Quote Originally Posted by Les Young View Post
Took almost 18 pound with a 4.89 smallmouth for big fish. 15 something for second, 13 something 3rd & 12.90 for 4th out of Buirnside Island. My buddys caught several nice fish today & had a smallmouth almost 6lb. They are biting good & have been for over a month.
les, im kinda like you, scratching my head hearing bad reports for cumberland. i know of more legitimate 6+ lb smalmouth in the last month than i can ever remember for any given month other than march. i also have personal knowledge of several 30+ fish days in the last month, and i know ALOT of people doing this. not everyday is a magic show but i cant remember a day with less than 10 fish and probably best 5 being 12+/- lbs.

as some of you know i am primarily a live bait fisherman but the big bite has been on jerkbaits, not fishing slow, not deadsticking just fishing it like a jerkbait. some locations fill up with stripers and the bass fishing is over but it otherwise most locations have been pretty consistent for a month now.

good luck, cumberland is a very big lake with a lot of "fish free zones" , just keep casting

and happy holidays to all