its level of services to now include “monster” Striper fishing (as well as Walleye and Trout fishing!) on the Cumberland River (below the dam).
    Some of the largest freshwater Stripers in the world are found in the Cumberland River below the Lake Cumberland Wolf Creek Dam. Throughout the year, it is not uncommon to see 40 or even 50 pound “goliath” Stripers pulled from the beautiful waters of the Cumberland River. This fishing is not for the faint of heart however! These big fish hit like freight trains, making long powerful runs in the constantly flowing waters of the river!

    We also seasonally catch fabulous Walleye, Sauger and some absolutely “huge” Rainbow trout! Come enjoy the scenic and beautiful Cumberland River as you pursue various trophy fish! We hope to see you soon!

    “SPECIAL NOTICE”

    When it’s time to go boating and fishing, you want to make sure your boat is ready to hit the water with all the equipment you need to have a great time!

    StriperFun and its related companies can help!

    With a full line up of the most modern marine electronics (fish finders, GPS, radar and more..) at "way below" national chain store prices, you need to let us get you the most modern marine electronics you have really been wanting! StriperFun also sells Captain Jim fishing lures, Striper Fish like a Pro “how to” DVDs, Super Bait Tanks, Hydro Glow Fish lights, Calusa bait nets and more. Captain Jim and StriperFun have everything you need to have a safe and fun year!

    As a new service, we are also providing a "bow to stern" approach of helping boaters and fishermen “update” the equipment on their boat. This includes outfitting brand both new boats as well as upgrading older boats (where the owners want to upgrade equipment). This also includes full installation of all electronic and mechanical equipment (installing marine electronics, trolling motors, down riggers, radar units, battery chargers and more!).

    StriperFun and Captain Jim is a "one stop shop" for your boating and fishing upgrade needs or to outfit your new boat! Give me a call at 931-403-2501 or email me at captainjim@striperfun.com

    HUMMINBIRD COMBO GPS AND FISH FINDER UNITS

    All StriperFun Captains use Humminbird Side and Down Imaging units. Humminbird Fish Finder / GPS units are simply the best on the market! When you have to depend on your marine electronics to navigate safely at night and in the fog, as well as help you find fish, it is one of your most valuable tools!

    My Humminbird HD unit is simply great! When trolling artificial lures or live bait, I just don’t troll “hoping” to run in to a school of fish. I am scanning up to 240 feet per each side of the boat, looking for schools of bait and fish. When I see them (example: 3 o’clock to the starboard or 9 o’clock to port!), I can then “turn” my boat towards the schools of bait and fish to “get in to the strike zone”.

    Once arriving on the schools of bait and fish, I can switch over to the “Down Imaging”, “Quadrabeam Plus” or “Switch Fire” sonar systems to let me see with great clarity (each technology providing a different yet important view!) exactly where the fish are and how they are orientating.

    Why troll “blind” when you can scan surrounding water to see where the “big ones” are!!

    It makes all the difference in the world, turning a slow fishing day into a great catching day!

    My Humminbird Fish Finder is a guide’s best friend. As a Field Staff member of Johnson Outdoors, I strongly recommend this product to any open water fishermen. To be successful, you need to learn to use your marine electronics. If you are looking for new marine electronics, feel free to call me and I can make some solid suggestions on HUMMINBIRD COMBO GPS AND FISH FINDER UNITS.

    MINN KOTA TROLLING MOTORS FROM JOHNSON OUTDOORS

    I only use the Minn Kota “Rip Tide” trolling motors from Johnson Marine and so should you! As a professional fishing charter Captain, my livelihood depends on my trolling motor working every time – every day! For 15 years I have used Minn Kota trolling motors and my “Rip Tide” trolling motor never lets me down!

    With “cool” features like the hands free “Auto Pilot and “I” Pilot functions, I can set my motor to go a specific direction and turn my back to deploy lines and have full confidence it will stay on course no matter the weather conditions!

    For using a “drop shot” on the fish, once I locate a nice an active school I simply push a button on “I” Pilot functions control and it “electronically anchors me” directly over the fish. If the winds blows me off the spot, the “I” Pilot brings me right back and again “electronically anchors” me back over the fish.

    Man, is that cool or what? I would never consider using anything else but a Minn Kota trolling motor!

    GIVE THE BEST GIFT OF ALL, A FISHING TRIP WITH CAPTAIN JIM AND STRIPERFUN GUIDE SERVICE OR DALE HOLLOW FISHING CHARTERS!

    The gift of a weekend package deal (or even a one day fishing trip) with StriperFun Guide Service or Dale Hollow Fishing Charters makes a great Christmas or birthday present for Dad, a brother or for the family and kids, or can make a great bonus for an employee or a promotion for a customer! We fish year round and our trips are very popular and our booking dates fill up fast!

    Fishing is family friendly and wholesome. So if you are interested in giving the perfect gift to that special someone, order a fishing gift certificate today!

    Call me at 931-403-2501 or email me at: captainjim@striperfun.com

    SPECIAL NOTICE!

    For years, as I have done radio and TV shows as well as outdoors and boat show seminars on Striper fishing, I have been approached by the “nicest” people who have a true desire to learn more about the great sport of Striper fishing. There are always lots of questions asked regarding the numerous different techniques involved in our great sport.

    Unfortunately, many times, it is hard to explain things and answer questions when you are not out on the water (to be able to physically demonstrate what you are talking about!). Initially, this is why I created my (hot selling!) "Striper Fish like a Pro" instructional 3 DVD "Trilogy". This gave new (and even experienced!) fishermen a lot of good solid data on how we "Pros" do what we do, etc.

    But from the constant feedback I get I have learned that more information and training is wanted! Because of this continual strong request and demand for more information and Striper fishing training, I now offer "hands on and personalized" Striper fishing technique training with "on the water" instructional trips! These will be trips on my new Alweld that will allow customers to “narrow down and focus in on” a large and diverse group of specific areas of Striper fishing they want to learn more about. It will also allow me to provide very precise and detailed training in a direct on the water "one on one" teaching environment!

    The Striper fishing technique training subjects will include (but not be limited to):

    Multi Skill trolling secrets including Umbrella rig - Down rigging and slide divers trolling;

    How to set your boat up correctly for big game fishing to be successful;

    How to read marine electronics with an emphasis on the great new line of Humminbird fish finder / GPS units;

    Live bait techniques (every possible scenario how to fish live bait, as well as tricks for keeping your bait frisky!);

    Casting and retrieving techniques and what lures to use in various situations.

    And dozens of more subjects!!!

    Training trips are $75.00 an hour with a 2 hour minimum (4 hour maximum) and are held afternoons beginning at noon. I suggest you book at least 30 days in advance as they are already getting popular and I am booking up.

    By the way, you might even catch a trophy Striper while we are training!

    Please call me at 931-403-2501 if you would like more information. I hope to see you soon!

    To get in on the great fishing action, you can book a Striper fishing adventure with StriperFun! Click the following link: www.striperfun.com/pages/bookacharter.php

    Many of our customers do not initially realize that the Striper fishing is 365 days year round. However, as the largest guide service in Kentucky, all of our boats are covered /heated and we virtually fish almost every day.

    We live for this type of fishing and you can too! Come see us!

    Do not be afraid however to call last minute if you want a trip! As the largest guide service on the water we have numerous guides and can accommodate your schedule!

    LEAGUE OF KENTUCKY SPORTSMEN!

    Regulations that govern hunting, fishing, and habitat are formed by both the Kentucky Wildlife Commission and the legislative process. The League of Kentucky Sportsmen (League) helps keep the hunters and fishermen on top of today’s issues. The combined voices of sportsmen are a powerful tool used to more effectively influence the decision making so that sportsmen can actually have a say in how the resources are managed.

    The League works with individuals, Government Agencies, and Club Affiliates to constantly support the use of scientific wildlife management practices on public lands, private lands, and corporate lands. The League also supports the Kentucky heritage of hunting, trapping, fishing, and the right to keep and bear arms. The League also provides assistance with organizing events to bring kids and adults together in the great outdoors.

    No single individual or organization can do it alone. The League needs your help. Become a member today.
    Contact the LKS office and order your membership over the phone at (859) 858-0135. Or click on to their website: http://www.kentuckysportsmen.com/

    If you have any other ideas, techniques or subjects you want me to write about, drop me a line!

    I am many times asked “What are the advantages to hiring a guide”? In essence, you hire a guide to utilize the guide’s many years of experience and lake knowledge, to learn new tactics and techniques to increase your chance of “landing the big one”. Guides use top of the line equipment and the freshest live bait. Also, if you cannot afford your own boat, it is a very cost effective way for you or your group to fish (cost per fisherman). Even professional fishermen hire guides to learn a lake and new techniques!

    We are moving quickly through spring. Dawn rolls around a little earlier each morning and “Twilight” now rolls around just a little later each night.

    It is great to be alive and be a “free” American! I look forward to seeing all of you this year on the water.

    Count your blessings each day and live “in the moment”, not in the future and always remember to stop and shake the hand of a person in uniform or wearing garb that shows they are a veteran! Their service is why you speak English, can vote and can enjoy the freedoms you do!

    Remember also to always obey all Kentucky fishing regulations while on Lake Cumberland or any Kentucky waterway. Following the rules is a must! It is important that we all be good stewards of our fishing resources. If you have any questions about fishing regulations or to report poachers, call Kentucky Fish and Wildlife at 800-858-1549.

    Until next time, blue skies and tight lines!
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