• CAPTAIN JIM’S CUMBERLAND PLATEAU 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 CUMBERLAND PLATEAU STRIPER FISHING REPORT

    CAPTAIN JIM’S CUMBERLAND
    PLATEAU STRIPER FISHING REPORT

    Provided by Captain Jim Durham

    Owner StriperFun Guide Service, Superbaittanks.com, Captain Jim Marine Electronics & Captain Jim Lures

    Staff Writer for fishin.com

    DATE OF REPORT: March 21, 2016

    Latest water temperature: 48.2 ° F surface (Cumberland River): March 20, 2016

    Latest water temperature: 45.6 ° F surface (Obey River in Celina): March 20, 2016

    Latest water temperature: 52.5 ° F surface (Lake Cumberland Indian Creek): March 20, 2016

    Latest water temperature: 51.6 ° F surface (Lake Cumberland Main Lake): March 21, 2016

    Latest water temperature: 51.6 ° F surface (Lake Cumberland Beaver Creek): March 21, 2016

    Greetings to my readers! I hope that the world finds you and your family doing well!

    About StriperFun and Captain Jim

    As a former B.A.S.S. fisherman, I been fishing and/or guiding on Lake Cumberland and on the Cumberland River in TN for most of my adult life, fishing the Upper Cumberland Plateau Region for fifty (50) years since I was six years old.

    I personally charter out of a 2015 new 24 foot center console Alweld Escort Bay boat. Powered by a 2015 Mercury 150 four (4) stroke outboard (I love my Mercury!). She is quiet to sneak up on big fish and fast to cover a lot of water! She has 24 mile radar, full Humminbird electronics, a Minn Kota trolling motor, a 50 Gallon Super Bait Tank, a huge 7 foot long 6 foot wide Atlantic Towers T-Top (covering you from rain) and is heated and can be quickly enclosed for really cold or wet days. This rig is the ultimate guide boat! She has "tons" of for moving around and fighting big fish and also has comfortable seating for the trip.



    I also have a number of marketing partners, including but not limited to:

    Grider Hill Resort Marina KY – Blue Heron Resort in TN - Willow Grove Marina Resort TN - Super Bait Tanks – Minn Kota Trolling Motors -Humminbird Fish Finders – Hydro Glow Bait Lights - Captain Jim Lures - “Striper Fish like a Pro” Instructional DVDs – Calusa Cracker Cast Nets and Super Spreader Nets and Mercury Marine!

    My crews and I (6 of us) are all licensed, insured and are well trained in CPR & First Aid, with no less than 20 years experience per man! We have worked to be one of the best known guide services in the Cumberland Plateau region and we will work hard to deliver "big trophy fish". You can count on the fact that your group will be treated with the utmost professional care and safety.

    Different than many basic guide services, Captain Jim fishing also caters to corporate groups as well as to families (and couples). Our guide boats are covered and heated during the winter months to get clients out of inclement weather. Our trips include all equipment & tackle as well as bait. Your trip also includes the cleaning and bagging of your catch (Lake trips) as well as photos for you to remember your trip.

    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 the Cumberland River! I give it all to God!

    Well, the Cumberland River in TN remains hot! See below a photo of Gene Leppert with his nice 39 inch 31 pound River Striper caught with me yesterday. He and our long time client Rod Doyle came down from Louisville and “braved the elements” (35 degrees – sleeting and hailing sideways) to fish the magnificient Cumberland River and nailed this great fish!



    Believe it or not a 39 inch fish is about the average Cumberland River Striper we catch in Tennessee. And of course, we use big Rainbow Trout as bait!

    For your enjoyment, I have created a small video of Gene catching his fish. Please click the link below:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShVnRuHr3KU

    The Lake Cumberland fishing has been great as well! We are hitting big schools of fish!
    See below photos of a couple of clients that came with us in the last few days:





    Cumberland River in TN

    Regarding Captain Jim’s StriperFun Guide Service Cumberland River Adventures in Tennessee. We fish the Cumberland River in Tennessee for several reasons.

    · First, the Stripers are much larger in the Cumberland River system in Tennessee. Per the Tennessee Wildlife Board, there is an average of over 15 Stripers caught annually in excess of 50 pounds and 40 pound fish are not uncommon. The smallest fish we generally catch daily is over 3 feet long! These fish mostly eat high protein Rainbow Trout and also fight the current all day, making them much heavier and strong than “lake” fish. The TN State record is 65 pounds and was caught right where we fish!
    · Secondly, the State of Tennessee allows the use of Rainbow Trout as bait! Rainbow Trout (known as “Striper candy!) is the ultimate Striper bait!

    The average size Trout we use for bait is 10 to 18 inches long (“yes” the Stripers in the Cumberland River are large enough to eat a 18 inch piece of bait!). I have attached below a photo of what some of the Trout we catch look like (in a Super Bait Tank):



    Your trip is an eight (8) hour charter. The limit to keep a Striper in the Cumberland River (where we fish) is 42 inches long. We will only keep a fish over 42 inches if the customer has advised in advance they want to “mount” a trophy fish. If not, we take our photos quickly and return the big fish to the water to grow to be caught again (maybe 20 pounds bigger in a few years!). In the cold waters of the Cumberland River, the caught fish survive very well and can be released unharmed.

    Everything is provided! Rods, reels, bait, as well as trip photos to remember the trip with! We can also arrange a taxidermy mount for you with the top of the line taxidermist in the region!

    When a big river Striper comes after a Trout, the Trout will be tail dancing all over the surface trying to get a way. Sometimes the “dance” will last half a minute (as you watch the big predator circling the prey!) until the Striper finally gets the Trout then its “Kabam”!! The rod gets yanked down and the reel is screaming! As I advised above, throughout the year, it is not uncommon to see 40 or 50 pound “goliath” Stripers pulled from the beautiful waters of the Cumberland River in TN. 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 use large 8.5 foot Berkley Glow Stick rods, heavy duty reels, 50 pound test line and titanium hooks!

    Below is a photo of a 53 pound Cumberland River Striper:



    Lake Cumberland

    Lake Cumberland in Kentucky Lake Cumberland is over 100 miles long (average depth 120 feet) with over 50,000 plus acres of crystal clear water loaded full of big Stripers! It is one of the largest manmade lakes in the world!

    I have fished Lake Cumberland over 50 years.

    StriperFun offers day trips on Lake Cumberland year round (weather permitting). We use only the freshest live shad! The Stripers in the lake must be 22 inches long to keep them. Each fisherman can keep 2 Stripers. There is no catch and release allowed by KY law!

    Hold your control key down and then click here to watch one of my TV shows shot on Lake Cumberland:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guZA4Vi6A8A\

    Lodging is available for the Lake trips at out Lake Headquarters, Grider Hill resort. Click here to see the lodging choices:

    https://www.striperfun.com/pages/gri...l-details.html

    Tims Ford Lake

    Tims Ford Lake in Middle TN Tims Ford Lake offers some of the best fishing in the south. Especially noted for big Stripers, Tims Ford is also “loaded” with big fat “Hybrid” Stripers as well! There are also Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass as well as great Walleye fishing.

    But the Striper and Hybrid fishing is simply off the chart! 20 and 30 fish days are frequent (TN allows cash and release!), with a limit of 2 keepers per fisherman! We troll for these fish using Captain Jim hair jigs and jig heads with swim bodies and also used highly customized umbrella rigs! The results are phenomenal!

    Click here to see a recent Tims Ford trip video where we caught 35 fish that day:

    http://youtu.be/g7hWx2ANOaU

    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 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.

    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 “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:

    “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

    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”

    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, Fitech 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!

    The gift of a weekend package deal (or even a one day fishing trip) with StriperFun Guide Service 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 – STRIPER FISHING TRAINING WITH CAPTAIN JIM!

    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 4 hour minimum 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, all of our boats are covered 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 we have numerous guides and can accommodate your schedule!

    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 winter. The solstice has come and gone. 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 KY and TN fishing regulations while on KY and TN waterways. 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 the poacher hotline at 1-800-241-0767.

    Until next time, blue skies and tight lines!
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