• Lake Cumberland Striper 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.

  • Lake Cumberland Striper Report

    • Latest water temperature: 86.3 ° F surface (Confluence of Beaver and Otter Creek) August 11th, 2013
    • Latest water temperature: 85.1 ° F surface (Indian Creek) August 11th, 2013
    • Latest water temperature: 85.7 ° F surface (Governor’s Cove) August 10th, 2013

    Currently, the lake level is right at 703.12 feet above sea level. The lake is now about 22 feet below the tree line. The tree line is normally at 725' above sea level. With the repairs finished on the dam, the lake is forecasted to be back at 725' above sea level by late summer. We will see!

    THIS IS MY 164th EDITION OF MY LAKE CUMBERLAND STRIPER FISHING REPORT!

    It has been 10 days since my last report. Greetings to my readers! I hope the world finds you and your family doing well!

    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 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.

    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!



    http://striperfun.com

    Click the above link (below the above photo of Grider Hill Marina) to learn more and to watch an informative video or to book any of the great services provided by Grider Hill Resort and StriperFun.

    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!

    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 am now going to be offering "hands on and personalized" Striper fishing technique training with "on the water" instructional trips! These will be trips on the SARA KATHERINE III 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!



    See the photo of Jim Biller above who went on a training trip with me last weekend and learned about fishing slide divers and reading the Humminbird fish finder side imaging and down imaging. While he was learning, he nailed a couple of nice Stripers!

    Please call me toll free 866-305-1433 if you would like more information. I hope to see you soon!

    FURUNO ELECTRONICS FOR SALE!
    FCV600 L COLOR SOUNDER AND A GP-1850 D C-MAP NT
    BOTH UNITS ARE IN GREAT CONDITION!

    These marine electronics just came out of my Boston Whaler 29 foot Conquest and were always covered by a hard top and a covered slip. They are in really good condition!

    See the photo below:



    The GP-1850 D C-MAP NT has a C-MAP NT chip for the Midwest States and Lake Cumberland and shows excellent contouring of the lake.

    It comes with a Furuno GPS antenna as well!


    The FCV 600 L COLOR SOUNDER comes with the transducer and 25 feet of cable.

    All three units together were about $4,000.00 new. I only asking $700.00 for all the equipment together (or best offer!)!

    Call me at 866-305-1433 or email at captainjim@striperfun.com if you have any questions.

    FISHING CONDITIONS AND TECHNIQUES - RECENT ACTIVITY

    Where the fish are!

    The Stripers are now on the main lake and will remain there until late fall (late December). They are holding within a mile of the mouths of the major creeks about 45 feet deep (in 100 feet of water). If the lake is on the rise, you will find them in large schools! If the lake is dropping, they tend to scatter into smaller schools.

    The secret is finding the schools!

    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 1198 CSI has a huge 10.5 inch screen that is easy to read from the back of the boat. 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.

    I will be releasing new video soon of these exciting Humminbird units in action. Stay tuned!

    As summer is coming to an end, we are beginning to fish with oversized live bait. We are using down rods to “drop shot” the fish. This is where a top of the line GPS enabled trolling motor is a “must have”. The reason why is that it is important when live bait fishing that you have perfect control with your trolling motor.

    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!

    I am still mostly trolling at this point and it continues to pay big dividends. I am still trolling Captain Jim Special hair jigs (white and chartreuse) both down rigging with my Cannon Digi 5 down riggers and also pulling slide divers.

    Bam! Bam! Kapow! What a blast!

    Check out the photo below of the nice Stripers caught by Todd Ryan and his daughter Ellie on Captain Jim hair jigs trolled with slide divers! She sang and danced and told me stories all day (keeping me entertained) and had a blast reeling the fish in!



    Take a kid fishing and make a memory of a life time!

    My dad always took the time to take me fishing and taught me to enjoy and respect the outdoors. These valuable lessons serve me even today. SO TAKE A KID FISHING! Fishing is “family fun”. Come see us soon!

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

    Many times 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 and we virtually fish almost every day.

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

    All StriperFun guides are staying booked and busy with customers. Do not be afraid however to call last minute if you want a trip, as we do have rescheduled days that cause sudden openings and cancellations!

    I have included in this report (below) an extensive training section on down rigging below, as well as on Slide Divers. Between now and the end of the year is the “hot” trolling season! You need to get in on this!

    BASIC DOWNRIGGING TECHNIQUES AND INFORMATION

    WHAT IS A DOWN RIGGER?

    A downrigger set-up consists of a strong base mounted to the boat transom (or other locations near the back of a boat), onto which a spool of heavy (usually ultra thin metal) cable is attached. The cable is placed through the downrigger arm with a pulley system and descends straight down into the water below the boat. Heavy weights, called “cannon balls,” are attached to the cable to anchor it at a precise depth, determined by how much cable is released from the spool. There is a release attached to the cannonball by wire and your line (with the lure already deployed) attaches to the release.

    WHAT LURES SHOULD YOU TROLL?

    The most common lures trolled for Stripers are hair jigs and swim baits. For most of my lines I down rig, I personally prefer using my own brand of Captain Jim Special hair jigs. I fish ˝ ounce to1ounce jigs (the fish will tell you what size) in white or chartreuse with small 4 inch swim bodies or Striper grub tails.

    However, an extremely effective combination I always run on at least one line is a Captain Jim Special “mini” umbrella rig. It is light enough to not “pull out” of the clip, yet has five ˝ ounce spinner jigs that create a “ton” of vibration and flash. Even if they do not try to eat the mini umbrella (they usually do!), it also draws attention to your other deployed jigs!

    You can order these lures right off the StriperFun website (click the link above).

    CHOOSING YOUR DOWNRIGGER

    When choosing your downrigger, remember that the boom length must be long enough to effectively clear your cable and lines from your prop while making tight turns. Other important features to consider are an accurate line counter. Electric downriggers are a must if you intend to spend a lot of time doing this (manual cranks can wear you out on a hot day)! Proper placement on your boat is crucial. Mount your downriggers as far to the stern of your boat as possible, allow room for basic operation, setting the release and clearing debris.

    CANNON DOWN RIGGERS FROM JOHNSON OUTDOORS

    I only use Cannon Downriggers from Johnson Outdoors and so should you! I love my Cannon Down riggers!” For smooth operation and ease of use, you cannot beat Cannon down riggers. My electric "Digi Troll 5" down riggers deliver for me year after year - Striper after Striper!

    WEIGHTS

    I have found that at speeds above 2.5 MPH or depths nearing 100 feet, a minimum of a 10 or 12 lb weight is a must. Smaller weights simply swing up too high behind the boat at fast speed to gauge an accurate depth the lures are actually running.


    RELEASES

    There are many different styles of releases on the market today. I highly recommend choosing a pinch type release. Releases are generally sold as light, medium or heavy. I prefer the medium release. If the release is too light it will release while you are letting down your presentation, if it is too heavy it won’t release properly when the fish is hooked. The ideal release will hold tight until the fish strikes and hooks itself, then release immediately when the fish begins to fight.


    RODS & REELS

    The downrigger does all of the work to get your presentation down to and hook the fish. You need to use really flexible rods and reels (preferably with line counters) with at least 20 pound test line. Another important feature I have found is a “line out” alarm/clicker. Engaging this feature prevents backlashes when you are lowering down your weight quickly to get it to your desired depth.


    OPERATING YOUR DOWNRIGGER

    With the boat moving forward at trolling speed (2.5 MPH is average), you let the lure go out behind the boat. Let it out at least 150 feet for shallower applications or 100 feet for 40 feet deep or below. Then, attach your line to the clip on the down rigger cannonball.

    At this stage, be sure your clicker is on so you do not back lash your reel. You then open the bail on your reel and then lower your downrigger ball into the water and let the weight go down until stop it at the desired depth.

    You then put your rod in the rod holder and tighten the line until the rod bends in a gentle arc. Be cautious, over tightening the line will cause a premature release and you will have to start the whole process again. To prevent tangles, never completely stop your boat while trolling with downriggers.

    Once a fish strikes the lure, the line is pulled free from the clip, allowing the angler to fight the fish directly. Then, once you land the Striper, you reel the cannonball back up and redeploy the entire process.

    Many downriggers can accommodate up to six individual lines, which gives anglers the ability to spread lures over a variety of depths and distances. I prefer personally to only putting out 2 lines per down rigger. I say this, not because I do not want to “flood” the strike zone with lures but because too many lines will frequently “catch each other” underwater and foul. Then you are dragging around “fouled” lures and do not even know it. When you finally bring one of them up to check it and find all your lures together in a wad, it is aggravating to say the least. There is nothing worse than having all your lures all fouled up and caught together 60 feet below the boat and 150 feet behind it!

    MULTIPLE RODS (Stacking)

    To fish two rods on one downrigger simply follow the same process as above. Stop your first rod when it reaches 10 feet down and add a second stacker release system clip to the steel line. Let the line out on your second lure to the desired length behind your boat and attach it to the 2nd release. Be sure your clicker is on the second reel as well as the first reel so you do not back lash your reels. Release the spool and let both rods (the reels will be clicking noisily) down to the desired depth.

    I generally will stop one cannonball at 50 feet deep. This means I have a jig running at 50 feet deep (the same depth as the cannonball) and one jig running at 40 feet deep).

    Then, on the other down rigger, I will stop the other cannonball at 40 feet deep. This means I have a jig running at 40 feet deep (the same depth as the cannonball) and one jig running at 30 feet deep.

    In doing this, you are then covering a wide range of depths and you will also know which lure is running at which depth!

    Naturally, if one particular depth or color keeps getting hit, then you will switch all lures to that general depth and color scheme!

    If you are a beginner, you may just want to put out one line per downrigger until you figure it all out and get comfortable.

    FISHING WITH SLIDE DIVERS!

    I am pleased to advise that Captain Jim Lures is now selling the new “Slide Diver – Lite Bite” controlled depth trolling fishing device! I have been “beta testing” this great new tool for the last year and the results have just been terrific, with limit after limit of Stripers caught (and some huge trophy monster Stripers as well)!

    Over the years, many Lake Cumberland fishermen have had great success “down rigging” Captain Jim Special “Dominator” hair jigs. When using a down rigger, you can control the depth at which your hair jig is running. If you see the fish continuing to hold at a certain depth, by using a down rigger you can keep your hair jig at this depth to keep your lure in front of the fish.

    However, down riggers (both manual and electric) can be very expensive! Many fishermen simply cannot afford to buy multiple down riggers for their boats. Also, smaller boats (or some boat designs) do not have sufficient space to be able to mount down riggers. Further, using down riggers can be intimidating for some fishermen, especially the need for “double stacking” to increase the number of lures being trolled.

    So what is the solution? How can fishermen inexpensively and dramatically increase the number of lures they can troll while at the same time actually “controlling the depth” at which the lures are running?

    The answer is the new “Slide Diver – Lite Bite”!

    The new Slide Diver – Lite Bite is a disc shaped “in line” device that utilizes water pressure against the planing surface which forces the unit to “dive both out and down” when trolling. The difference is, that while older styled divers were permanently attached to the line (and the lure could only be back as far as the length of the rod from the diver), the new Slide Diver – Lite Bite actually “releases” and slides down the line to the lure once a fish hits. This allows you to run your lures back as far as you want (generally 100 to 150 feet) before you lock down the Slide Diver – Lite Bite to the line.

    This is very important.

    Stripers (different for example from Lake Trout or Salmon) have very keen eye sight. They spook very easily! Because older styled divers were permanently attached to the line and the lure was within just a rod’s length from the disc, they were no good for Striper fishing. The disc would spook the Stripers and scatter them and the lure would pass just a second after. The Stripers would not have the time to regroup and settle back in to their normal pattern before the lure arrived.

    However, the new Slide Diver – Lite Bite again allows the lure to be back 100 to 150 feet behind the disc. This is very similar to how you troll a hair jig and plastic trailer 100 to 150 feet behind a down rigger ball. This gives the needed time (once the disc passes) for the Stripers to regroup and settle back in to their normal pattern before the lure arrives. Just like a down rigged lure yanks the line off the down rigger clip when a fish hits, the new Slide Diver – Lite Bite “releases” when the fish hits and slides down the line to the lure.

    It is just so cool how these things work!

    The adjustable weight shifts the diver from the center to the far right or far left trolling positions from the boat. Based on the adjustable setting on each diver and the amount of line released, the Slide Diver will descend to a pre-selected angle and depth. I can “dial in” the degree I want the diver to run “away from the boat and down” just like a planer boat runs away from the boat. With a planer board, the more line you put out, the further the planer board runs out away from the boat.

    The same thing happens with the Slide Diver – Lite Bite!

    For example, I can put the Captain Jim Special “Dominator” hair jig and plastic trailer out 100 feet and then lock in the Slide Diver – Lite Bite. If I tune the diver in at a 6 degrees setting and let the diver itself out another 100 feet, at this setting the diver will be running at an angle (like a planer board) about 15 feet “away” from the boat and at a depth of about 28 feet. Then I will put out a second Captain Jim Special “Dominator” hair jig 75 feet out lock in the Slide Diver – Lite Bite. If I tune in the second diver at a 3 degrees setting and let the diver itself out another 75 feet, then the second diver will be running at an angle (like a planer board) about 7 feet “away” from the boat and at a depth of about 32 feet. The second diver at a 3 degrees setting (less severe) is running at a more “downward” angle.

    You can tune the Slide Diver – Lite Bites either right or left –either way! As such, I generally run both a 6 degree “and” a 3 degree diver off each side of the boat (right and left) at the aforementioned settings. Once set, I then also double stack Captain Jim Special “Dominator” hair jig and plastic trailers on my Cannon down riggers.

    This allows me to easily troll 8 Captain Jim Special “Dominator” hair jig and plastic trailers at the same time. The fish catching results are simply phenomenal!

    You can buy the new Slide Diver – Lite Bites directly on the StriperFun website store! Just click the link below: http://www.striperfun.com/store/slid...bite-p-50.html

    THE UMBRELLA RIG FISHING IS ALSO GETTING RED HOT!!! You can buy the full line of Captain Jim “Dominator” Umbrella rigs directly on the StriperFun website store! Just click the link below:

    http://www.striperfun.com/store/umbr...1bf349d05e2c06


    Remember if the fish is less than 22 inches to keep it in the water and release it quickly and it will most likely survive - no problem.

    Equipment section

    Where “on the water” to buy Captain Jim Special StriperFun lures

    You can now purchase all of the StriperFun – Captain Jim Lures and products (hair jigs, blade baits, umbrella rigs and multi lure casting rigs, DVDS and more!!) at Grider Hill Marina on the western end of Lake Cumberland (ask for James or Gwen!)!

    THE UMBRELLA RIG FISHING IS ALSO GETTING RED HOT!!! You can buy the full line of Captain Jim “Dominator” Umbrella rigs directly on the StriperFun website store! Just click the link below:

    http://www.striperfun.com/store/umbr...1bf349d05e2c06

    SURFACE ACTION AND FISHING ETIQUETTE

    If you see a school of Stripers on the surface feeding, be sure to not run your boat directly into the school. Come down off of plane at least 150 feet away then approach by trolling motor on high speed. Be patient as well, do not throw until your lure can reach the edges of the school (that is mentally “hard” to do).

    Be respectful of other boaters as well. Unfortunately, you will rarely get the same treatment.

    The reality is that the fish usually will not stay up long. However, check the time on your watch and stay in the general area. My experience this time of year is that they re-surface every 6 to 8 minutes as they “herd” the large schools of shad to the surface (like any predators herd their pray). Many times, I find that if I “run” over towards them when I see them come up, by the time I get there they are “back down”! Then, when I look over, they are coming up “right where I just came from”! This is a technique you just have to learn (to be at the right place at the right time).

    Truthfully, sometimes it is just “luck”.

    If the Stripers are still all over the surface, we are absolutely hammering them throwing my Captain Jim “Little Friend” blade baits and my “Dominator” hair jigs, as well as the Kentucky and Tennessee “Thumper” rigs and the new “Striper Mugger” rig (multi lure casting rigs)!

    LURES TO THROW

    Captain Jim Lures, a Division of Striperfun.com, sells the top of the line 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!

    DO NOT BE FOOLED BY IMITATORS LURES NAMED AFTER OTHER STATES!

    The “Striper Mugger”, the "Kentucky Thumper", the “Tennessee Thumper” and the “Walleye Dazzler lures are all “higher quality” products that sells for much less than the competition AND THEY COME FULLY RIGGED where the competition’s rigs do not! They are tougher than any other multi lure casting rig and they will deliver for you!

    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...mper-p-42.html

    “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

    I also demonstrate these techniques on my “STRIPER FISH LIKE A PRO” instructional DVDs. You can buy the DVDs and umbrella rig lures on line off of the StriperFun website, or at Grider Hill Marina or at Lee’s Ford Marina (StriperFun Headquarters!) in the ship store.

    Come book a charter with me and get in on the fun surface casting action!!!

    GIFT CERTIFICATES

    The gift of a weekend package trip (or even a one day Striper fishing trip) with StriperFun makes a great Father’s day 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 catching “trophy Stripers” or giving the perfect gift to that special someone, order a StriperFun Guide Service gift certificate today!

    StriperFun also offers an extensive variety of products that make great gifts, including numerous types of fishing lures, Super bait tanks, Hydro Glow bait lights and much more!

    We take VISA and MASTERCARD credit cards!

    Call me for details at 513-304-8825 or click my photo above to go to the StriperFun website to send me an email!

    HYDRO GLOW BAIT LIGHTS

    I get lots of calls about catching bait. For years I have been using the “Hydro Glow Bait Light” to catch bait and so should you! It allows me to be “mobile” and catch bait on the main lake as well as at the dock!
    The "NEW" Hydro Glow Fish Light (JUST RELEASED!) is actually an "LED". IT IS TWICE AS BRIGHT BUT IS HALF THE SIZE (and is less expensive than the older models!). It is designed to use 12 vdc low amperage fluorescents to produce a green glow similar to that emitted by chemical light sticks in widespread use by divers to lure fish. It will work all night on one battery!

    The patented design utilizes the green light technology for improving your fishing activities during the night time hours. The light is designed to vertically submerge with only the top 3 to 5 inches of the light above the water level. This insures the entire illumination of the light is in the water where to fish are, not the bugs!

    Boy, does it ever draw in the bait fish!

    Click this link to go to the StriperFun store to order: http://www.striperfun.com/store/hydro-glow-c-9.html

    SUPER BAIT TANKS

    You will need to put your live bait you catch in a bait tank. 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.

    Click this link go onto the StriperFun website to learn more or buy your super bait tank!

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

    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/

    JIM STRADER RADIO SHOW

    Be sure to listen in to the "Outdoors with Jim Strader" show that airs weekly on Sunday Evenings from 6-8 pm on 84 WHAS-AM, a 50,000 watt Clear Channel radio station in Louisville Kentucky (you can listen in on line!). Tune in and catch Captain Jim’s Lake Cumberland Striper Fishing Report on Sunday night to see how the prior week’s fishing went!

    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 now moving into the late summer season. Dawn rolls around a little latter each morning and “Twilight” now rolls around just a little earlier each night as the summer “solstice” has come and gone. Next thing you know, school will start again and summer will be gone. I truly love summer and am always kind of sad to see it slip away.

    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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