CUMBERLAND REPORT-MY TRIP 9-12 OCT 06

Got there Monday, and fished the evening with no luck on main lake Jamestown to Lilly and back. Shad was just starting to school up at the surface that night, small schools, and few and far between. Foggy Tuesday AM, outside Jamestown, Bait was up in abundance. At sunrise the Stripers still stayed down, but buy 10-11 AM they came up and several small jumps were seen area of Lilly to Wolfe, on main lake an out toward the center of the lake on the flats, as well as over the channel that runs across the mouths of the 2 creeks. Tueadys night, pulling boards from Lilly to Jamestown across the channel did no good, but pulling out over 80-90 foot of water in teh same area scored to nice Stripers, on Shiners, 35-40 behind board, and 40 foot on downpoles. Had 3 other major hits on boards that didn't hook up. Wednesday morning, again the bait was up, over the flats, at the Hog Pen on Main lake. Fewer schools of bait, but each school was much larger. At 8 am, big jumps broke out, with durations of up to 1 to 2 minutes. Area was on the flats, 60-80 foot deep, across the main lake from Wolfe. Wind was dead calm and lake glassy. Wednesday night rains, and storms, plus high winds netted just 2 cat fish in Greasy creek, and no jumps seen at sunset on main lake, Lilly or Wolfe mouths. Thursday AM high winds made it tough to find a place a pontoon boat could pull boards, and still have fish marking. But at 9 am found the spot, outside Jamestown no wake, on the walls leading to Low Gap, over the channel, 140 to 150 foot, Stripers were schooled up like cord wood, and running from bottom to 60 foot for the most part, with small groups up to 30 to 35 foot. Best locations was at the first cut in the walls out side Jamestown, to the last cut with the water falls. Stayed well out from the bank over open water, moving closer or to water up to 80 foot lost all fish marks. Fished there just 2 hours, with many hits, 2 Stripers in the 29 to 32 inch category, 1 Channel Cat at 25 inches, and many hits coming about 10 to 15 minutes a part. Down poles from 35 to 60 foot, and boards with light weight or heavy weight from 35 to 60 foot got hits. Over this trip, the large mouth and KY bass were going nuts. Taking breaks, I'd work a point with a Zora spook. If I got a hit, I'd follow immediately in exact same area with a shiner under a slip bobber to 8 foot, and would immediately score a second good fish. Repeating the sequence, even if the spook drew no fire, still got hits on the bobbers as I think the spook woke them up, and the shiner rig put them to bed. Also had lots of fun running one board with no weight, and a shiner 10 foot back right up to the points and walls (I mean 2 to 5 foot out), stop for 10 seconds, then troll out slow, and bass just would devour the rig. This produced KY and Large mouths to 5 pounds, most in the 2 to 3 pound range. Overall a good trip. Wish I had the guides radio channels, cause knew some were having a hard time finding fish with the changing weather. And I know I'm no pro and most times the guides have no desire or want foramateur input, especially if the customers on board are also listening to the radio. Flip side of good info is there can be too much of it, making it just that much more confusing and frustrating. I'm not the type to mettle, but felt kind a guilty when I hit the big school at Jamestown not being able to share the info. Even jumps info can help, as a person pulling down riggers can skirt a jumps area and draw hits. I guess it alos indictaes theres a school present, and there are actively feeding and not slouching. Just like to help others get on fish. So here's kind of a thought. Would it be possible to agree on a VHF freq, maybe the same on for all KY lakes, that a FISHIN.COM customer could tone to, or add to his scan list, so anybody who was doing good could simply key the mike and provide a general notice? I mean for those of us who don't mind sharing, to say, "hey-jumps are happening here", or "big school and hits at this type location with this bait and this depth" (a pattern that anybody any where on that lake could use if desired?) I mean, from the boat, ya can't get to the Discussion board to say "hey, things are cooking here now". Maybe the moderators could publish the VHF freq, with a banner on the main page, and just a short "how to use it and why" statement. What do ya think? Sounds like a no cost thing, and anybody could contibute, and all could benefit. Could even be the same freq in every state on teh board, so no matter what state or lake, ya could keep the ears open for local, real time advice.

Thanks for the absolute great report. What kind of pontoon do you have? I fish that area some and wouldn't mind sharing info with you since have been good to report your findings.

Ummm could that actually be October 12 which is 10-12-06?
Not being picky but folks might think from the date it is from LAST month.
Jim D

9th thru the 12th of Oct Jim

Great report! I am going to try and make it down next week end to chase the stripers and will let you know how I do.

Burgundy, 20 foot Monarch, with an Orange smiley face on the stern of the starboard log.

Thank you for clarifying. There for a minute I thought I had lost a month......have been know to misplace a day or two, but that normally only happens when I discover I got no more Tequilla left.

Great report. I really like your idea of using a radio channel to report fishing information. This time of year, I would like to know where and when the stripers are in the "jumps" or schooling at what depth. I do not mind sharing information--but I am still learning.

I just returned from the lake and want to say thank's for the excellent report. As for the Guides and VHF they no longer use them like in the past since cell phones work now on the lake, more private. I have VHF at fish camp and the boat and scan with both, very little guide talk these day's compared to the past.
I have a list of VHF channels and phone numbers of all the marinas and docks for the lake. I will post later if I learn to cut and paste on this thing :P

Dave.

Pro-V.... Dave...

If you are using a MS windows OS, and you have those listings in any other file, just highlight the entire list, then hold the control key down and hit "C". Then come over here, and begin your post, then hit hold down the control key again, and hit the "V" key. This will be the easiest way to copy and paste.

Hope this helps.

Tight lines and God Bless

Danny