Cumberland, stripers-bass

[apb]

Hit Cumberland Friday night through Tuesday night. Bass fished daytime, stripers at night. Fished Boys Camp to the dam at various times day and night. The only real consistent pattern was that it was wet, the conditions were constantly changing, and there was no consistent pattern. For example, Sunday morning-early afternoon, chartreuse spinner bait (gold blades) got hit (spots and smallies), white spinnerbait did not, not even a sniff on a jerkbait. Evening, smallies were slamming a jerkbait, spots would not eat it. Monday morning, spots slammed the jerkbait, but would not touch the spinnerbait. Smallies would not eat. Early, green back foil sides caught fish, later clown. Topwater bite was pretty much non-existent the whole time as was the crankbait bite.

Stripers, they are around, but sporadic. Some nights could find a bank or two with alewifes, other nights they were few and far between. Sunday I left the lake around 11 due to wind/rain. Other nights I fished late. Friday and Saturday night were both slow and on bucktails. Monday afternoon, got two keepers and a short throwing jerkbaits for smallies. Broke off another keeper. Last night, we got into them, but late. Pretty much 3-4 AM (eastern). Would not eat a topwater plug. Slivers were the ticket. Couple of shorts and a keeper. Plus MHall had a freight train hit his sliver and never stop. Judging by the speed it was moving, its probably halfway up the South Fork of the Cumberland River by now. I think my ears are still ringing from the sound of the line popping.

Monday night, the lake came up several feet as we fished. There is now a bunch of debris on the lake. Some real trip enders out there. Jamestown area had a bunch of large stuff Tuesday morning. Most of the main creeks had a fair bit too. Be careful if you head out that way anytime soon!

Andrew

[Fisherjoe]

Thanks Andrew. I have a two-night guide trip next week and hope the lake will settle by then.

Joe

[UYKY]

good luck with that trip next week. still raining here in somerset and rain not forecast to stop until monday. would seriously look into changing date for trip - the lake is a mess right now.

[mhall]

I've just now stopped crying. Did get one decent brown one to eat a spook, I even talked him into it...litterally, lol.

[DJD]

Sounds like fun. Any pics?

[apb]

Don, no photos. As wet as it was, I left the camera in the bag the whole time.

I've just now stopped crying. Did get one decent brown one to eat a spook, I even talked him into it...litterally, lol.

That was a classic "Now come on smallies, its May, you are supposed to eat a spook, now hit it" Boom! Hey I got one

Andrew

[Chubminnow]

It seems to me it's the freight trains I always remember most: "Dag gone man, did you see that rod load like it did?! GEESH!!"....or: "Man she was stripping line like a running back then all of a sudden she broke loose! POP!!" I love the saying: "Early to bed, early to rise, fish all day, make up lies!" LOL...

Thanks for the Cumberland update guys! Sounds like it was a wet trip but a decent trip.

[riverrat12]

Great report guy's look's like I've got the same conditions with my river now. I want to thank Andrew again for the killer baits he made me and Mark, I'll see you on the river...Chuck

[mhall]

It seems to me it's the freight trains I always remember most: "Dag gone man, did you see that rod load like it did?! GEESH!!"....or: "Man she was stripping line like a running back then all of a sudden she broke loose! POP!!" I love the saying: "Early to bed, early to rise, fish all day, make up lies!" LOL...

Thanks for the Cumberland update guys! Sounds like it was a wet trip but a decent trip.

Tim I wish loosing that big Ole lineside was a lie, but unfortunately it isn't. I have fished since I was walking and talking and I'm going on 47 years old. I can truely say I have never had a strike and run like that in my life, my kness were shaking for an hour after that..... seriously!!!

[thunderstorm]

Tim I wish loosing that big Ole lineside was a lie, but unfortunately it isn't. I have fished since I was walking and talking and I'm going on 47 years old. I can truely say I have never had a strike and run like that in my life, my kness were shaking for an hour after that..... seriously!!!

STOP...you are making me relive last year. I had my biggest striper to date IN THE NET (well half way anyway). It was way too big for that rubber hookless net and it just slid back out and left my Bomber hooked to the net.

Dad and I netted a 32" Monday night in that same net and I asked how long do you think that fish was last year. He said "Well over 40"...exactly what I was thinking.

[mhall]

It hurts don't it. It's like loosing that very first girlfriend when you was a teenager. You know...... that sick stomach feeling, followed by nightmares, lol.

[Chubminnow]

Hey Mark...I know you ain't kidding Bro',...But I still like the phrase about early to bed early to rise...I had one at Dale back in March do the same thing...fishing with live bait from the bank....rod loaded up like I ain't never seen, similar to the frieight train you all mentioning here...and call it my luck or what have you...but by golly that rod tip went south big time...next thing I know...POP!