cast net

[stripernut1]

sounds good, may have to stop by.

[Duayne]

Stripernut gave you a lot of good info there. I seriously would not attempt to start learning how to catch Alewives on Cumberland right now. I would opt for cast netting gizzards in the backs of the creeks but that can be a very messy mission with a good chance of tearing your net.

As deep as they are and with the possibility of them being schooled up pretty good I would suggest shiners or spoons. Find a school and drop a heavy spoon (at least an 1.5 oz) straight down to the bottom. Then reel straight back up at a quick steady pace. You'll need to be able to get something you troll down to around 70 ft right now so it would need to be down riggers or a deep diving disc like the slide divers.

[Shellkat]

Been looking at those diving disc, anybody got any favorites. I see down riggers in the future.

[Duayne]

Slide Diver Lite Bite.

http://slidediver.com/

They can be tuned to not only go down but out to the side at different degrees. This means you can not only fish a variable of depth, but can cover a wider swoth. Get four and set one each to 3 degrees right and left; one each to 6 degrees right and left. The great thing about these are they release and slide down to your swivel so you don't have to fight the diver as well as the fish. The other great thing is you can set as much lead as you want. 50'-100' is probably the best bet. You can also buy them from one of the local guides if you wish to support them. http://striperfun.com/ Jim Durum (the primary guide for them) can also arrange a learning trip to teach you how to use them. You'd have to contact him for what he charges for that.

[Buzzy]

Jet diver are the best or what I like the best when trolling. I use them on the great lakes with my big boards. They make some with a release so when you get a fish you pull real hard and disengages the jet. Pretty sweet.