Cumberland F-n-F Report.....

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Jan-28-06 AT 11:10PM (EST)[/font][p][font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Jan-28-06 AT 11:10*PM (EST)[/font]

I finally made it down to the big water. I had never in my life been on that lake before. Yeah, I know...WUSS!....
It was impressive to say the least. I could'nt believe just how big it was. I drove over the dam a couple of times, but to be in the lake itself and staring at the dam was unreal.
I'd like to thank BJE for taking me down there.

We put in at the State Dock, along side of John Davis. He has a few clients he was taking out. It was 38 degrees when we left the vehicle. Now for the 1st time seeing that lake it looked low. I can't imagine what it looked a couple of weeks ago. The water temp then was 44.?(7:30am). We made a short run to what would be the main lake in any other lake(other than Ky/Barkly) only to find out it was a creek...Dang...
We fished a little while in there the water had a little color. We were throwing a Duck Feather(BabyBlue Chart Craft Hair and a Duck Feather Gray/Pink Craft Hair.)Heard a flock of turkeys off on one of those islands squawkin' to be haitis...Had a pulldown..did'nt hook up.
Moved and made a run down to Beaver...(another small lake itself)pulled up in there looking for some shade. We found some. Not much but just enough in the right spot. Water has some color also. We fished there a little and I hooked up with a spot...about 1-1.5. Nice slow pull down, good hookset, in the boat. Trolled about 20yds and then hooked up with a 18.5, 3.4lb smallmouth. The bobber went down with a nice slow pull. Almost thought it was a limb or grass pull-down(we had some wind), but when I set the hook it was a fish. It felt like a wet sock un til BJE looked him in the eye and he dove. Got him in the boat, weighed, took a pic, and released.(Well, we had to do the big high-5 on that one..LOL!)

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We motored up further and ran into some real stained water. We turned to come back out and found a shaded cut and decided to try it. After losing a couple of jigs, I had a Charlie/Jack Special tied on and BJE had tied on a BROWN duck feather. We let the wind blow us sideways back into this small cut when BJE hooked up with a 17in smallie. We landed it, took a pic, and released. I hooked up there shortly after that with a 10in spot.
Not bad for a pocket of stained water.


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We fooled around there a little more and head back out. By the time we got a call from John Davis and he had caught a 5.3.


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So we wanted to look at it and get a picture. We ran down to Indian Creek because I wanted to see the dam. Drove up in there and found a places out of the sun. John found us and showed the big brown toad....it was awesome.

He left and we fished another spot. I threw up on a bank and worked the cast the way I usually do. No takers so as I went to real it in....HOOKUP> I got the 3.7 on the line...Landed, photoed, and turned loose...After a couple of more high 5's we headed back to PUmpkin and the takeout....


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We caught another 3.5 and had a couple more take downs.


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It was awesome and I'm ready to go back....

Thanks again Brent..

Billy




Redneckshadrap
[url]www.thecreekbank.com[/url]
[email][email protected][/email]

I would call that a good day. There is nothing like seeing that bobber pull under a laying into a toad. I have never fished FnF at Cumberland. I always pass it up and head to the Hollow. My report from the Hollow is that things have been slow for the last week. I will still give it a try on Monday. I should really give Cumberland a try. Everything that I hear about it is good. The lake is just massive but that doesn't really bother me. I guess it is just the mystic of the Hollow that draws me past Cumberland and the thought of a Big Bad Leroy Brown.

Cudos on the report Billy, I'd call that a pretty good day. First winter in 10 years I havn't been able to get out on the water due to work constraints but at least I can read about you guys catching some.

My year end work schedule will be over soon and I'm heading to Dale on Feb 10th for my first FNF experience, I can't wait!

It was a good day, fished the coves on the south end next to the dam with no luck, fished the coves on the north end across from the mouth of beaver two big spots one largemouth and a smalleye about 5 pounds on a mainlake bluff on the fly duck feather and the little rubber Fluke shad on four pound test. Fished all day but that one fish was worth it for the fight. 8 foot depth on the fly.HHKY got the big one though today up the lake.

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Jan-29-06 AT 02:53AM (EST)[/font][p]Nice pics.

With my very novice info thus far, it appears that the best jig thus far seems to be the punisher duck feather jig with a little tinsel or a little chartreuse hair on the bottom for smallmouths the hair jigs only seem to catch spots. Tried the fish dope stuff I cannot see how it would help, tell me if i am wrong,seems like a waste of money.

Glad to hear that you guys had a good time.
We put in at the dam and fished Indian all day. Had a fairly good day also in my book. We managed to catch a few smalleys also (4-11,4-7,4-0,3-8) and several spots (2-0,1-12,1-11,1-8,1-0 even). All our fish came on the FNF @ 10-12 feet deep with the feathers greased down. We caught several short fish and only lost 1 descent fish and my buddy broke 1 pretty descent fish off.
We did see a gentleman in a aluminum boat that we thought was pulling shad for stripers, but turned out a 34 pound striper was pulling him that he had hooked on the first cast with a fly. He said that it took him from 9:50 am till almost 5 pm to land that ffish. More power to him, cause I would have given up long,long,long before that.

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Jan-30-06 AT 06:45AM (EST)[/font][p] Use the dope for sure. I only use my own jigs also. No store bought. If you can find some duck hunters get them to bring you some hides. One hide will rinder a quart ziplock bag full of feathers.
Colors we used Sat were Gray/pink craft hair, Chart/white Hair(tipped with the finess minnow), brown duckfeather, Natural Duck with Charthair and pink tinsel, Chart,Baby Blue,and white craft hair.

But we fished from heavily stained to gin clear....
You have to watch those crappie bites also around laydowns. They'll cause you to slip a disc trying to set the hook...

BIlly



Redneckshadrap
[url]www.thecreekbank.com[/url]
[email][email protected][/email]

Nice pictures! I was raised on Cumberland pretty much but life's responsibilities of family and work has made it so I don't get there nearly as often as I'd like, seeing these pictures you posted was a treat for the eyes...Excellent report too! It looks like you had a really nice day. I knew John Davis guided on Dale but didn't realize he guided on Cumberland...

Now you have done it.Now I will try to make my own,which usually results a lot of junk and wasted time, those herons on the bank should provide a lifetime of grey feathers,just joking. I have tried the dope do not see the benefit thus far, would welcome your opinion as to how it helps. Also if you wear plenty of clothes and are warm do not keep that stuff in your pocket as you will have a fish dope leg down to the knee.

Good report Billy, thanks for taking the time.