Lake Cumberland 12/9 Report

Ended up at Cumberland on Friday 12/9. Morning was brutal cold, guide eyes kept freezing over and lost 2 crankbaits when the guide on my reel froze over and snapped my line. First 2 hours didn't get a bite. Started at the mouth of Greasy Creek and worked the bank down past where the water collector is by the island back there, have always had good luck on that stretch.

As soon as the sun peeked out I started getting bit, to my surprise, mainly on football jigs being thrown in 30 feet of water parallel to the bank and being worked back towards me. The bite was subtle, caught 3 nice 17-19 inchers doing that. Most of the time I felt pressure working the jig, there was no real aggressive bite.

Caught 2 more similarly sized on a orange belly craw 3xd being worked parallel to the chunk rock banks back there. Biggest fish was a 3.6lber that I caught cast past where she was chasing some shad towards the middle of the creek. She was breaking water and porpoising chasing a shad, I casted past reeled back towards the action and sure enough, BAM! Picture attached. This was on a chrome/blue Rat L trap.

Caught a few more smaller ones on a brown crawdad wiggle wart. By the way, I think their trebles aren't good out of the box. I'm going to start putting Owner ST-36s on these things because I've had more fish come off on these lures.

Caught 9 total. Lost 2. Fished 4 hours. It was COLD!!! All fish were brown fish.

Thanks for the report. Sounds like a good morning, although a cold one! I live on that ridge between Greasy and Cliffty Creek and know the areas you described. Did you catch most of your SM before or past the water intakes? With this up coming cold weather, I expect some shad kills, which should lead to some decent FNF if that is of interest to you.

[QUOTE=FlyLie;559021]Thanks for the report. Sounds like a good morning, although a cold one! I live on that ridge between Greasy and Cliffty Creek and know the areas you described. Did you catch most of your SM before or past the water intakes? With this up coming cold weather, I expect some shad kills, which should lead to some decent FNF if that is of interest to you.[/QUOTE]

It would be so amazing to live back there, it's such a beautiful little area of LC - and to be so close to great fishing.


I caught 5 of the 9 on the stretch of bank leading up to where that old dock is on the point before it turns right and you can see the water intake. Caught all fish before the intake, didn't go past the intake and didn't catch any back by it. Caught one by the main point before you get into Greasy. I've never really gone past the intake and tried back of Greasy as I always seem to catch some before needing to go that far back.


I have never once tried Float N Fly before, don't even know how to rig it or fish it. I'm sure I could figure it out. I'm heading back down on Sunday with some 3.5" tubes and Football jigs hoping to pick some up that way.

What type of line does every one throw in the winter i use mono in warm weather but hears its not great in winter time

[[email protected];559030]What type of line does every one throw in the winter i use mono in warm weather but hears its not great in winter time[/QUOTE]

For me fluorocarbon is the way to go because of the clearer water.

Has anyone done well with stripers back in greasy? I fished the first quarter mile with shad a few weeks ago without any luck.

FWIW I have been told vasoline, wd40, pam, lip balm on eyelets will help prevent ice buildup. You always dip your rod in water to get ice off every several casts. KVD makes a line conditioner too.

[QUOTE=scuba_steve82;559023]It would be so amazing to live back there, it's such a beautiful little area of LC - and to be so close to great fishing.


I caught 5 of the 9 on the stretch of bank leading up to where that old dock is on the point before it turns right and you can see the water intake. Caught all fish before the intake, didn't go past the intake and didn't catch any back by it. Caught one by the main point before you get into Greasy. I've never really gone past the intake and tried back of Greasy as I always seem to catch some before needing to go that far back.


I have never once tried Float N Fly before, don't even know how to rig it or fish it. I'm sure I could figure it out. I'm heading back down on Sunday with some 3.5" tubes and Football jigs hoping to pick some up that way.[/QUOTE]

Don't know, but suspect the bulk of the shad have moved into the back of the creek. Suggestion, run to the back of Greasy, past the first and second intakes, then a mile or so, fish points and coves. JMO!

[QUOTE=Buchy1210;559043]Has anyone done well with stripers back in greasy? I fished the first quarter mile with shad a few weeks ago without any luck.[/QUOTE]

At times, one can catch a few short stripers back past the second in-take, off the point where the channel turns left, but not worth the drive IMO.

[QUOTE=FlyLie;559049]Don't know, but suspect the bulk of the shad have moved into the back of the creek. Suggestion, run to the back of Greasy, past the first and second intakes, then a mile or so, fish points and coves. JMO![/QUOTE]

I'll give that a shot. Headed down Sunday. Such a big lake and many places to try but I'll be darned if I don't catch fish in Greasy. Thanks for the tip.

[QUOTE=Buchy1210;559043]Has anyone done well with stripers back in greasy? I fished the first quarter mile with shad a few weeks ago without any luck.[/QUOTE]

I caught one way back greasy in about 30' of water near the bottom two Saturdays ago. Tons of bait back there.