Lake Cumberland fishing late Oct.

Hi fellow fishermen. I need some major help in fishing
Lake Cumberland in late Oct. (Oct. 27 - Nov. 1 to be exact).
My father(75 yrs. old) and I (44) will be taking a trip to Lake Cumberland around the State Resort Park and Grider Hill Dock area
of the lake. We will use a fishing guide (Lance Sasser from Sassers
Guide Service) on Oct. 30th to go for the stripers, but we are also
taking his boat to try for some smallies, walleyes and anything else we can catch. We are pretty much catch and release on the smallies
but would like to put a few fish in the freezer for winter if you know what I mean. We have never fished Cumberland on our own and could sure use some advice on where to fish that time of year, water depth, lures / bait...etc. Again we are totally out of our realm here and will probably not be able to net any on our own if it isn't for the help of anyone here. Not looking for sympathy here, but dad was recently doctored for his heart and it got me thinking....I wonder how may fishing trips we have left together. He started me fishing when I was 5 yrs. old (Lake Erie) and we have fished Erie ever since and have fished in Florida for jumbo bluegills and bass(Okeechobee)together as well as Canada for pike this year. I sure would like to make this trip to Cumberland an occasion to remember as well. Nothing like a fishing trip shared between a father and son. Please help if you can. If I get info. and can hook up with some fish during the trip I will sure be glad to pass along the info. to others here at this board to help someone else out.
If anyone would prefer to e-mail me my address is:
[email][email protected][/email]

God Bless,
INDY

For smallies I would reccomend hitting the main lake points next to the dam with flukes, zoom U-tale worms and tubes. By that time the lake will be way down so you'll be able to see alot of structure off these points. I'm planning a trip myself around the last week of Oct. or the 1st of Nov. It proably wouldn't be a bad idea to bring a dozen or so shiners to drift while your fishing also.
Good luck!!!

That's a good end of the lake. Fish the black shale points and steep banks with spooks or pop-r's the first 2 hours of the morning and last 2 hours in the evening. Also target wood of any kind with a buzzbait anytime for Ky's.

Don't know if this will help, or not ... info is dated:
but, we used to catch quite a few nice SM & Ky's in mid to late Oct - fishing the shale islands on the main lake, just above Beaver Creek. Most were caught using big minnows on a jighead, or splitshotting a big minnow ... casting towards the bank and letting it "swim/fall" back towards the boat. (mostly during the early AM hours & with only a slight chop on the water) -- bigger chop ... we used Crazy Shad topwater prop plugs (clear w/blu face). Later on in the morning, we'd make our way into Beaver Creek ... looking for surface feeding activity. Caught nice fish using those same Crazy Shads, & Silver Buddys (white) ... fan casting points & pockets. That was fairly productive, if Shad schools were present. Otherwise, we would continue using the minnow rigs ... targeting the pockets, points, cliff walls, and islands. Never went very far into Beaver Creek ... just fished the secondary points to the left of the little island in the mouth of the creek.

We always put in at Jamestown, and to reach the shale humps/islands above Beaver Creek, we would go thru the "cut thru" to the main lake and cut across towards the cliff walls ... shale islands are just off to the right. Beaver Creek is just a little ways down from there (going towards dam area) on the left. (from the Grider Hill area, it would be on your right - same side of lake, heading away from dam). You should probably be able to use these same baits/techniques in the Grider Hill area ... if you can't or don't want to run the lake.

Depending on water levels, temps, & clarity .... most fish were caught on or near surface/bank, or around the 15-20ft depths (esp on points). Don't know what to tell you about Walleye ... only caught them by accident, at C-land -- and that was crankin around submerged brush, in Spring. ....... luck2ya ... cp

Cumberland in October produces Stripers in the jumps when the water temp hits 65 degrees. Keep one rod tied on a Knucklehead Sr. or Super Zara Spook with 14-17 lb test and watch for the birds or water boiling with action. Mouth of Indian Creek, Mouth of Beaver Creek up into Beaver to where Beaver and Otter split and Lilly and Caney Creeks are my favorite, but anywhere on the main lake between the Dam to Harmon and Difficulty Creeks is good action. Usually around the main river channel early and late in the day is best. Don't run the big motor too close to make that first cast or you will spook them and they will go down. When they do go down try a 3/4 oz Silver Buddy or 3/4 oz Rattle Trap fan casting all around the area getting it down in the 15 to 20 foot range and you will still catch a few. The topwater action is heart stopping. Overcast cloudy days are the best. I plan on being there for 5 days myself around the 3rd week of October just for this action with my Dad as well. We will be pulling planer boards in between the topwater action. You will also find Smallies and Kentucky's schooling this time of year and I have had success with Rattle Traps and Zara Spooks.

You could not have picked a better person for your guide.
I know Lance and he is first a great person, honest and sincere.
but best of all he is a great fisherman. In late oct. for small mouth and KY's I will be using a willow spin with white skirt and buzzing it on top around large rocky areas where cedar trees grow (crawfish areas, Limestone)good areas on the main lake from the dam up to mouth of beaver/Otter creeks.
good luck, glad to have you in the area.